Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Four Cheese Baked Macaroni recipe. Creamy, cheesy, and baked to golden perfection, it’s a crowd-pleaser that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Sauce:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Cheeses:
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Topping:
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the macaroni: Cook the elbow macaroni until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, add milk and cream, season, and melt in the cheeses.
- Combine sauce and pasta: Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a baking dish.
- Add topping: Mix breadcrumbs with butter and sprinkle over the pasta along with Parmesan.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute Gruyère with Fontina or Provolone if unavailable.
- For a spicy twist, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the cheese sauce.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
