Four cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Four cheese Macaroni and Cheese - This gooey cheesy mac and cheese is creamy, delicious, rich and full of flavour.We use a combination of 4 cheese in this recipe - Cheddar, Red Leicester, Mozarella and Grana Padana or Parmesan.
This is my favourite baked Mac and Cheese. The ultimate homemade comfort food, this recipe is great for a comforting dinner, a BBQ main dish  and it makes the perfect side dish for gatherings especially over Christmas/Thanksgiving.

 

Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients

Here is what you need for the most divine Mac and Cheese recipe ever. Ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page:

Pasta

Macaroni is a tubular pasta that is small and cooks quickly. You can use Elbow Macaroni or any variety you like. There are many shapes available nowadays.
The shape of pasta is important because cooking times will very between pasta shapes/sizes. Macaroni usually cooks in 7 - 8 minutes. Larger varieties can take up to 12 minutes. If you do use a different pasta shape, stick to one that cooks in a similar time.

Cheese

Red Leicester and Mature Cheddar cheese

You can use many different types of Cheese in this recipe. I don't like using a super strong mature cheddar because it completely overpowers the dish.  Red Leicester and Mature Cheddar provides loads of flavour and are perfect for making homemade mac and cheese. You can also use standard Cheddar or a Spiced one too.mMake sure you buy it in blocks and grate it by hand for maximum melting!

Mozzarella Cheese

A really great melting Cheese that adds stretch and comfort in Mac and Cheese.

Grana Padano

Or Parmsan. This adds a nutty, salty, sweet element. You can use Gruyère Cheese instead. Aged cheese also adds umami flavour to this dish. Gouda and Monterey Jack are also good options.

Butter, Flour, Milk

Butter and Plain Flour/All Purpose Flour combined helps to make a roux which is made to thicken the cheese sauce.
I recommend using whole milk. You can use any plant based milk here and use some Cream in place of the Milk too if you like. These combined and whisked in to the roux make a thick béchamel sauce. We then add Cheese to create a Cheese Sauce.

Salt and Pepper

Different brands of cheese can vary in terms of saltiness, so I recommend giving the pasta a final taste after mixing in the cheese to see if it needs extra salt. Do add a generous amount of black pepper though.

Smoked Paprika

This adds a mildly smoky flavour and goes really well with Mac and Cheese.

Garlic Granules/Garlic Powder

I like to add some of this to add an extra depth of flavour.

Onion Powder

Adds umami and a lovely flavour. This is an optional add in.

Parsley

For Colour and Flavour.

Mustard

A little mustard helps to bring out the flavour of the sharp cheese in this recipe. The flavour of mustard itself cannot be detected. You can use Dijon, Powdered or English Mustard here. I use powdered Mustard. This is an optional add in.

How to make Four Cheese Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is pretty simple to make. Here is what you need to do to make it:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 1 minute less then the packet suggests. Then drain.

Make the behcemel sauce, sauce by melting the Butter in a pot and adding Flour. Whisk till it turns golden (about 1- 2 minutes over medium high heat). Slowly pour in the Milk stirring continuously until it thickens.

Stir in Paprika, Garlic, Onion Powder and Parsley.

Season and taste and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Simmer for a few minutes (about 5) until thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat and add in most of the shredded cheeses, reserving some Cheese for the top (measurements can be found in the recipe card below). Continue to whisk until the Cheese is fully incorporated.

Add Pasta to Cheese mixture and mix through throughly.

Add the Macaroni and Cheese to 9 x 13 backing dish. Top with remaining Cheese.

Place under the grill/broiler for 2 - 3 minutes till golden and slightly crispy on top.

Top tips The ultimate 5 cheese Mac and Cheese

Don’t overcook the Pasta

The pasta will be placed cooked again under the grill so if you over cook it at the beginning, it is likely to get mushy by the end.

Grate the Cheese

Do this by hand or in a food processor with grater attachment. Store-bought pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agent that stops it from clumping together which affects how it melts.

Cheese Type

Don’t worry too much about getting the exact cheeses listed. Just use your favourites! 
Other options are Gouda, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Colby. 

Seasoning

Taste the cheese sauce before adding Salt. Cheese can vary a lot in terms of how salty it is so I would give the sauce a taste before adding any more salt. 

Milk

Use full fat room temperature Milk.

Whisk

When you add the Milk, add it slowly and whisk throughly yo avoid lumps.

Variations

Panko Topping

You can add ⅔ cup of Panko breadcrumbs with butter and add to the top of the Pasta before baking for a super crispy top.

Protein

You can add cooked meats such as Sausage, Chicken, Beef to the Mac and Cheese. You can also add Prawns.

Veg

Add veggies such as Corn,Peppers, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Red Onions, Spring Onion, Spinach, Tomatoes.

Seasoning, Pastes, Sauces

Add extra seasoning such as dried herbs like basil, chives, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, etc. You can also add seasonings like Cajun seasonings, Cayenne Pepper, Za’atar, Harissa, Pesto or any other sauce or paste that goes well with Pasta. Hot sauce works well!

How to make it ahead of time

Make as directed but do not grill. Allow to cool. Cover with cling film or foil and place in the fridge 1 - 2 days ahead.
Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Bake as recipe suggests.

Note - The recipe does lose some of the creaminess when made ahead. I would suggest that you increase the amount of sauce slightly  (¾ cup butter, flour and 2 cups milk) if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.

Storage

Fridge

This Mac and Cheese is best eaten immediately, but any leftovers can be kept covered tightly in the fridge for 4 days. 
To reheat, stir in a little bit of milk and microwave partially covered with cling film.  Stir often as it reheats.

Freezer

Let the Mac and Cheese recipe completely cool.
Add to a freezer-safe container, or ziplock bag and seal.Make sure to label them with the date!
It can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to reheat Mac and cheese

Microwave

From frozen – heat in the microwave-safe container for 3-4 minutes or in a large microwave safe dish for 3-4 minutes. 
If thawed - reheat for 1-2 minutes.

Stovetop

If completely frozen, heat over medium-low in a covered small pan for about 12 minutes. Do not over stir as this can cause it to become mushy. You can also thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove for 5 minutes.

Oven

Alternatively, you can reheat it in the oven by covering the dish with foil and warming at 180 C/ 350 F/Gas Mark 4 until it has warmed through.

did you make this recipe? i'd love to hear about it! did you try any variations? if you loved this recipe/tried any variations/have some top tips, please comment below. please leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. you can also follow us on instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest recipes.