21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (2024)

Creamy, cheesy, and piping hot, macaroni and cheese is a nostalgic classic for a reason — and when you need something hearty, the best mac and cheese recipe among these options can become your go-to. Some of our favorites include Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots, Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese, and Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale. If you prefer pasta shells, prepare Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs. No matter which mac 'n' cheese recipe you choose, you're only a few steps away from a cozy, wonderful meal.

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Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (1)

Inspired by älplermagronen, Alpine farmers' macaroni, this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from Raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce; as a nod to that flavor play, we've added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness.

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Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (2)

Macaroni and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. This version features a combination of fontina for optimal gooey texture and cheddar for its tangy flavor, and a crispy mix of toasted panko, parsley, lemon, and garlic that cuts through the richness of the ultra-creamy baked shells.

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Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (3)

Three different kinds of cheese — extra-sharp cheddar, Colby-Jack, and cream cheese — go into this creamy, savory macaroni and cheese recipe, which also gets layers of flavor from fresh bay leaves and dry mustard. Southern-style mac 'n' cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, the milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish).

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (4)

This decadent macaroni and cheese has it all: a generous amount of lobster meat and a rich, three-cheese sauce made with fontina, Gruyère, and mascarpone, mixed with pasta and baked under a crunchy topping of panko and Parmesan.

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Mac and Corn Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (5)

Inspired by Stouffer's and Korean restaurant corn cheese, Eric Kim's mac and cheese is enlivened with snappy kernels of sweet corn, pungent onion, and fruity jalapeño.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (6)

Small chunks of cheddar and Colby cheeses throughout give this classic dish a perfect hit of flavor and a fabulous gooey texture.

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Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (7)

This three-cheese version of the American comfort classic gets a nice kick from a generous pinch of cayenne, while buttery breadcrumbs give it a great crunch.

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Okra Mac and Cheese with Andouille Sausage

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (8)

This baked mac and cheese is loaded with andouille sausage, okra, Creole seasoning, and white cheddar and Gruyère cheeses.

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Kentucky Hot Brown Macaroni and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (9)

We took the essential components of a Hot Brown — roast turkey, tomato, bacon, and Mornay sauce — and combined them for an untraditional macaroni and cheese with the soul of the original.

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Pernil Mac and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (10)

At their Durham, North Carolina, restaurant Boricua Soul, Serena and Toriano Fredericks serve this garlicky pernil — a Puerto Rican–style roast pork shoulder — on top of a rich and creamy mac and cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (11)

Small chunks of cheddar and Colby cheeses throughout give this macaroni and cheese a perfect hit of flavor and a fabulous gooey texture.

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Macaroni and Three Cheeses

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (12)

White cheddar, gorgonzola, and Parmesan make this deluxe breadcrumb-topped mac and cheese sing.

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Classic Macaroni and Cheese with Potato Chip Crumble

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (13)

Potato chips add a decadent crunch to Kate Winslow's classic macaroni and cheese.

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Auntie Monica's Seafood Mac and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (14)

Loaded with fresh shrimp, crab, and lobster and layered with a rich mixture of cheeses, this macaroni and cheese gets an extra boost of spice from liquid shrimp-and-crab boil. The boil seasoning lends its long-cooked flavor to the casserole without overcooking the delicate seafood.

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Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale

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A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel in chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls' version of mac and cheese. For a smooth sauce, make sure all of the dairy is at room temperature.

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Grant's Mac and Cheese

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Chef Grant Achatz of Chicago's Alinea uses a white sauce, elbow macaroni, and cheddar cheese, just like the rest of us. His personal touch: a tablespoon of paprika (to enhance the color of the sauce) and lots of smoky, crisp bacon bits.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Blue Cheese

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A few snipped chives make a lovely garnish for this mac and cheese with wedge salad vibes.

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Andouille Mac & Cheese

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Chef Paul Nanni grinds and smokes his own andouille sausage for super-generous portions of this Cajun-inspired macaroni and cheese, but you can swap in pre-made sausage when making it at home.

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Three-Cheese Mac and Cheese

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Goat cheese, sharp white cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus sour cream and egg yolks, make this recipe from chef Ben Vaughn of Restaurant Grace in Memphis especially rich.

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Pickled Pepper Macaroni and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (20)

Crispy panko breadcrumbs add crunch to this rich and cheesy pasta casserole, studded with sweet and spicy pickled peppers.

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Leek Mac and Cheese

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (21)

Cooks usually reserve dark, tough leek greens for stock. Here, F&W's Grace Parisi sautés them until they're soft and supple, then folds them into a luscious macaroni and cheese made with nutty Manchego.

21 Rich Recipes for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (2024)

FAQs

What to add to macaroni and cheese to make it taste better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

How can I make my mac and cheese better? ›

  1. Add evaporated milk. This adds a sheen and richness to the sauce, but without it tasting overly creamy.
  2. Choose the perfect pasta. For the best ratio of sauce to pasta, classic elbow macaroni is the best. ...
  3. Double up on breadcrumbs. ...
  4. Boost the flavour with Marmite. ...
  5. Extra seasoning. ...
  6. Get the right flavour balance.

Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›

Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

Cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Fontina, and Gouda cheese are good options.

What is the most flavorful cheese for mac and cheese? ›

Choosing the best cheese for your mac and cheese
  • Gouda - aged gouda can spike your mac and cheese with deeper, pungent flavors, while a smoked Gouda has a meatiness that never disappoints.
  • Blue cheese can add real zing to any mac and cheese.
  • Feta features a tart and salty Mediterranean taste.

What cheeses taste good in mac and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

How do you keep mac and cheese creamy? ›

If you want a very creamy mac n' cheese, you can add Velveeta processed cheese or American cheese (from the deli) to your melted cheese base mixture. The American cheese provides the creaminess you are looking for, and when reheating the mac n' cheese add a little bit of milk.

How do you make mac and cheese creamy again? ›

The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

How to make mac and cheese Gordon Ramsay? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

What can I add to bland macaroni? ›

Personally, I always add it a bit more salt to taste, dijon mustard to taste (of course), and sometimes a small can of (drained) diced green hatch chiles. In addition to salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, I like to use smoked gruyere cheese. Smells like bacon! Adds a great smokiness to the mac and cheese.

How do you spruce up instant mac and cheese? ›

It's very easy to adapt. We like to ad cream cheese and/or sour cream, a little spicy brown mustard, and whatever cheese we have on hand. Sometimes we ad ground beef, ground turkey, sliced ot dogs or bacon, but its the rits topping on the top that makes it sooo good.

How do you kick up Kraft mac and cheese? ›

Spice it up

Ree loves to boost the flavor of her homemade macaroni and cheese with dried mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika, and thyme, and you can do the same with boxed mac and cheese. Just add one or more of the spices to the pot along with the powdered cheese, milk, and butter, whisking to combine.

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