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three cheese baked mac and cheese
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Three Cheese Baked Mac & Cheese

Cheesy, creamy, and absolutely delicious this baked mac and cheese has everything you want and more.
Keyword baked mac and cheese, creamy mac and cheese, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author natasha

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 oz of cavatappi noodles + salt to taste for water
  • 2 tbsp of butter
  • 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of regular milk
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1 tsp of onion powder
  • 1 tsp of all-purpose seasoning I recommend Asili Glam blend from Brown Girl Spice if you have it
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • 1/2 cup of shredded or grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup of mozzarella
  • 1 cup of white cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of mild or sharp cheddar cheese mixed with a handful of white cheddar cheese for the top of the mac and cheese
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs optional

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400 degree's.
  • Cook noodles according to package instructions for al dente (ensure you salt the water like the sea).
  • To a medium skillet on medium heat, melt butter until bubbling.
  • Add flour one tbsp at a time whisking to dissolve in butter.
  • Allow butter and flour to cook for about a minute to remove the raw flour flavor.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly pour in the milk while whisking simultaneously. If you don't whisk while you pour you'll have huge lumps of flour in your sauce and you don't want that. Whisk, whisk, whisk!
  • Once you add the milk to the skillet and it's well mixed with the roux, add in the heavy cream slowly while whisking.
  • Bring the milk to a low simmer while whisking, ensuring you're getting all corners of the sauce.
  • As the sauce simmers it will begin to thicken, after about 5 minutes.
  • Once the sauce begins to thicken, turn the heat to low and season with nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, all-purpose seasoning, and paprika.
  • Whisk the seasoning until well incorporated.
  • Use a spoon to dip in the sauce and draw a line with your finger on the back of the spoon. If the line stays the sauce is thick enough to add the cheese and you can turn off the heat. If the line does not stay, continue to simmer for another minute or two until thicker.
  • Turn off the heat and add cheese one handful at a time while whisking to dissolve the cheese into the sauce.
  • After you've added two cups of cheese (or more to your desired preference) combine with the noodles and mix to incorporate.
  • It might look like you have too much sauce for the noodles but remember that the noodles will absorb the sauce as it sits.
  • Allow the sauce and the noodles to become friends in the baking dish then top with remaining cheese.
  • If you are using panko breadcrumbs, crisp them up in 1 tbsp of butter in a non stick skillet for about 2 minutes until visibly brown then add it to the top of the cheese topping. Be careful not to burn the breadcrumbs are they go from golden to burned very quickly.
  • Bake at 400 degrees's on the top rack of the oven about 30 minutes, keeping your eye on it for the last 5 minutes,
  • Mac and cheese is done when the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
  • If after 30 minutes your cheese still needs to brown some more, crank the oven to a low broil and open the oven door slightly and allow the mac and cheese to get golden on top, this will take about 2 minutes. Don't take your eyes off the oven!
  • Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the cheese sauce to cool and firm up a bit before serving.

Notes

If you use the Asili Glam spice blend, you can eliminate all the other seasonings as it has it all! Just add a pinch of nutmeg and you're good to go.
If you like more sauce, feel free to add an additional cup of milk and cheese to the sauce.
This recipe has 6 servings! Double for more.
You can shred your cheese or use the pre-shredded, just make sure it's quality for optimal melting.
Prep time is really for shredding your cheese if you decide to do so.
Technically, I used 4 kinds of cheese when you include the sharp cheddar for the top but that's really optional, I just like the color pay off! Don't go crazy trying to use the sharp cheddar if you don't have it on hand. It won't impact the flavor.
If you decide to add the panko breadcrumb topping, crisp it up in 1 tbsp of butter until golden brown, about 2 minutes on medium low heat. 
Add the panko right on top of the cheese topping then bake.