Cheesy Macaroni Goodness
I love cheese! Gimmme allll the cheeses. I am a firm believer that a quality macaroni and cheese starts with the cheese. Don’t give me a macaroni and cheese made with just cheddar. Thats an insult to every cheese enthusiast out there. My recipe utilizes a drool-worthy smoked gouda, traditional sharp cheddar, and savory parmesan cheese – taking your basic macaroni and cheese and making it gourmet (insert diva emoji). Although this is a fool-proof recipe for gourmet macaroni and cheese, I should make one thing clear: all cheese tastes better freshly grated off the block. Say goodbye to that pre-shredded cheese, and your tastebuds will thank you.
Conveniently Gourmet
Lets be honest, the only thing holding you back from buying better quality cheese is time and convenience. Topping something with cheese is not a hassle to grate by hand, but making something ultra cheesy, like macaroni and cheese, can take a lot of effort (hence why many of us settle for low-quality pre-graded cheese). Fear not, you can still show off your fancy cooking skills and impress your friends and family without wasting your life away shredding cheese. KitchenAid KSMVSA Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment is here to help (paid link). This is one of the most affordable kitchen aid attachments on the market and it is so convenient! This will not only help you with your cheese shredding needs but all of your shredding and slicing in the kitchen. Your gourmet macaroni and cheese just got easier.
Baked to perfection
Macaroni and cheese is delicious as is, but when you bake it and add that nice crunch to it… WOW! Panko breadcrumbs are essential to this gourmet macaroni and cheese. Topping your dish with Panko bread crumbs and parmesan guarantees a perfect crunch to your creamy macaroni. Smoky gouda, sharp cheddar, savory parmesan, creamy macaroni topped with a perfectly crunchy parmesan crunch. Are you drooling yet? I know I am!
Gourmet Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
For an exceptional flavor profile, a good variety of cheeses is critical in a quality Macaroni and cheese. My recipe utilizes a drool-worthy smoked gouda, traditional sharp cheddar, and parmesan cheese. Cheesy, creamy, pasta goodness; baked with a crunchy panko and parmesan topping.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: Pasta
Ingredients
For the Mac-n-cheese:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 c Italian blend cheese (optional)
- 1/2 c sharp cheddar
- 1/4 c smoked gouda
- 1/4 c parmesan
- 8 oz pasta shells or macaroni
For the crusty topping:
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 2-3 qt baking dish (unless you have oven safe cookware) Combine Shredded cheeses in a bowl and set aside. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil.
- Cook pasta 1 minute shy of al dente as according to package instructions Remove from heat and drain but reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta water in a separate container. Drizzle pasta with a tablespoon of olive oil to avoid sticking.
- Melt butter in a deep sauce pot, dutch oven, or stock pot. Whisk in flour until a golden paste is made. Then whisk in heavy cream and chicken stock. Add garlic powder. Whisk until you see bubbles surface then stop whisking and allow it to thicken at a simmer for about 2 minutes.
- In increments, whisk in shredded cheeses. Once all the cheeses are melted, salt and pepper to taste. Add the 2 tablespoons of pasta water you saved earlier and stir until incorporated.
- Stir in the noodles until fully coated with cheese sauce. Pour into baking dish (unless using a dutch oven or other oven safe pan)
- In a small bowl combine panko, regular bread crumbs, and butter. Once incorporated sprinkle over the top and bake in the oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Keywords: Macaroni and cheese, Mac-n-cheese, dinner, gourmet, mac and cheese, fancy, quality
Enjoyed this recipe?
Try another one of my gourmet cheesy recipes by clicking here for my perfect NYC style pizza dough
AMAZING! This was easily the best Mac and cheese I have ever had! I crave it all the time now.
★★★★★
Loved it. What substitute cheeses do you recommend (if any)? Trying to plan just in case I can’t get a hold of smoked Gouda
★★★★★
Papa says this is the best Mac and Cheese he’s ever had!