The Ultimate 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

This 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese uses a rich homemade cream sauce packed with four cheeses for maximum flavor and creaminess! We bake it all under a blanket of MORE shredded cheese for the ultimate mac and cheese recipe.

Save this one for the holidays and family gatherings!

Rich and Creamy 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

For many years, our Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe has been the gold standard in our house. It’s easy, kid friendly, and ridiculously creamy. What more could you ask for?

Well, never ask a recipe developer that question, because we’re always asking for more, always tweaking, always wondering how a few changes might yield something entirely different, maybe even something like the vision we have in our heads.

Lately, I’ve been itching to take our classic mac and cheese recipe to the next level with something more decadent, more luxurious, and yes, a little bit more grown up.

I imagined a mac and cheese you’d make for the holidays and bring to family gatherings. The one you’d turn to when you needed more than a little bowl of comfort. YOU NEED A CASSEROLE WORTH OF COMFORT.

For the last four weeks, my kitchen countertops have been covered in bowls and blocks of cheese as we shredded and tasted and rearranged, determining which cheeses would make the cut and which would be relegated for use in Oven Grilled Cheese later in the week.

After much deliberation and grueling taste testing (I know, I know, cue the violins), we finally settled on this 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese. It is epically rich and creamy, with twirly noodles and a thick homemade cheese sauce. Here’s why we think you’re going to love it too!

Why This Recipe Works

• The sauce is complex AND creamy. We didn’t want to sacrifice creaminess for flavor or vice versa. With our combination of cheddar, fontina, white American, and blue cheese, we’ve got flavor for days AND an extravagantly smooth and creamy sauce.
• Cheese blanket. This recipe is baked under a blanket of shredded cheese, which gives you the delight of browned and melty cheese strings in combination with creamy cheese sauce.
• Make ahead and holiday ready! This recipe can feed a crowd and is make ahead friendly.

Key Ingredients

• Cheese! This is a Four Cheese Mac, and we tested at least 7 different cheeses in combination with each other before landing on this exact combo. Each cheese has a purpose in this quadrilateral of deliciousness, so let’s talk about it!
  • Sharp Cheddar– A classic for mac and cheese, cheddar melts nicely while still having a bold, sharp flavor. You can use a yellow or white cheddar, but make sure it’s sharp!
  • Fontina– Fontina is an excellent melter, with a buttery flavor that feels extra luxurious in a cream sauce.
  • White American– This cheese is here for texture. The flavor of White American is very mild, but it melts like nothing else, and gives the sauce an excellent smooth texture.
  • Blue Cheese– Ok, ok hear me out! When we tested this mac recipe with other cheeses, it was good, but it lacked a bit in the flavor department. It needed some FUNK, and blue cheese delivered! The blue cheese is not the primary flavor in this sauce, so I’m fairly confident even the stinky-cheese averse will enjoy it. But it DOES add sharpness, salt, and enough tang to really give the sauce some punch.
• Butter and Flour– This forms the base of the roux, which will thicken the cheese sauce. Salted or unsalted butter should work just fine.
• Milk and Half and Half- You can use whole or 2% milk and substitute heavy cream for the half and half if you need to. If you use cream, I recommend using less of it and more milk. The important thing is to keep the total amount of liquid the same.
• Seasonings– Give your sauce some extra FLAVOR with garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, and a little cayenne for a kick.
• Pasta– I use twirly cavatappi pasta, but any smaller pasta shape can work.

How to Make Four Cheese Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese is made with béchamel, which is just a fancy French word for a creamy white sauce made with butter and flour, milk, and seasonings. Béchamel isn’t difficult to make, but it does require you to stay close to the stove. I’ve included step by step photos so you can see the process!

Step 1: Boil the pasta according to package directions.

Step 2: Make the cream sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes, until bubbly and smooth.

Slowly drizzle in the milk and half and half, about a ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. The mixture will be thick and gloppy at first, but will eventually smooth out. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 3: Add seasonings and cheese. Lower the heat, and sprinkle in all the seasonings, then add all but 1 cup of the cheese, a few handfuls at a times, stirring until melted.

Step 4: Bake. Pour the pasta into a greased casserole dish and stir in the cheese sauce. It will look like a lot of sauce, but don’t worry, it will be perfect after it’s baked! Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheese. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until bubbly.

Tips for the Best 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

• Salt your pasta water! This gives the pasta itself great flavor, so you’re not just putting cheese sauce on bland pasta. Use about 1 Tablespoon Kosher or sea salt per pound of pasta.
• Start with room temperature or warmed milk and cream to make it easier to incorporate the liquids into the roux. I like to take the liquids out of the fridge before I shred the cheeses.
• Use freshly shredded cheese, not the bagged stuff. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with ingredients that keep the shreds from sticking, but unfortunately those same ingredients can inhibit the cheese from melting smoothly.
• Prep all your ingredients before you begin. Homemade cheese sauce isn’t difficult, but it does require focused attention. You’ll want to have everything ready to go before you melt the butter.
• Whisk continuously, keeping an eye on the bottom of the pot. Avoid a lumpy sauce by keeping your whisk going. I also pull out my wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and sides, just to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom. This also keeps the bottom from scorching.

FAQs

Do I have to bake four cheese mac and cheese?

Nope! You can serve it immediately after adding the cheese sauce, and it’ll still taste fabulous.

Can I add breadcrumbs?

Of course! Feel free to add a buttery breadcrumb topping or use the Ritz cracker topping from this Ritz Broccoli Cheese Casserole or the panko topping from this Panko Baked Mac and Cheese.

What are the best cheeses for mac and cheese? Can I substitute different cheeses?

We think this combination of cheeses is the best for mac and cheese, but you can play around and find your own favorites! There are so many great options to choose from for a delicious mac and cheese.

If you don’t like blue cheese, sub in Pecorino Romano, which will still give you some bold flavor and saltiness.

If you want a substitute for Fontina, try Gouda, Provolone, or Taleggio.

Instead of White American, try Mozzarella or Monterey Jack.

Gruyere is another favorite for mac and cheese.

What’s the best pasta for mac and cheese?

Cavatappi is a great choice for mac and cheese, as the twirly shape catches the sauce in all the corners.

Other great choices include medium shells (a classic) and even tubular pastas like ziti and penne. Look for pastas with ridges, which are even better at clinging to the cream sauce!

Variations on 4 Cheese Macaroni

This Four Cheese Mac and Cheese is ready for all kids of delicious toppings and fillings. Here are some things to try:

• Add pulled pork and pickled jalapenos or onions for a delicious Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese.
• Add roasted hatch chile peppers for a nice kick, or just stir in a can of green chiles for a milder heat.
• Make an incredible Seafood Macaroni and Cheese with the addition of shrimp and scallops.
• Sub the blue cheese for a spicy cheese like Pepper Jack or Habenero to make a spicy mac!
• Add chopped roasted chicken and broccoli to make this a one pot meal!

More Creamy Pastas to Try

Can’t get enough creamy pasta? Try these other favorites:

• 1 lb cavatappi or short pasta shape of your choice
• 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
• 1 cup shredded white American cheese (the kind you get from the deli)
• ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup flour
• 2 ¾ cup milk (2% or whole)
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles according to package directions, then drain and return to the pot. If the sauce is not quite done, toss the pasta with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.

• Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and thick.

• Slowly drizzle in the milk and half and half, about a ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. The mixture will be thick and gloppy at first, but will eventually thin and smooth out. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan well. When the mixture is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn the heat all the way down to low.

• Whisk in the salt, mustard powder, garlic, cayenne, pepper, and paprika.

• Stir in all of the blue cheese, and most of the cheddar, fontina and American, reserving about 1 cup total. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted.

• Pour the noodles into the greased pan, followed by the cheese sauce. Stir well. Top with the reserved cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and cheese is very melty. Serve.

• Leftover mac and cheese keeps well, covered, in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave with extra milk to bring back the creaminess.
• To make ahead of time, assemble the mac and cheese completely, then cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, cover with foil, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
• A full list of substitutions, as well as step by step photos, can be found in the post above.

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Keyword 4 cheese mac and cheese, four cheese mac and cheese

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 844mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 514mg | Iron: 1mg