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Top-down view of a 9x13 pan of homemade baked mac and cheese with golden bubbly topping.
Summer Dempsey

Three-Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese

A classic baked mac and cheese built on a verified 65/25/10 cheese ratio — sharp cheddar for flavor, Velveeta for melt, and Gruyère or Monterey Jack for stretch. The roux-based sauce coats every elbow, and 30 minutes in the oven gives you the golden top everyone fights over. Serves 8–10 as a side, 6–8 as a main.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 415

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dry elbow macaroni
  • 10 oz sharp cheddar
  • 4 oz Velveeta
  • 2 oz Gruyère OR Monterey Jack
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • Optional topping: 1 cup panko + 4 tablespoon melted butter
  • OR a handful of shredded cheddar on top.

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • 9 x 13 Pan
  • Skillet

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta. Boil in salted water and cook the macaroni 1–2 minutes shy of al dente. It finishes in the oven, so undercook it on purpose. Drain.
  2. Prep the cheese. Shred the cheddar and Gruyère. Cube the Velveeta — it melts faster that way. Always shred from a block — pre-shredded is coated in anti-caking starch and won't melt smooth.
  3. Make the roux. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Don't let it brown.
  4. Build the sauce. Slowly pour the milk into the roux, whisking the whole time to keep it smooth. Cook 3–5 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Add the cheese. Drop the heat to low. Stir in the cheeses one handful at a time, letting each melt before adding more. Low and slow — high heat breaks the sauce.
  6. Combine. Stir the pasta into the sauce until every elbow is coated.
  7. Top and bake. Transfer to a greased 9×13. If using panko, mix it with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly. Or top with extra shredded cheddar. Cover with foil and Bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes (25 minutes covered, 10–15 uncovered) Broil 1–2 minutes at the end for a deeper golden top (watch it like a hawk).
  8. Rest. Let it sit 5 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens as it cools . Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Make-ahead. Assemble the whole thing up to 24 hours ahead, cover tight, and refrigerate. Pull it out 30 minutes before baking and add 10–15 minutes to the covered bake time. Don't add the panko topping until right before it goes in the oven, or it'll go soggy.
Storage. Leftovers keep 3–4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of milk stirred in — that brings the sauce back. Skip reheating in the oven uncovered; it'll dry out fast.
Freezing. Can be frozen baked or unbaked up to 2 months, but the texture is best fresh — the sauce can turn slightly grainy or separated after thawing. If freezing, slightly under-bake first, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat covered with a splash of milk stirred in to bring the sauce back. Freezing in smaller individual portions reheats faster and holds texture better than a full pan.
Cheese swaps that work. Gouda or Fontina can stand in for Gruyère. Colby Jack works for Monterey Jack. Don't swap out the Velveeta — that's what makes the sauce silky instead of grainy, and there's no substitute that does the same job.
Pasta swaps. Cavatappi, shells, or cellentani all work — anything with curves or ridges to catch sauce. Skip long pasta and skip anything smooth like ziti.
Why undercook the pasta. It absorbs sauce while it bakes. Cook it to package time and you'll get mushy mac.