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Five Cheese Mac and Cheese

Five cheese mac and cheese combines elbow macaroni with a smooth sauce made from cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Parmesan, and cream cheese. Baked uncovered until bubbling around the edges, it has a creamy center and a golden, bubbly top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 37 minutes
Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 665
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pasta
  • 4 qt water
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
For the cheese sauce
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cup whole milk warmed
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
  • 6 oz Monterey Jack cheese freshly shredded
  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese freshly shredded
  • 2 oz Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened and cut into cubes

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. Bring the water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a boil in a large pot.
  4. Add the macaroni.
  5. Cook until 2 minutes shy of the package’s al dente time.
  6. Drain the macaroni.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Gradually whisk in the warm milk.
  4. Whisk in the dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper.
  5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  6. Cook, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
  7. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
  8. Stir in the cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Parmesan, and cream cheese until melted and smooth.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce.
  2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
  3. Bake uncovered until bubbling around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Let the mac and cheese rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, stir in the cheeses after removing the saucepan from the heat. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the sauce may become grainy. For a gluten-free variation, use gluten-free macaroni and a suitable gluten-free flour.