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This creamy baked 4 cheese mac and cheese is a fun twist on your favorite classic baked mac and cheese! It’s easy to make and comes together in under an hour. If you love a cheesy, easy, and incredibly flavorful mac and cheese, this recipe is for you!
Looking for some more soul food and comfort food recipes? Check out my Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, Old Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes and my Grandma’s Buttermilk Cornbread!
I’ve been keeping this recipe in my back pocket for a rainy day. It’s a classic southern baked mac and cheese recipe that’s been in my family for years. (Thanks mom!) It’s ultra-creamy, extra cheesy, and made with a blend of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Colby Jack, and Dubliner cheese for the perfect balance of bold flavor and melty goodness.
We’re using a roux based is made with evaporated milk, heavy cream, and a little cream cheese, so every bite is rich and velvety without turning dry in the oven. Then everything gets layered with even more cheese and baked until bubbly with that golden, slightly crispy top that is absolutely non-negotiable for me.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni is Classic for baked mac and cheese and perfect for holding onto all that creamy cheese sauce. Cook it just until al dente since it’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese is the backbone of the cheese blend. It gives the mac and cheese that classic sharp, cheesy flavor.
- Dubliner Cheese is my little upgrade! Dubliner has a slightly nutty, sharp flavor that adds more depth without making the recipe taste unfamiliar.
- Mozzarella + Colby Jack give you that gooey, stretchy melt and balance out the sharper cheeses. I like leaving a few larger chunks when shredding for little pockets of melted cheese throughout.
- Evaporated Milk helps create a rich, smooth cheese sauce.
- Heavy Cream makes the sauce extra creamy and luxurious. Combined with evaporated milk, it gives the mac and cheese that thick, velvety consistency.
- Cream Cheese makes the sauce even creamier and helps it stay smooth once baked.
- Chicken Bouillon Paste is added to the pasta water to season the macaroni from the inside out.
- Cajun Seasoning + Dijon Mustard: These add depth and make all those cheeses taste even better.
How to make Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep: Cook the pasta. Boil the macaroni in water seasoned with chicken bouillon until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
Make the roux. Melt the butter with the seasonings, then whisk in the flour and cook until a paste begins to form, about 3 minutes.
Make the cheese sauce. Slowly add the heavy cream, evaporated milk, and cream cheese. Cook until thickened, then remove from the heat and stir in half of the shredded cheese and dijon mustard.
Layer with cheese and bake. Add half of the macaroni to a 9×13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with some of the reserved cheese, then repeat with the remaining pasta and cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes until the top is golden and crispy. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Variations
- Make it spicy! Add a little red pepper, jalapenos, and/or hot sauce for a nice kick of spice! You can also add pepper jack for a little heat too.
- Add a protein – add bacon, pulled pork, or even add add seafood like in my seafood mac and cheese.
- Add breadcrumbs – Use panko breadcrumbs and make a crunchy topping for this simple mac. Some people even top their mac with ritz crackers.
- Gluten Free option – use your favorite gluten free noodles for a gluten free dish.
- Mix up the cheeses – try. adding smoked gouda cheese for a touch of smoky flavor. American cheese and monterey jack are also delicious cheeses to add to this recipe as well.
Tips for the Best 4 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can keep it from melting as smoothly. Freshly shredded cheese gives you a creamier sauce and better cheese pull.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Boil the macaroni only until al dente. It cooks again in the oven, so starting with softer pasta can leave you with mushy mac and cheese.
- Also, Don’t rinse the pasta after boiling! The starch left on the pasta helps that creamy cheese sauce cling to every noodle
- Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. High heat can cause cheese sauce to become grainy or oily. Remove the sauce from the heat before stirring in your shredded cheese and let the residual heat melt it.
- Taste before adding salt. Between the bouillon, Cajun seasoning, and four cheeses, there’s already plenty of saltiness in the recipe so taste before adding additional salt.
What to Serve with Mac and Cheese
4-cheese mac is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with a variety of delicious accompaniments to create a well-rounded meal. Here are some suggestions for what to eat with mac and cheese:
- Brioche Dinner Rolls
- Candied Yams
- Seafood Boil
- Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts
- Low Country Boil
- Salmon New Orleans
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Storing: This mac and cheese recipe is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days – that is of course if it even lasts that long. I’m telling you, everyone will be devouring this recipe!
Freezing: To freeze it, add to an airtight container that’s freezer safe and store for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it again, let it thaw completely and heat in the microwave or stovetop in a large saucepan.
Reheating: If heating on the stovetop, as it warms, you can add a little bit of milk for added creaminess to give it that “fresh out of the oven” taste.
Mac and Cheese Recipe FAQs
Cheddar is the best! Followed by mozzarella, parmesan, and colby jack. These are all exceptionally good melting cheeses with a lot of flavor.
Reheat the mac and cheese over low heat in a nonstick pan. As it warms, slowly add milk and stir together. The milk will loosen up the cheese and make it creamy again.
Bake the mac and cheese uncovered to get a nice crunchy top. If you prefer mac and cheese without that cheesy crisp coating, you can bake it covered with aluminum foil.
More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes With Evaporated Milk
Main Course
3 Cheese Mac and Cheese Recipe
Main Course
Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Main Course
Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste , (optional but highly recommended)
- 16 oz Macaroni/Elbow Pasta
- 16 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, (shredded)
- 8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, (shredded)
- 8 oz Colby Jack Cheese, (shredded)
- 7 oz Dubliner Cheese , (shredded)
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 4 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 14 oz Evaporated Milk
- 4 oz Cream cheese (cut into chunks), (room temperature)
- Salt and Pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring large pot of water to a boil and add chicken bouillon paste. Stir together (carefully) to dissolve the paste in the water. Boil pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside. (do not rinse the pasta!!) 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste 16 oz Macaroni/Elbow Pasta
- Shred all of the cheeses, leaving some of the cheese in chunks so that you get pockets of melted cheese while it cooks in the oven. Mix together all of the cheeses in a mixing bowl. 16 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese 8 oz Mozzarella Cheese 8 oz Colby Jack Cheese 7 oz Dubliner Cheese
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add onion powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and nutmeg. Stir together for about 1 minute, then add the flour and whisk together, cooking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. 4 tbsp Salted Butter 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning 1/8 tsp Nutmeg 4 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- Pour in heavy cream, evaporated milk, and cream cheese and reduce stove to low heat. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the skillet from the heat and add half of the shredded cheeses and stir until the cheese is fully melted. Add dijon mustard and stir together. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Be careful with the salt, the cheeses are naturally salty. 2 cups Heavy Cream 14 oz Evaporated Milk 4 oz Cream cheese (cut into chunks) Salt and Pepper, as desired 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- Add half of the macaroni to a 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle half of the reserved cheese on top, then add the remainder of the macaroni on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until melty and bubbling. Then broil for 2-4 minutes, until golden and crispy on top. Let the mac and cheese cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it.
Video
Notes
- Grate your own cheese! Use block cheese and shred the cheese with a grater. Pre-shredded cheese is drier and tend to have additives to prevent the cheese from clumping. This may seem like a minuscule step but it makes the world of a difference!
- Don’t overcook your pasta! Only cook pasta until it’s al dente. If you cook the pasta as per normal, it’ll be too soggy when you bake it in the oven!
- Also, do not rinse your pasta while draining. You want to keep all of the flavor in!
- Adjust the amount of salt as per your preference. Taste as you go and add salt as needed. Cheese is naturally salty so be mindful of this!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Britney! I just wanted to thank you soooo much for this recipe! I wanted to find a really good mac & cheese recipe for my work potluck, and this was a huge hit! I barely got to take any home. 🤣 It was my first time ever making mac & cheese from scratch, but it was worth it! I’ll absolutely be making this again and again. Thanks for helping me branch out in my cooking journey with such a delicious, easy recipe. ❤️
Thank you so much!
How much sour cream?
1/4 cup
Great recipe! It came out super cheesy and creamy. 5 stars all around.
This recipe was easy to make and is delicious! It was a hit with my family!
I’m so glad to hear that, thank you for your feedback!
This was SO GOOD! I made a dish and my partner immediately came into the kitchen and took half (of the 9×13 pan. I am not kidding. It is that good.) I’ve already sent it to several friends!
Run, do not walk, to the grocery store for these ingredients. Don’t bother with those other mac and cheese recipes, either- this is your new go-to. I promise.
Thank you so much Kandyce! I really am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, it’s my fave mac and cheese!
Thank you so much for this delicious baked mac and cheese recipe! I never thought to add cream cheese to it, and now that I’ve made yours, I will be doing this over an over again. I LOVE the addition of the Colby Jack and Asiago cheese too, wow this recipe is top notch!
Thank you Morgan!!