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Five Cheese Mac and Cheese

Five cheese mac and cheese combines elbow macaroni with a creamy sauce made from cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, mozzarella, and Parmesan. It bakes in a 9x13-inch dish until bubbling around the edges and lightly golden on top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pasta and baking dish
  • 1 Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt divided
  • 1 tsp kosher salt divided
For the cheese sauce and topping
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 0.5 tsp dry mustard
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp paprika
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded and divided
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese freshly shredded and divided
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese freshly shredded and divided
  • 0.5 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated and divided

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Prepare the dish and pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a boil.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the macaroni, and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente; drain.
Make the cheese sauce
  1. Set aside 1/2 cup cheddar, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack, 1/4 cup Gruyere, and 1/4 cup Parmesan for the topping.
  2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
  3. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Gradually whisk in the milk, the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, dry mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
  5. Cook, whisking often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the remaining cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, all the mozzarella, and the remaining Parmesan until melted and smooth.
  7. Add the drained macaroni and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce.
Assemble and bake
  1. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared dish and sprinkle the reserved cheeses evenly over the top.
  2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and lightly golden on top.
  3. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, shred the cheeses freshly as specified. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free elbow macaroni and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.