Macaroni & Cheese is a staple side dish to have at family gatherings, especially during the holiday season. Particularly with my family, we look forward to mac & cheese over just about any other dish. You should make this for your family to enjoy and don't be surprised if they designate you as the macaroni & cheese maker moving forward!
Total Time: 75 minutes Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 60 mins preferred Serves: about 10-12
RECIPE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
4-Cheese Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
1 pound Elbow Pasta, or pasta of choice
¼ cup Unsalted Butter, (½ stick)
2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
3 cups Heavy Cream
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons Black Pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
(optional) 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard
½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons Sour Cream
16 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded, divided
8 ounces Colby Jack Cheese, shredded, divided
8 ounces Smoked Gouda, shredded, divided
8 ounces Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, divided
(optional) Smoked Paprika, for sprinkling on top of cheese before baking
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al-dente. I recommend cooking pasta in 4 quarts of water with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt; Bring salted water to a boil then add in your pasta and boil for about 9-11 minutes until al-dente.
2. Freshly shred cheddar, colby jack, smoked gouda and mozzarella cheese. Add cheese to a large bowl and mix them well.
3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
4. For the roux, in a large cooking pot on medium-low heat, add in butter and melt. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add in flour. Continuously stir the flour for about 1-2 minutes; the flour should become slightly brown but be sure to not burn the roux. Then, add in heavy cream. Add in salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and stir in. Optionally, you can add in ground mustard as well.
5. Turn up the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Once the sauce simmering slightly reduce the heat so the sauce can be at a low simmer. Periodically stir sauce for about 5 minutes, as sauce will thicken while it simmers.
6. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the sauce from heat and let cool for about 1 minute. Add in sour cream and mix in well. Add in half of the cheeses and stir in until it has melted. Add in cooked pasta, a little at a time, and fold in with the cheese sauce.
7. To a 9x13 baking dish or large baking dish of choice, add in half of the macaroni mixture to the pan. Place a layer of cheese on top (about half of the remaining cheeses). Place the remainder of the macaroni mixture on top and add on the remainder of cheese evenly across the top. Optional, lightly sprinkle smoked paprika on top of the cheese.
8. Place the pan in the oven uncovered and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cheese should be crispy and slightly browned.
9. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes to set, then serve.