Four Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese

The cheesiest baked mac and cheese recipe, ever. Four cheeses and crispy thyme breadcrumbs make this an irresistible dish, any time of the year.

Four cheese baked mac and cheese with thyme breadcrumbs

This mac and cheese recipe is incredibly cheesy and perfect for weeknight dinners or as a decadent side dish. The breadcrumb topping adds great texture but I often make it without and add an extra handful of cheese before baking.

Ingredients

  • Butter. 
  • Flour. All purpose flour.
  • Milk. Whole milk or full cream milk.
  • Sour cream. 
  • Cheddar cheese. I used a mature/sharp cheddar cheese. Monterey Jack, Colby jack etc. also work well.
  • Gruyere. Any nutty, good melting cheese will work. Havarti and Raclette are good options.
  • Parmesan cheese. Pecorino is a good substitute.
  • Mozzarella. I like it for the super cheesy pull it gives the finished mac and cheese.
  • Macaroni. You could use any short pasta shape. Elbow macaroni, Penne, Fusilli, etc.
  • Breadcrumbs. I used sourdough bread that I tore roughly but you could use fresh, Panko or dried breadcrumbs.
  • Olive oil. 
  • Thyme. 
  • Salt and pepper. 
Four cheese baked mac and cheese with thyme breadcrumbs

How to make baked mac and cheese

  1. Make the four cheese sauce: Start by making the roux. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour the milk in whilst whisking continously until a smooth sauce is formed. Turn down the heat and add the spices. Allow to simmer, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Once cooked, remove from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until the cheese has melted then season to taste.
  2. Cook the pasta and assemble: While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes or until almost cooked but still a bit firm (just under al dente). Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain. Add the pasta to the sauce along with the sour cream and stir to combine. Add some of the pasta water. You want the sauce to be very creamy and a little loose as it will continue thickening in the oven.
  3. Bake the mac and cheese: Transfer the macaroni to a casserole or baking dish. Combine the bread, oil, salt and thyme and scatter over the top (optional). Place in a preheated oven and allow to bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then serve.
Macaroni coated in extra cheesy sauce for baked mac and cheese.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, the mac and cheese can be fully prepped all the way up to the baking step a day in advance. I would add more cooking water or milk (approximately 1 cup) as the pasta will absorb more liquid if it is made ahead. This will keep it creamy. Baked mac and cheese leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a few days and reheated in the oven.

What to serve with baked mac and cheese

  1. Lemon roasted chicken
  2. Easy Green Salad with lemon Parmesan dressing
  3. Cheesy pull apart garlic bread
Creamy, cheesy mac and cheese with crispy thyme breadcrumb topping.

Mac and cheese recipes

  1. Classic baked mac and cheese
  2. Caprese mac and cheese
  3. Creamy Mac And Cheese With Bacon Crumbs

Four cheese baked mac and cheese with thyme breadcrumbs

The cheesiest baked mac and cheese recipe, ever. Four cheeses and crispy thyme breadcrumbs make this an irresistible dish, any time of the year.
4.64 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked mac and cheese, mac and cheese, Mac and cheese recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Calories: 408kcal
Author: Alida Ryder
Servings: 12 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

For the cheese sauce

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2-3 cups milk
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup grated mature cheddar
  • 1 cup grated Gruyere
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the baked mac and cheese

  • 1 kg (2lbs) macaroni par-cooked + reserve 1 cup of cooking water
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups bread cubed/roughly torn
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour.
  • Whisk until smooth then slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time. (I always reserve approximately ½ cup milk. Some flours will absorb more/less liquid so you might not need all of it and sometimes after adding cheese I like to thin out the sauce just a little with the remaining milk.)
  • Whisk continuously until the sauce is thick then turn down the heat, add the spices and allow to simmer, stirring, until the sauce is thick and cooked through (this takes around 7-10 minutes on a gentle heat).
  • Once the sauce is cooked (the sauce will be completely smooth tasting with no flouriness) remove from the heat and add the cheeses. Stir until melted then season to taste. 
  • Combine the cheese sauce with the pasta then add the sour cream. Stir and add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. You want the mac and cheese to be very creamy before going into the oven. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
  • Drizzle the oil over the bread and mix with thyme and salt. Scatter over the mac and cheese
  • Place in the oven and allow to bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy. 
  • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. 

Video

Notes

  • The breadcrumb topping is optional but adds great texture to the finished Mac and cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 1mg