Five Cheese Mac and Cheese
Five Cheese Mac and Cheese is rich, creamy, and loaded with a blend of melty cheeses for the ultimate comfort food that's gooey, cheesy, and impossible to resist!
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You'll never make another mac and cheese recipe again! This incredible dish is made with five different kinds of cheese for a super creamy sauce with lots of cheesy flavor.
Why this Recipe Works
With easy prep and hands off cooking in the oven, this delicious mac n cheese recipe is the perfect take on the classic dish. You'll never reach for a boxed mac and cheese once you try this homemade version.
With rotini pasta that holds lots of cheesy sauce, this baked mac is packed with flavors. Filling, rich, and great for feeding the whole family.
And for even more fun takes on this pasta classic, try Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese or my Lobster Mac and Cheese if you're a seafood fan!
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta: I used rotini, but any kind of smaller or short-cut pasta works fine!
- Shredded Cheese: For this five-cheese pasta, I use cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack, smoked Gouda, mozzarella cheese, and Velveeta.
- Unsalted Butter
- Heavy Cream: Helps thicken up the sauce and gives it a rich, creamy consistency.
- Seasonings: Add some extra flavor with garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, paprika, and salt and black pepper to taste.
How to Make this 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Step 1: Shred all of the cheeses and separate them into two halves.
- Step 2: In a large saucepan melt the butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
- Step 3: Add half of the cheeses along with your seasonings. Whisk until melted and smooth and adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Step 4: Mix in cooked pasta until evenly coated in the cheese sauce.
- Step 5: Add half of the cheese macaroni mixture to a baking dish and top with half of the remaining cheese blend.
- Step 6: Top with the other half of the pasta mixture, finish off with the rest of the cheese, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Allow the mac and cheese to sit for about 15 minutes after baking to thicken up and settle.
- Be sure to cook the pasta to al dente. If you overcook, it will get mushy as it bakes in the cheese sauce.
- For best results, grate your own cheese. Store-bought shredded cheeses are often coated in a fine layer that prevents sticking but also makes them harder to melt.
- Feel free to use any number of different types of cheese to get the exact flavor you want.
- I like to use a curly pasta like fusilli, rotini, or cavatappi for a shape that holds lots of sauce, but other great options are elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, or bow ties!
- For different cheeses, try Monterey Jack, mild cheddar or white cheddar instead of sharp, Colby Jack, or even top with some asiago or Parmesan cheeses.
Recipe FAQ's
Elbow macaroni is the classic option, but something like fusilli or cavatappi works even better! The swirls in the pasta are perfect for holding lots of cheesy sauce in every bite.
There are certain kinds of cheese like asiago or really sharp cheddar that can make the cheese sauce oily if you use too much of them. Crumbly cheeses like feta or cotija are also generally not great for a cheese sauce!
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Ultimate Five Cheese Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried macaroni noodles
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 cups Pepper Jack cheese
- 2 cups smoked Gouda
- 2 cups Mozarella cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 5 cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces velvetta cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta to al dente according to the pkg directions. Drain and set aside.
- Shred all your cheeses and divide them in half.
- Heat a pot on medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted add in the heavy cream, whisk until smooth. Bring to a low simmer (depending on the size of your pot it may take 5-6 minutes. Keep whisking it every so often so it doesn't burn.)
- Reduce heat to low and add in half of your shredded cheeses and all of your Velvetta, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard and let simmer on low until everything in melted and creamy. (Don't turn the heat up or it may become grainy)
- Add in your cooked pasta.
- Transfer 1/2 of the pasta cheese sauce to a 9x13 baking dish add 1/2 of the remaining shredded cheese on top. Followed by the remaining noodles on top and the remaining shredded cheese on top for the final layer.
- Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch anything that boils over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Let your mac and cheese sit for 15 minutes to thicken up. Serve!
Notes
- You can certainly swap out any of the cheeses for what you prefer.
- The sauce will thicken up and soak into the pasta as it cools.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
