Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
Elbow macaroni in a creamy roux-based sauce with cheddar, Parmesan and Romano, baked until golden.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter plus more for the dish
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup grated Romano
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs for topping, optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
- Cook the macaroni in salted water for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne, cheddar, Parmesan and Romano until melted and smooth.
- Fold the macaroni into the sauce and pour into the baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs if using.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Reheat leftovers to 165°F with a splash of milk to restore creaminess. Nutrition values are an estimate calculated from the ingredients and will vary.