Classic Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese Recipe

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This simple baked mac and cheese recipe uses 3 different cheeses to help enhance the flavor. This homemade mac and cheese uses freshly shredded cheese for best results and is prepped and baked in one casserole dish saving you on dishes.

This creamy three cheese mac and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food and is perfect to serve during the chilly months of fall and winter. This is also a perfect side dish to serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, at birthday parties, etc.

It is also the perfect easy recipe for family dinners, is totally kid friendly and will even please any picky eater you may have at the table. This is definitely a family favorite in the making.

This was inspired by my baked Cavatappi Mac and Cheese on this site, and pairs well with this slow cooked pulled pork sliders.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
How to Store 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese
Top Tip
FAQ
Related
Pairing
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💬 Comments

Ingredients

Pipette shaped pasta is used for this recipe because it holds the cheese very well so you get the best cheese flavor in each bite. Sharp white cheddar, pepper jack, and parmesan cheese are the 3 cheeses used in this recipe. To enhance the flavor and texture, bacon and sour cream are added. Before baking the mac and cheese is topped with butter and milk to help retain moisture.

Pipette pasta
White cheddar cheese
Pepper Jack cheese
Parmesan cheese
Bacon
Sour cream
Butter
Whole Milk
Salt and black pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice and cook the bacon on medium heat. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water to an al dente texture by following the package directions.

Step 2: Mix the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, Parmesan cheese, sour cream, bacon and salt and pepper in a bowl. Fold in the pasta.

Step 3: Add to a casserole dish and then add the slices of butter on top. Pour the milk evenly over the Mac and cheese.

place butter and pour milk in the mac and cheese before baking

Step 4: Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and enjoy.

Hint: for the best mac and cheese texture, buy the blocks of cheese and shred it yourself. It not only will melt better and more evenly, but it is also the best way to add a sharper flavor to the dish.

Substitutions

Pasta - swap out for a gluten free pasta if need be. If you cannot find pipette shaped pasta use elbow macaroni, small shells or cavatappi
Sour Cream - you could switch out the sour cream for a block of cream cheese. Just make sure the cream cheese is softened before mixing. This will provide a more tangy flavor
Vegetarian - the bacon can be omitted if you want a meat free mac and cheese

Variations

Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or buffalo sauce before baking to add some heat to this dish.
Deluxe - add a mixture of panko bread crumbs, melted butter and parmesan cheese to the top of the mac and cheese before baking. This will add a little crisp to the dish.
Extra creamy - add the shredded cheese and sour cream into a skillet with heavy cream to create a cheese sauce. Mix this cheese sauce in with the pasta before baking. Follow the rest of the steps like adding the butter and milk so that your cheese sauce doesn't dry out while baking.
Kid Friendly - after about 20 minutes of baking, add some hot dogs on top. Flip the hot dogs about 15 minutes after placing them on top of the dish. This was one of my favorite ways to make baked mac and cheese growing up.
Little Bites - form the mac and cheese into mini muffin pans for a mac n cheese bite

See this Mac and Cheese bites recipe version on my website!

Equipment

To make this recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl as well as a casserole dish. A cheese grater is also needed if you are not using pre-shredded cheese.

How to Store 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Leftovers can be kept in the casserole dish and covered with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also place the mac and cheese in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.

These ingredients do stand up well to freezing and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in the oven prior to serving.

Top Tip

Add another layer of shredded cheese on top of the macaroni and cheese before baking. Use all three types of cheeses. This will help make sure your mac and cheese is extra cheesy. For extra texture some panko breadcrumbs can also be added on top of the creamy mac and cheese.

FAQ

Can I use elbow pasta?

Absolutely! Realistically, you can use any type of pasta you want to make homemade macaroni. I just found that the pipette pasta held the creaminess of the dish really well. Believe it or not, the pasta shape does make a big difference so I would opt for a pasta that will hold the cheese well.

Why is milk and butter added before baking?

The milk and butter helps keep both the cheeses and pasta from drying out in the oven. It helps give you that creamy texture that you get from making a cheese sauce on the stove to mix in with your pasta.

Can I make a cheese sauce to toss the pasta in prior to baking?

Yes, you can make a cheese sauce, also known as a bechamel sauce. To do this, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add all purpose flour into melted butter to make a roux. Add in heavy cream. Turn the heat to low heat and mix cheese in slowly until melted. Your creamy sauce is then ready to add in with the pasta.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with 3 cheese mac and cheese:

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