If you’re looking for the best macaroni and cheese you’ve ever had, you have found it! 3-Cheese Baked Macaroni is packed with gruyère, fontina and extra sharp cheddar. It is cheesy, creamy, full of flavor and will disappear as fast as you put it on the table.
Sharp cheese is the most commonly used cheese for macaroni, but I love the nuttiness that gruyère brings to this dish. Fontina melts beautifully and adds creaminess. They are the best combination of cheeses.
This dish starts on the stovetop with melted butter and then add the flour plus spices to form a roux. Slowly add the milk, remove from heat, stir in the cheese and bake with some panko bread crumbs. It’s so easy! Macaroni and cheese makes a quick, delicious dinner or a great side dish to any holiday meal.
Ingredients for 3-Cheese Baked Macaroni:
- 8 oz macaroni noodles (2 cups dry)
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded gruyère
- 1 cup shredded fontina
- 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Tips for 3-cheese baked macaroni
- For the best results, I highly recommend shredding your own block of cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it and it just won’t melt as nicely into the milk. Not only that, you save money too!
- Bake your noodles 1 minutes less than what the box recommends for Al Dente. They will cook a little bit more in the oven.
- After baking, broil the top for about 2 minutes to give it a crisp crust.
3 Cheese Baked Macaroni
A creamy blend of Cheddar, Gruyere and Fontina that will impress your family
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Macaroni Noodles, (2 cups dry)
- 5 tablespoon Butter
- 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard
- 3 cups Milk, 2% or whole
- 1 cup Extra Sharp Cheddar, Shredded
- 1 cup Gruyère, Shredded
- 1 cup Fontina, Shredded
- 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions for 1 minute less than al dente
- Drain and set aside
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisk to combine, add the salt, pepper and ground mustard and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes.
- Lower the heat and slowly add the milk, whisking continually. Remove from heat once thickened.
- Stir in the cheese and add the noodles. Mix well.
- Pour into a 9x13 dish, top with panko and paprika
- Bake for 30-35 minutes
- Broil for 1-2 minutes for a crispy top. Watch carefully.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 366Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 577mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g
The nutrition data provided is only an estimate.
Did you make this recipe? Have any questions? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!
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