Million Dollar Mac & Cheese

Table of Contents

1. Million Dollar Mac And Cheese Ingredients
2. Substitutions And Additions
3. How To Make This Million-Dollar Mac And Cheese Recipe
4. How To Serve
5. Storage
6. More Recipes You’ll Love
7. JUMP TO RECIPE

Supremely ooey-gooey, this million-dollar mac and cheese are the stuff dreams are made of. The ultimate in comfort food with three different kinds of cheese and a crunchy panko topping, you can’t find a better mac and cheese recipe.

Million Dollar Mac And Cheese Ingredients

If you’re looking for a mac and cheese dish that’s worth its weight in gold, million-dollar mac and cheese is definitely worth a try.

This decadent dish is the perfect combination of creamy, salty, and savory flavors that will leave your taste buds feeling indulged.

Made with a combination of gooey cheddar and parmesan cheeses, crispy bacon, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping, million-dollar mac and cheese provides a contrasting texture in every bite.

You’ll need:

For The Mac And Cheese: 

• 1 (16-ounce) box of cavatappi noodles
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 2 cups of half & half
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (8-ounce block) of shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
• 2 cups (8-ounce block) of shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 2 cups (8-ounce block) of shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt (I use Lowry’s)
• 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper

For The Topping:

• 1 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon of kosher salt

Substitutions And Additions

CHEESE: If you can not find Gruyère cheese in your local store, you can substitute Swiss cheese in its place. They are very similar, and both go very well with sharp cheddar cheese.

PASTA: I like to use cavatappi noodles for this dish, but you can substitute penne or mostaccioli Rigatti. These are all short kinds of pasta that are sturdy and can hold up to this very hearty cheese sauce. Noodles like elbows and shells are just too delicate for this dish.

BACON: Adding small pieces of crumbled bacon to mac and cheese is always a good idea.

TOPPING: Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for even more cheesy goodness.

SPICE: Add a bit of spice to this already amazing dish. A dash of hot sauce, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or what about mixing jalapeno jack cheese into your cheese mixture to kick up the heat?

How To Make This Million-Dollar Mac And Cheese Recipe

Making this indulgent mac and cheese recipe consists of cooking the pasta and the sauce before combining them together. Spread the mixture in a baking dish and top with plenty of decadent toppings before baking in the oven until nice and gooey.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a pastry brush, in a 4-quart casserole dish, butter the bottom and up the sides of the dish with the 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a large stockpot, boil your cavatappi noodles for 8 minutes until al dente. Once cooked, drain them and return them to your stockpot. While your noodles are boiling, start your cheese sauce.

STEP THREE: In a large saucepan, on medium-high heat, melt your remaining ¼ cup of butter. Add the flour and whisk until all the flour has been incorporated with the melted butter and gets light brown in color.

STEP FOUR: While whisking your butter and flour, slowly pour in your whole milk and half & half. Make sure you whisk constantly to ensure that you do not have any lumps in your cheese sauce.

STEP FIVE: Add your Dijon mustard, seasoning salt, dried parsley, and black pepper to your milk mixture. Continue to cook your sauce for 6 to 8 minutes and whisk to make sure that you do not burn your milk mixture.

STEP SIX: Once the milk mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and add your shredded sharp yellow cheese and shredded Monterey jack cheese. You will not want to add your cheese all at once, but in 1 cup portions at a time so that as you whisk it in, you are creating a smooth cheese sauce.

STEP SEVEN: Once all your sharp yellow cheddar and Monterey jack cheese are incorporated and your sauce is smooth, pour it into your stockpot with your cooked macaroni. Stir to coat evenly.

STEP EIGHT: Spoon half of the macaroni noodles into your prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle, in an even layer, 1½ cups of your shredded Gruyère cheese on top of the macaroni. Next, you will want to dollop your sour cream over the top of your shredded Gruyère cheese and smooth it out into an even layer of sour cream.

STEP NINE: Add the remaining cheesy noodles to your casserole dish and top evenly with the remaining ½ cup of shredded Gruyère cheese.

STEP TEN: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all of your topping ingredients so that they are mixed well.

STEP ELEVEN: Evenly sprinkle this topping mixture over your mac & cheese mixture.

STEP TWELVE: Bake your million-dollar mac & cheese for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.

STEP THIRTEEN: Once baked, allow your million-dollar mac and cheese casserole to rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

How To Serve

This million-dollar macaroni and cheese casserole is best served hot for that ooey-gooey cheesy goodness that is the sign of a really good mac & cheese.

Add a side of vegetables for a well-rounded meal. How about some crispy, garlicky roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad?

Don’t forget a loaf of garlic bread or pull-apart garlic bread to mop up the gooey cheese on your plate.

We love mac and cheese around here. Check out our other recipes and decide which one you like the best! Try our crockpot mac and cheese and our chili mac for two solid choices.

Storage

This is a great meal to keep in the freezer for a busy night. Or even better, make two and enjoy one while saving the other one until later.

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store this homemade macaroni in a covered dish, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-second increments or until heated through.

IN THE FREEZER: Store leftover macaroni and cheese in the freezer for up to a month in an airtight container.

Cheese lovers rejoice, this million-dollar mac and cheese with its delicious cheese sauce and panko crumbs on top will undoubtedly become your favorite mac and cheese recipe.

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