5 different cheeses are melted together in a rich, creamy sauce. The dish is baked and sprinkled with more cheese, giving you a flavor-packed homemade comfort food.
This macaroni and cheese is the extra guest at nearly every Winstead family gathering. Not even the extra guest so much as the guest of honor. It’s requested by most of us as menu item for our birthday dinners, and it’s the perfect complement to my mother-in-law’s homemade chicken nuggets.
I’m not sure where she originally found it, but I am so glad she did.
This recipe uses no fewer than five varieties of cheese. They each pull their weight in a unique and necessary way, from the soft muenster to the sharp cheddar to the creamy Velveeta. Baked together, the cheeses from a sauce that’s thin enough to coat the noodles but thick enough to remind you that you are most definitely not eating blue box.
I’ve made a few macaroni and cheese recipes in my day, including a slow cooker Paula Deen one. I’ve tried much-touted varieties from several different restaurants. None can touch this recipe, though.
five cheese macaroni & cheese
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni noodles
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
2 cups half and half
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
extra grated cheese, if desired
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain macaroni noodles with vegetable oil according to package instructions. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Stir butter into cooked noodles and then add the cheeses and mix well. Add the half and half, the eggs, and the seasonings.
Sprinkle the top with extra cheese, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is beginning to turn golden. I’d say serve warm, but really, it’s amazing at any temperature.
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Want more crowd-pleasing baked dishes? Try my twice-baked potato casserole or this easy french bread pizza.
Just saying…mac and cheese will always be a favorite of mine and this recipe looks incredible. I might surprise my boyfriend with this recipe in the future. I’ll let you know how it works out! Thanks for sharing this.
Your boyfriend would be the luckiest guy! I hope you decide to try it!
ABBY. You are killing me with these recipes. I seriously have a list of like 7 to make, and I’ve accomplished a solid 0 so far. I think I’m bumping this one to the top of the list, though…
Sounds like you need to get cooking! This one is definitely worthy of list bumping, though. One of my all-time favorites.
It looks delicious! I’m a fan of cheese! 😀
I’m cheese’s number one fan 🙂
So pinning this delicious looking mac and cheese!!
Thank you, Cynthia!
Oh my. This looks amazing. Mac and cheese is something I could eat every single day because carbs and cheese.
Oh my gosh, yes. Mac and cheese, pizza. Potatoes in any form covered in cheese. I love it all.