Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese is the best, sophisticated and cheesiest homemade mac and cheese ever! Sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated Swiss-stye Gruyere and dry Jack combine for the ultimate macaroni and cheese.
So it’s freezing here in New Hampshire today. And I was absolutely not expecting the blanket of white that greeted me when I raised the shade this morning. There wasn’t a word of it on the weather forecast yesterday and there weren’t closings or delays listed on our local news station.
The slippery commute bringing the kids to school this morning took twice as long as usual and I saw several accidents coming and going. Too bad. It can be scary out there on the roads with ice and snow. Especially if they aren’t treated well. If I have to go out in snowy weather, I concentrate on keeping lots of space between me and other cars on the road. I also remind myself to pump the brakes and not brake hard. My Mainer dad taught me that back in the day. (Thanks Dad.)
The truth is, I’d rather just stay home and have a snow day with the kids on wintery days like today. And today is the perfect kind of day for making this Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese. This afternoon there are two casserole dishes of homemade mac & cheese baking in the oven….
That SMELL!
And kid after kid comes into the kitchen asking: “IS IT TIME FOR DINNER YET???” (What they always say when I make this mac and cheese.)
Soon, soon. All good things take time. (And good things come to those who wait… patiently!)
This Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese recipe comes from a friend who makes it often. She got the recipe from a newspaper clipping years ago. Her friends always request it and she brings it to dinner parties, pot lucks, you name it. And I know why. Cheddar, Gruyere and dry Jack cheeses meld together making the cheesiest, ultimate mac & cheese dish ever.
I think the key ingredient is the Gruyere. So if you’re a Gruyere fan, you’ll go ga ga over this dish. This homemade mac & cheese recipe has plenty of cheesy sauce, so goodbye dry mac & cheese.
And don’t forget the bread crumbs! Make the crispy bread crumb topping by sauteeing fresh bread crumbs in melted butter and sprinkle on top just before baking. Ultimate topping!
Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese is comfort food and the perfect main dish that comes together easily and pleases everybody in the family. I hope you love it too.
Dig in to an occasional indulgence: Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese!
Allie Taylor
Yields 4
For all the cheesy mac & cheese lovers. If you love Gruyere, you'll love this ultimate homemade mac & cheese!
30 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
1 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 8 ounces dried macaroni (cellentani, elbow, spiral, etc. I used Cellentani by Barilla)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated, sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated Swiss-style Gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup finely grated dry Jack cheese (can use Monterey Jack if you can't find the dry Jack)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Grease a 1 1/2 quart souffle baking dish. Set aside.
- Boil large pot of water to cook macaroni according to package directions. But stop cooking about two minutes early. (Pasta should be slightly underdone.)
- Drain and rinse pasta with cold water and set aside.
- In large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add fresh breadcrumbs and stir until thoroughly coated. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan or microwave, heat milk until very hot but not scalded.
- Meanwhile, in the pan you used for the bread crumbs, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter is bubbling, add flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in hot milk, whisking continuously until all milk is incorporated and sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, black pepper, cayenne, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, 3/4 cup of Gruyere and all the dry Jack cheese.
- Mix well until all the cheese has melted.
- Add cooled macaroni to the cheese sauce and pour mixture into the buttered casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, then top with buttered bread crumbs.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and casserole is bubbling.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
Recipe easily doubles to cook in a 9 X 13" baking dish.
You may also like: Maple Glazed Ribs
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