Three Cheese Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp flour
- 3 ¼ cups half & half
- 10 fl oz Carnation evaporated milk
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (save 2 cups for layering)
- 2 cups gouda cheese (save 1 cup for layering)
- 1 cup sharp provolone (save 1/2 cup for layering)
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Make the roux:
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the flour, whisking continuously to form a smooth paste (roux). Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the roux is golden and bubbling but not browned.
Prepare the cheese sauce:
- Gradually add the half and half to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Then add in the Carnation evaporated milk. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheddar, smoked gouda, and sharp provolone cheeses until melted and smooth.
- Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, adjusting to taste.
Combine pasta and cheese sauce:
- Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat all the pasta evenly.
Assemble the mac and cheese:
- Pour half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Layer with 1/2 cup of smoked gouda, 1 cup of sharp cheddar, and 1/4 cup sharp provolone. Pour the other half of the macaroni and cheese mixture and repeat the layer.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.
Serve:
- Let the baked mac and cheese cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!