In my opinion, Mac and Cheese should be creamy and gooey-exactly how comfort food is meant to be. But too often, I see people serving mac and cheese that turns into a solid mass of greasy, dry pasta. This usually happens because the dish is overcooked, causing the fat to separate from the cheese.
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If that's how you prefer your mac and cheese, that's okay! But if you're like me and want a gluten-free mac and cheese recipe that's rich, creamy, and full of flavour, keep reading. This four-cheese version is everything you've dreamed of and more. You'll find the recipe below, plus some helpful tips for perfecting this delicious dish.
The Four Cheeses
The essential part of any mac and cheese is the cheese. That's where the flavour and texture of the finished product come from. For my money, I prefer a four-cheese mac and cheese. I find that using four types of cheese allows me to add the maximum amount of flavour while also getting the gooey texture of a great mac and cheese.
Remember, the cheese you use matters-the better the cheese, the better the mac and cheese. It should be obvious but it isn't always. One vitally important thing is that you don't use pre-grated cheese.
Pre-grated cheese is dusted with an anti-clumping agent that will affect the texture of your mac and cheese. Buy good quality cheese and grate it yourself. It will not take that much more time or effort and it will make all the difference in quality. If you want to learn more about common pitfalls, check out my post on Mac and Cheese mistakes to avoid.
My Cheese Selection
For this four-cheese mac and cheese recipe, I used sharp aged cheddar, a good quality full-fat mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a little bit of gorgonzola. The cheddar and the parmesan add the umami flavour that is often missing from mac and cheese, while the mozzarella adds a silky string texture. The blue cheese, which I used very little of, really sets this mac and cheese apart. That small amount of funk and tang from the blue cheese stands out and balances the flavour of the mac and cheese.
Each cheese plays a specific role in the finished dish. The cheddar delivers that classic sharp, savoury note we all associate with comfort food. The mozzarella provides the gorgeous stretch and pull that makes every forkful feel indulgent. The parmesan adds a salty, nutty depth that elevates the sauce, and the gorgonzola brings a subtle funky tang that keeps you coming back for more. Together, they create a complexity of flavour that a single-cheese mac and cheese simply cannot match.
Making Bechamel Sauce - The Base of Mac and Cheese
I've talked excessively in numerous posts about making a bechamel sauce, so I won't get into too much detail here. But if you'd like to read more about it, you can check out my guide to bechamel sauce. When making bechamel into a cheese sauce, the vital thing to remember is to cook the bechamel for about 10 minutes while whisking, then whisk in the cheese in little bits at a time.
If you throw all the cheese in at once, the fat will likely separate from the solids, and you will end up with greasy mac and cheese. For my flour, I used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, but any one-to-one gluten-free flour should work. Alternatively, you can skip making a roux and add 2 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup of milk to your milk and simmer that until it thickens, then add the spices and cheese.
A few tips to keep in mind when making your bechamel: always use whole milk for the richest, creamiest result. Lower-fat milks can work, but they won't give you the same luxurious texture. Make sure your butter and flour cook together for at least two minutes before adding the milk-this removes the raw flour taste. And when you add the milk, do it gradually while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Making Bechamel into a Cheese Sauce
Once the bechamel is made, whisk in the cheese little by little until it is all fully incorporated. Once that's done, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed with a bit of salt and pepper. I also like to add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
Making Mac and Cheese
While making the cheese sauce, I was also cooking the pasta for my four-cheese mac and cheese. I used an entire box of Catelli Gluten-Free Macaroni, but you can use whatever pasta you'd like.
My only suggestion is to cook the pasta for about a minute less than the package instructions suggest since it is going to be cooked again in the oven. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy after baking. Drain the pasta well, then mix with the sauce and pour into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Cheesy Breadcrumb Topping
To make the cheese breadcrumb topping, combine about a cup of dried gluten-free breadcrumbs (or regular ones) with parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can find all the measurements in the recipe above. Mix well.
The breadcrumb topping is what takes this mac and cheese from great to extraordinary. That crispy, golden crust provides a wonderful contrast to the creamy pasta underneath. If you want an even crunchier topping, try toasting your breadcrumbs in a dry pan for a couple of minutes before mixing them with the cheese. You can also drizzle a tablespoon of melted butter over the topping before it goes into the oven for extra richness.
Topping and Baking The Mac and Cheese
Top the mac and cheese with the cheesy breadcrumb topping and bake in a 375°F oven until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the topping is golden brown. It should take about 20 minutes.
Keep an eye on it towards the end of the baking time. Every oven is a little different, and you want that topping to be a beautiful golden colour without burning. If the top is browning too quickly but the edges aren't yet bubbling, loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking.
Serving the Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese
Take the mac and cheese out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. The finished mac and cheese should be stable enough to be cut with a knife and stand up on its own but should still be creamy and gooey.
This mac and cheese can be served as a side dish with ham, ribs, roasted or grilled chicken, roast or pulled pork. Or you can have it as a meal on its own. Either way, I am confident that this is a recipe that you will come back to again and again. I know I do. If you're looking for another comforting side dish, my potato gratin pairs beautifully alongside a roast dinner.
If you want to get a little creative, try mixing some cooked and crumbled bacon into the breadcrumb mixture and another cup of grated mozzarella into the mix once the pasta and sauce have been incorporated for a bit of extra gooeyness. You could also fold in some sautéed mushrooms or roasted garlic for a gourmet twist. This recipe is wonderfully adaptable-feel free to make it your own.
Tips for the Best Mac and Cheese
After making this recipe countless times, here are a few final tips that will help you nail it every time:
- Always grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-clumping agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
- Undercook your pasta slightly. It will finish cooking in the oven and absorb some of the sauce, so starting with al dente pasta is essential.
- Add cheese gradually. Dumping all the cheese in at once shocks the sauce and can cause the fat to separate.
- Let it rest before serving. Those 10 minutes allow the sauce to thicken slightly and make it much easier to serve.
- Use whole milk. The extra fat makes a noticeable difference in creaminess and flavour.
This four-cheese mac and cheese is one of those recipes I come back to again and again, and every time it reminds me why I fell in love with cooking in the first place. It's warm, indulgent, and the kind of dish that brings everyone to the table before you even have to call them.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 340 g dried gluten-free macaroni pasta or non-gluten free pasta
Cheese Sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour
- 1 L whole milk
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon crumbled blue Cheese
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 cup gluten-free toasted breadcrumbs or regular toasted breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta for one minute less than the package suggests.
Cheese Sauce
- Put a medium pot on the stove on medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter starts to melt, add in the flour. Stir to full combine the two. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the milk into the flour and butter. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Add the onion powder and garlic powder and cook, whisking for about ten minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and no longer tastes like raw flour
- Start whisking in the cheese little bits at a time until all the cheese has been incorporated.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper as needed. Add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
Breadcrumb Topping
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the breadcrumbs with the cheddar cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Mac and Cheese
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce and stir to fully combine the two.
- Pour the pasta into a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Cover the mac and cheese with the breadcrumb mixture and bake at 425°f for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping has browned.
- Remove the mac and cheese from the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes, then serve.
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