The Ultimate 5-Cheese Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese Recipe
This ultimate 5-cheese Thanksgiving mac and cheese recipe combines creamy pasta with a rich blend of five cheeses and a crispy, flavorful breadcrumb topping, baked to golden perfection.
Equipment
- Large, deep pot
- skillet
- Bowl
- Oven
- Strainer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups Elbow macaroni
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons Flour
- 3 cups Milk
- 1 cup American cheese shredded
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Bacon chopped
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons Chili flakes
- Parsley to garnish, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- For the topping, cook chopped bacon in a skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes until crisp. Add chopped garlic, chili flakes, and panko breadcrumbs; stir and cook for 2 more minutes, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over high heat. Stir in flour to create a thick paste, then reduce heat to medium, add milk, and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, add uncooked elbow macaroni to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
- Once the milk has thickened, incorporate all five shredded cheeses and stir for 5-7 minutes until they are fully melted into a thick, creamy, and gooey sauce.
- Drain the cooked macaroni, rinsing with cold water to remove excess starch.
- Combine the macaroni with the creamy cheese sauce, season with ground black pepper to taste, and stir to distribute flavors evenly.
- Spread the prepared topping evenly over the mac and cheese, then bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes before serving immediately.
Notes
For best results, use freshly shredded cheeses as pre-shredded varieties can contain anti-caking agents that affect meltiness. Feel free to adjust the amount of chili flakes to your spice preference.