- Macaroni and cheese is a classic dish that chefs prefer to use sharp Cheddar for.
- It’s versatile, flavorful, melts well and pairs nicely with other cheeses and ingredients.
- For the best mac, add veggies or meats, and try different pasta shapes and cheeses.
The classic combination of macaroni and cheese is one of those dishes that feel like a hug. But like almost all comfort foods, everyone has a nostalgia-tied preference. Even though mac and cheese sounds so simple, there are so many different family recipes for it, featuring different shapes, techniques, ingredients and other variables. Then, in the hands of professional chefs or cheese experts, there are elevations that can be introduced that can turn this homey, rustic dish into a more accessible luxury, offering bite after bite of decadent, gooey satisfaction.
With so many available interpretations, it’s hard to get anyone to agree on what the magic formula is for the best mac and cheese. However, what we found all the pros have in common is that all of their recipes center one specific type of cheese, with just a bit of variation.
The Best Cheese for Mac & Cheese
As a richly diverse (and rich!) ingredient, cheese elicits a lot of strong opinions. Different melting and breaking points, levels of elasticity and specific flavor profiles, from salt to tang to funk, make it impossible to crown just one cheese the sole and overall winner. Then there are dietary restrictions, too, like those who require low-sodium cheeses, have lactose sensitivities, or need a vegan mac and cheese.
For this reason, the best cheese for mac and cheese, according to chefs, often includes a custom blend. But no matter how the dish comes together at the end, it begins with a good, sharp Cheddar.
The Perfect Melting Texture
Versatile Cheddar cheese is a favorite for many types of recipes, and for good reason. When melted with low, gentle heat, it becomes tantalizingly smooth and gooey. However, while younger Cheddars, with their higher moisture content, melt more seamlessly, chefs unanimously choose sharp Cheddar, despite the risk of the cheese separating and hardening after cooking. Plus, it’s easy to work with— firm enough for grating, soft enough to melt, and resistant to becoming grainy.
While sharp Cheddar cheese can be decadent by itself, a chef-worthy mac and cheese nearly always includes more than one cheese to add interest, dimension and, most importantly, smoother melting. In fact, haute Southern cuisine specialist, chef and co-owner of Auburn Angel in Atlanta, Robert Butts uses five for his signature blend: a mix of sharp and mild Cheddars (including white), mozzarella, smoked Gouda and Parmesan, all contributing to effects like longer cheese pulls, balanced acids, smokiness and intriguing textures.
Sharp Flavor That Doesn’t Overpower
“It creates a balance of cheesiness and umami,” says Jess Bograd, senior director of culinary at City Barbeque in Columbus, Ohio, “and sharp Cheddar stands out without being too bossy.”
Butts agrees that sharp is the way to go. He names it as his favorite for its “strong, distinct flavor that’s both rich and tangy, and really holds up to the creaminess of mac and cheese by adding some salty notes.” Robert Owens, pitmaster and owner of Owens & Hull in Georgia, says that the sharp “gives more of a classic taste that I grew up with.”
Jay Pierce, executive chef of Southern bistro Mozelle’s in North Carolina, is even more specific in his preference. “My favorite cheese for mac and cheese and many other things is Grafton 2-year-old white Cheddar from Vermont,” he shares. “It’s practically a raw milk cheese and is so full of flavor and deliciously sharp!”
It Blends Well with Other Cheeses
Cheddar cheese also plays well with others, which, as we noted, is a key factor for fantastic mac and cheese, since a cheese blend is actually the secret to a restaurant-quality dish.
Owens loves mixing it with smoked Gouda, but also mentions Gruyère as a good one to consider, along with Monterey Jack, which is Bograd’s second-favorite for mac and cheese for its “creamy, stretchy texture.” Pierce, prizing creaminess, feels that havarti is a standout supporting actor. However, “for mac and cheese only, Wisconsin-style Muenster and brick cheese [a semisoft cheese from Wisconsin] are both nice additions or substitutes for havarti,” he adds.
Other cheeses to try pairing with your sharp Cheddar? Goat cheese, blue cheese or even Parmesan.
Tips for Making the Ultimate Comfort Mac & Cheese
Skip Pre-Shredded Cheese
The temptation to go for the convenience of pre-shredded cheese is one that’s hard to resist. But chefs serious about their mac and cheese will always put in the little bit of elbow grease needed to grate straight from the block. The reason? The anticaking agents, additives to prevent the shreds from clumping: “Those starches don’t melt as smoothly as blocks that are shredded,” Bograd says, resulting in a grittiness Owens also always notices.
Not only that, but it can subtly change the taste as well as the texture of the cheese, which is why Pierce stays away, worrying about how it might change his recipe.
Butts says, “While I’m not against [pre-shredded cheese] for the home cook, especially for convenience, it sometimes has a powdery taste to it. In my opinion, the blocks have a better, more natural flavor.”
And no matter when the cheese is grated, be sure to whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients before adding cheese and/or pasta, Pierce advises. Bogard seconds that, adding, “The best tip is to use a good whisk and add the cheese gradually, allowing it to melt slowly before adding more cheese,” similar to how you would work a restaurant-quality risotto.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
While all chefs have their own cheese blends, they didn’t get there without a little trial and error, and they encourage home cooks to do the same. Create your own signature blend! And beyond cheese flavors, there are also fun things you can do to jazz up your mac in your own unique way.
For example, Bograd says, “If I want to make a traditional creamy mac and cheese with a bit of flair, I like to add in a flavored cheese—either smoky or spicy, like a chipotle Cheddar or pepper Jack.”
“We try to keep it simple at the restaurant, and I like classics at home, but there’s nothing like fancying it up for guests,” Pierce says. “Really impactful things might be lardons made out of Benton’s bacon stirred in at the last minute, or toasting some panko breadcrumbs mixed with a little brown butter and Pecorino Romano cheese to provide a crunchy topping.” Bograd swaps the cheese type to grated Parmesan for her crust.
You can also add your favorite veggies, seafood, and meat to the mac and cheese. It’s truly a blank slate you can be creative with.
Make a Béchamel—or Skip It
“It won’t change the texture of your mac and cheese at all if you make a béchamel,” a French mother sauce, as the glue that ties the mac and cheese together, Butts says. Butts is a fan, saying, “It’s so creamy and rich, and brings the most out of the cheese sauce. The bite alone from béchamel is mind-blowing.”
However, it’s not a mandatory step, since there are other ways to thicken and tie it all together. For example, Pierce prefers to make a fortified milk, “using our fantastic local milk and adding powdered milk to it” and adding mayonnaise to his recipe. Owens reveals, “I use 36% heavy cream, the cheese blend, Parmesan for some saltiness, and let everything sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge, then more cream and more cheese. Then I let it firm up and bake.”
And although Butts takes the formal béchamel route when he’s wearing his chef’s hat, he admits that “sometimes just adding cheese to heavy cream can be a quick move as well!”
Play with Your Pasta Shapes
Elbows are a classic shape for macaroni and cheese: the cheese and sauce nestles into the small tubes, which toast up well on the edges when baked but still provide a smooth look and feel that slides through the hot cheese and lets you bite through easily.
However, a shape that’s become increasingly popular among chefs is cavatappi. It’s Bograd’s default, as the ridges give the sauce and melted cheese additional surface area to cling to. The twisty shape is whimsical and robust, and Pierce likes that it feels fancy.
Butts uses it, too, but likes to change it up, because “Why not?” he asks. “Elbows and cavatappi are great, but fusilli, rigatoni, even penne are a lot of fun to cook and can hold cheese sauce well, too, allowing the cheese pull everyone loves to watch take new form.”
Owens will also use rigatoni, finding that it works well with his cheese blend, but says shells create more decadence with their deep pockets that hold the mix. Pierce’s other gussied-up version might use orecchiette, which cups the cheese sauce well. But, he says, “The shape of the pasta is more often determined by the intended audience.” So cook what you like and what your diners like. With the right cheeses, shape takes a back burner.
Don’t Overcook the Pasta
Just remember, in most preparations, the pasta for mac and cheese is twice cooked—first on the stove, then the oven. Because of that, it’s important not to overcook your noodles. “You still want them to have a bite to them, since you still have to bake it,” Butts says. With this in mind, be sure to pull the pasta from the pot early, and remember to salt it, too, Owens says. Slightly undercooking it and salting your water will help it retain its texture in its final state.
The Bottom Line
As a homey, traditional dish, mac and cheese is often a personal one. However, whether making mac and cheese at home or channeling high-end restaurant style, chefs and cheese experts agree that to make an ideal version, no matter what ideal looks like to you, start with a sharp Cheddar cheese base for your own signature cheese blend. As Butts says, “Overall, mac and cheese is a versatile dish as a side or a main, so have fun with it and don’t be afraid to put your own spin on the recipe and make it amazing.”
