# Best Ever Mac and Cheese

This is a super easy, super cheesy, and super crowd-pleasing mac and cheese recipe that is perfect for any holiday table.

- Total time: 20 min
- Cuisine: American
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 pound cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces Gouda cheese
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
- 0.5 stick butter
- 0.25 cup flour
- black pepper
- salt
- paprika
- 2 cups milk
- cooking spray

## Instructions

1. Boil 1 pound of elbow macaroni in salty water until cooked.
2. Melt half a stick of butter in a saucepan.
3. Add a quarter cup of flour to the melted butter.
4. Add fresh cracked black pepper, salt, and paprika to the mixture.
5. Whisk the mixture until combined.
6. Pour in 2 cups of milk and whisk until smooth.
7. Add half of the cheddar, half of the Monterey Jack, and half of the Gouda cheese to the mixture and whisk until melted and smooth.
8. Pour the cheese mixture into the cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
9. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
10. Dump half of the macaroni and cheese into the casserole dish.
11. Sprinkle a quarter of the remaining Gouda, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese on top of the macaroni layer to create a cheese layer.
12. Add the rest of the macaroni and cheese on top of the cheese layer.
13. Top with the remaining shredded Gouda, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese.
14. Sprinkle with extra paprika for color.
15. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, or until done.

## Equipment

- pot
- whisk
- casserole dish

## Tips

- Boil macaroni in salty water, saltier than the sea.
- Use freshly grated cheese as store-bought cheese has starch as an anti-clumping agent and won't come out the same.
- Use elbow macaroni with ribs to hold the cheese sauce better.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8UDkVLU/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/7a147e9b-5ad6-4374-b1b0-6cfb821e1839
- Extracted: 2025-11-28

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt