Food & Wine's Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Raclette gruyere macaroni and cheese with pickled shallots
Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Creamy, cheesy, and piping hot, macaroni and cheese is a nostalgic classic for a reason — and when you need something hearty, these mac and cheese recipes should be your go-to. Some of our favorites include Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots, Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese, and Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale. If shells are your favorite, Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs is the way to go. No matter which one you choose, you're only a few steps away from a cozy, wonderful meal.

01 of 10

Grant's Mac and Cheese

Grant’s Mac and Cheese
JOHN KERNICK

Chef Grant Achatz's personal touch for his macaroni and cheese recipe is a tablespoon of paprika (to enhance the color of the sauce) and lots of smoky, crisp bacon bits.

02 of 10

Leek Mac and Cheese

Leek Mac and Cheese

Cooks usually reserve dark, tough leek greens for stock. Here, F&W's Grace Parisi sautés them until they're soft and supple, then folds them into a luscious macaroni and cheese made with nutty Manchego.

03 of 10

Pickled Pepper Macaroni and Cheese

Pickled Pepper Macaroni and Cheese
Con Poulos

Crispy panko breadcrumbs add crunch to this rich and cheesy pasta casserole, studded with sweet and spicy pickled peppers.

04 of 10

Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs
© Matthew Armendariz

Small chunks of cheddar and Colby cheeses throughout give this macaroni and cheese a perfect hit of flavor and a fabulous gooey texture.

05 of 10

Andouille Mac & Cheese

Andouille Mac & Cheese
© Cedric Angeles

Chef Paul Nanni grinds and smokes his own andouille sausage for super-generous portions of this Cajun-inspired macaroni and cheese, but you can swap in pre-made sausage when making it at home.

06 of 10

Auntie Monica's Seafood Mac and Cheese

Auntie Monica’s Seafood Mac and Cheese
Stacy Howell

Loaded with fresh shrimp, crab, and lobster and layered with a rich mixture of cheeses, this macaroni and cheese gets an extra boost of spice from liquid shrimp-and-crab boil. The boil seasoning lends its long-cooked flavor to the casserole without overcooking the delicate seafood.

07 of 10

Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale

Buttermilk Macaroni & Cheese with Baby Kale
Kelly Marshall

A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel in chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls' version of mac and cheese. For a smooth sauce, make sure all of the dairy is at room temperature.

08 of 10

Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots

Raclette gruyere macaroni and cheese with pickled shallots
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Inspired by älplermagronen, Alpine farmers' macaroni, this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from Raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce; as a nod to that flavor play, we've added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness.

09 of 10

Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

Macaroni and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. This version features a combination of fontina for optimal gooey texture and cheddar for its tangy flavor, and a crispy mix of toasted panko, parsley, lemon, and garlic that cuts through the richness of the ultra-creamy baked shells.

10 of 10

Southern-Style Mac 'n' Cheese

Southern Style Mac n Cheese
Photo by Noah Fecks / Food Styling by Drew Aichele / Prop Styling by Ethan Lunkenheimer

Three different kinds of cheese — extra-sharp cheddar, Colby-Jack, and cream cheese — go into this creamy, savory macaroni and cheese recipe, which also gets layers of flavor from fresh bay leaves and dry mustard. Southern-style mac 'n' cheese is typically made with a milk-and-egg base rather than a roux. Here, the milk component is an infused milk-and-cream mixture reserved from cooking the noodles (which adds even more richness to the dish).

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