Sharp Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, and Gruyere cheeses melted together to make a perfectly Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese! A side or main dish that will make your whole family happy!
Mac and Cheese Life
Every night after we put my three-year-old daughter to bed, she starts yelling that she needs to tell us something. When my husband or I go in to find out what she wants, it’s usually something like, “I want a book from my bookshelf.” Easy peasy to take care of.
Last week when she did her nightly yelling ritual, my husband went in to check it out. My daughter said, “I’m going to start calling my life Mac and Cheese Life.” We’re not really sure what that means.
I tried to oblige though, and started saying things like, “Hey, Mac and Cheese Life, you need to get your shoes on.” She doesn’t like this though. She keeps saying, “No mom, that’s not my name, that’s just what I’m calling my life!”
Again, my daughter is three, so not everything she says makes sense. But my girl does love herself some mac and cheese. She can eat an entire box of mac and cheese in one sitting, and will still ask for more. So changing the name of her life to ‘Mac and Cheese Life’ does make a little sense, I suppose.
Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
Since Mac and Cheese Life likes her namesake so much, I try to make her a special dish of it on occasion. Last month we were grilling out one weekend and I had some extra cheeses in the fridge, so I decided to make something a little different for her.
Cheeses
I experimented with multiple cheese combinations and landed on this tasty mixture:
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 ounces smoked gouda, shredded
- 3 ounces gruyere, shredded
For the best results, grate the cheeses yourself. I find it melts and tastes better this way!
Noodles
You can use almost any pasta noodle that you want for this mac and cheese. I prefer elbow macaroni, as they make my daughter the happiest. But you could also consider ziti, small shells, or penne.
Seasoning
The cheese is the star of this dish, so you don’t want to overwhelm it with unnecessary seasonings. But, you do not want to skimp on the salt!
The combination of seasoned salt, salt, and black pepper gives a hint of spice while allowing the cheeses to shine!
Serving
This Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese is best served warm, right after it’s cooked. If it’s going to be a few hours before serving it, I’ll typically put it in a slow cooker on the warm mode.
Alternatively, I’ll cover it in a pot until I’m just about ready to serve, then heat for a minute or two over low heat on the stove top.
No one in my house complains about the leftovers though, so certainly don’t hesitate to refrigerate any extra for a couple of days!
This Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese is a delicious side, or a stand alone dinner!
Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounce dried elbow noodles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 ounces smoked Gouda cheese shredded
- 3 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, then set aside.
- In pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and continue whisking for 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in milk. Whisk until smooth. Let cook until thickened, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- Slowly pour ½ cup of sauce into the bowl with the eggs. Whisk constantly while pouring and until smooth. Once smooth, whisk eggs back into pot with remaining mixture. Stir in seasoned salt, and salt & pepper.
- Next stir in all three cheeses until cheeses and cook until cheeses completely melted and mixture is smooth, about three minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cooked macaroni noodles.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed this Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese recipe, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Air Fried Buttery Steakhouse Potatoes
Chimichurri Burgers
Homemade Hamburgers
Links to items used to make this recipe:
Calphalon Cookware Set: This is my cookware set that I use for almost everything.
Box Grater: Just use a box grater to shred your own cheese. Totally worth it.
[…] Creamy Three Cheese Mac and Cheese — Sugar Spices Life […]