This mac and cheese delivers a silky, velvety cheese sauce made from cheddar, Swiss or Gruyere and diced American, finished under a crisp garlic‑Parmesan breadcrumb crust for contrast and golden crunch.
Total time: 1 — Yield: 8 to 12 servings, so it’s ideal for weeknight family dinners, potlucks, or a make‑ahead main you can bake just before guests arrive.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A classic baked mac with a true comfort‑food mouthfeel: molten, creamy sauce plus a toasty garlic breadcrumb topping — built to feed a crowd while staying straightforward in technique.
Pair with a crisp potato side like Hasselback Potatoes for a hearty meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make the Mac
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Make the Bread Crumbs:In a food processor, process the bread until it forms fine crumbs (you should have about 4 cups crumbs). In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat. When it foams, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, increase the heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until toasty and browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and transfer to a large plate to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Make the Mac and Cheese:In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the al dente directions on the package (if not included, cook for one minute less than called for). Drain, rinse, and toss with the vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- In a large saucepan orDutch oven, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add the flour and cook, constantly whisking, until it turns a light and toasty brown color, 3 to 6 minutes. Gradually add the milk while whisking, then increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking, until it thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cheeses, a few handfuls at a time, and whisk the sauce until smooth. Whisk in the salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir in the cooked pasta, and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture into the buttered baking dish and spread the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Bake until the topping is browned and crisp and the cheese is bubbling, about 8 minutes to 10 minutes. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cheese Substitutions
The original blend relies on cheddar for bite, Swiss or Gruyere for nuttiness, and American for creamy melt. If American cheese is unavailable, Colby is the recommended swap because it melts smoothly without adding a processed flavor.
When substituting, keep the balance: a sharp cheddar plus a melty, mild cheese (American or Colby) plus a nutty Swiss/Gruyere gives both flavor and stable, silky texture.
- If no American: use Colby (recommended) or a mild Monterey Jack diced small for similar meltability.
- For a sharper flavor: increase cheddar by up to 4 ounces and reduce American/Colby slightly.
- To keep sauce smooth: grate block cheeses yourself and add them off the heat in small handfuls.
Sauce Texture Tips
The key to a silky sauce is the roux and controlled heat: cook the flour and butter until a light‑toasty brown (3–6 minutes), which removes raw flour flavor and gives the sauce body. Gradually whisk in the milk so the mixture stays smooth.
After the sauce thickens (it will coat the back of a spoon in 4–5 minutes), remove from high heat before adding cheese. High heat after cheese is added can cause the emulsion to break and create a grainy texture.
- Roux cue: look for a sandy, light‑brown color and a slightly nutty aroma after 3–6 minutes.
- Thickness cue: the sauce should coat the back of a spoon—if it runs off in a thick ribbon, it’s ready for cheese.
- Cheese cue: add cheeses in batches off or on very low heat and whisk until smooth before adding more.
Keep the Topping Crisp
The topping is what elevates this mac: process the bread to about 4 cups of fine crumbs, then toast slowly in butter with garlic until golden and fragrant (7–9 minutes). Stir in Parmesan at the end so it melts slightly into the crumbs for extra flavor.
If you’re preparing ahead, keep the toasted breadcrumbs separate and add them right before baking so they stay crunchy.
- Toast crumbs until a uniform golden brown—overcooked crumbs will taste bitter.
- Store leftovers with topping separated when possible; add fresh crumbs and bake briefly to re‑crisp.
- For extra crunch, pulse crumbs with a little melted butter and a pinch of salt before topping.
How to Store & Reheat
Make‑ahead options: Assemble the casserole in the buttered dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time as needed—this prevents cold centers.
Bake ahead and reheat: Fully bake, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat individual portions in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes (stir halfway) or reheat the whole dish at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until heated through; cover with foil to keep moisture, then remove for the last 5 minutes to refresh the crust.
Prevent a grainy sauce: Once you start adding cheese, keep the sauce off high heat—low and steady with constant whisking prevents separation. If the sauce looks tight, remove from the heat and whisk gently; adding a splash more warm milk can smooth it.
Crisping leftovers: To restore a crisp topping on leftovers, bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes or place under the broiler for a minute or two—watch closely so crumbs don’t burn.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Final Notes
This version of Chrissy Teigen’s mac and cheese balances bold cheddar flavor with melty American (or Colby) and nutty Swiss/Gruyere for a reliably creamy, crowd‑pleasing casserole.
Make the breadcrumbs fresh and consider preparing components ahead (pasta and sauce) to shorten hands‑on time the day you bake.
Chrissy Teigen’s Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Food Processor
- large skillet
- large pot
- saucepan or Dutch oven
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- whisk
Ingredients
- 8 slices white sandwich bread torn into pieces
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 teaspoon)
- 5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 pound pasta shells (453.59g) I used medium size shells
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup butter (113.5g) unsalted
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups whole milk (1220ml)
- 12 ounces cheddar cheese (340.2g) shredded (3 cups)
- 12 ounces Swiss or Gruyere cheese (340.2g) shredded (3 cups)
- 12 ounces American cheese (340.2g) diced small
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.25 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (0.25 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Make the breadcrumbs: In a food processor, process the white sandwich bread until it forms fine crumbs (you should have about 4 cups). In a large skillet, heat 6 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-low heat; when it foams, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, increase the heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until toasty and browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, remove from the heat, transfer to a large plate to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
- Cook the pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook 1 pound pasta shells according to the al dente directions on the package (if not included, cook for one minute less than called for). Drain, rinse, and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1/2 cup (113.5g) unsalted butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, constantly whisking, until it turns a light and toasty brown color, 3 to 6 minutes. Gradually add 5 cups whole milk while whisking, then increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking, until it thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cheeses (12 ounces cheddar, 12 ounces Swiss or Gruyere, and 12 ounces American) a few handfuls at a time and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Whisk in 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir in the cooked pasta and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the buttered 9×13-inch baking dish and spread the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake until the topping is browned and crisp and the cheese is bubbling, about 8 to 10 minutes. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
