Today’s Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese is a fond look back on a childhood memory. My mother’s homemade mac and cheese was always one of my favorites and the perfect comforting meal for our family! Lush and creamy with three kinds of cheese, this casserole will satisfy anyone who is craving comfort foods.
My brothers grew up during the really lean years with lots of casseroles on regular rotation until they got to the point that they never wanted to see one again. I was the youngest so my father was beginning to make more money by the time I joined the gang. Unlike my brothers, I was always excited when mom would make her tuna casserole, chipped beef on toast, or a host of other comfort foods.
Casseroles always got a hooray from me because they were full of the flavors I loved. Of them all, mac and cheese was and still is my favorite. Rich, cheesy goodness in every single bite, what’s not to love.
When I was forced to go gluten free for my health, I thought I would never be able to have good pasta again. And, being married to an Italian, it was a brutal change for both of us (he went gluten free with me). We tried gluten-free pastas, one after another, never really getting close to what we both craved. But over time we found a few that worked well and slowly reintroduced pasta back into our diet.
The trick to gluten-free mac and cheese, besides a good cheese sauce, is to use a pasta strong enough to stand up to the heaviness of the sauce. Tonight we used Barilla elbows and they worked great. The Artist even said it would be hard to tell them apart from regular pasta!
I am grateful to all the companies who are making gluten-free products, helping to make our lives much more palatable and less stressful. This Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese is one way to enhance our rotating meal plans.
Have a fabulous weekend and I will see you back here for Chocolate Monday next week!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese:
- Elbow macaroni, butter, flour, onion powder, salt, pepper, half and half, milk
- Thyme, Colby cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, Paprika
PRO Tip:
When you reheat the leftovers, always add a little water to rehydrate the pasta!
How to make Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted water, drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sprinkle with the flour. Whisk until you have a smooth paste, cook for about 3 minutes to cook out the raw flavor.
- Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition and being sure it is fully incorporated before adding more. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, stir in the thyme, and cook until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Toss the shredded Colby and mozzarella together in a bowl, remove 1/4 of it and reserve it separately. Add the remaining cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until fully melted before adding more. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little more milk or water.
- Add the cooked pasta, stirring until all the pieces are coated with the cheese sauce. Transfer to a buttered 9×13-inch baking pan and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with paprika if you like. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
PRO Tip:
Use a firm pasta that will stand up to the weight of the sauce. Tonight we used Barilla elbows and they worked beautifully. They are available at many stores around the country or online.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Cheese grater
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Large stockpot (for the pasta)
- Dutch oven or large saucepan
- Colander
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
- Serving bowls
Gluten-Free Tips:
* The amount of milk you need will depend a lot on the pasta you are using. Some absorb more liquid than others. Add as much as you need for a lovely, creamy sauce.
You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese (Gluten-Free)
Today's Old Fashioned Creamy Mac and Cheese is a fond look back on a childhood memory. My mother's homemade mac and cheese was always one of my favorites. The perfect meal for our family! Lush and creamy with three kinds of cheese, this casserole will satisfy anyone craving comfort foods.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (375g) elbow macaroni, gluten-free if needed
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 2 tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend**
- 1/8 tsp onion powder (not onion salt!)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 cup (237ml) half and half
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups (355ml to 173ml) milk, or more if needed*
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 3/4 lb (340g) Colby Jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 lb (227g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- Paprika, for garnishing, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch (23cm by 33cm) baking dish; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk until it is completely incorporated and you have a smooth paste. Cook, whisking regularly, for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the onion powder.
- Gradually pour in the milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition until it is fully incorporated before adding more. Start with 1-1/2 cups milk and add more as needed*. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Stir in the thyme. Continue to cook and whisk until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
- In a large bowl, toss together the two grated cheeses. Remove 1/4 of the cheeses and set aside. Add the remaining grated cheese to the thickened milk sauce, a handful at a time, whisking until it is fully melted before adding more. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little more milk or water, mixing until fully blended. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add the cooked macaroni, stirring until all the pieces are coated with the cheese sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining reserved grated cheese over the top. Add some Parmesan on top of the grated cheese if you like.
- Bake until the cheese on top is melted, about 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
*The amount of milk you need will depend a lot on the pasta you are using. Some absorb more liquid than others. Add as much as you need for a lovely, creamy sauce. Remember that the pasta will absorb some of the liquid and the sauce will thicken as it cools, so err on the side of too creamy to be safe.
**You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 635Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 122gFiber: 6gSugar: 2gProtein: 22g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Feb 2018. The article was updated in 2023.
