Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Welcome to January, the month for Macaroni and Cheese! Last year the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board asked me to contribute a recipe to help celebrate, and I shared the Mushroom-Herb Macaroni and Cheese. This year the Board is hosting another month-long celebration, and I was happy to whip up more homemade mac n’ cheese to take part in the festivities. All of the homemade macaroni and cheese recipes I have made up until now use a white sauce as a base made with butter, flour and milk. This recipe utilizes a shortcut to create that creamy base, and it results in a much quicker prep time (with fewer pans to wash), and a fabulous flavor and texture.
Instead of the typical roux, this recipe uses eggs and evaporated milk to give the macaroni and cheese that rich and creamy goodness. I also love the combination of cheeses in this particular recipe. I’ve never used Parmesan in a macaroni and cheese recipe, but it adds a great balance to the creamy cheeses and a little bit of a tang. Perfect! I think this is a great “base” recipe that you could change up in countless ways to adapt to your tastes – add bacon, mushrooms, sausage, your favorite herbs, etc. I adore macaroni and cheese recipes because the sky is the limit. That and, you know, cheesy carbs. Mmmm…
Now for the quick and easy part… Here are your cast of characters:
Add the cheeses to the egg and milk mixture:
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Mix together the cheeses and the milk and egg mixture:
Add the cooked macaroni:
Mix it up and pour into the baking dish:
Bake it up and enjoy!
Head over to the Macaroni and Cheese Blog and spend an entire month drooling over macaroni and cheese recipes. That’s my plan!
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. I received compensation for ingredients and my time.
Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ pound (226.8 g) elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 eggs
- 12 ounces (340.2 ml) evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups (169.5 g) shredded Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar Cheese, (6 ounces)
- ½ cup (56.5 g) shredded Wisconsin Monterey Jack Cheese, (2 ounces)
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese, (1 ounce)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni for 6 minutes (will be cooked to al dente). Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic to a medium bowl. Add the macaroni to the bowl and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and evaporated milk. Add the salt, cayenne pepper and cheeses; mix well. Add the macaroni mixture and stir well to combine.
- Transfer mixture to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce bubbles at edges, about 12 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I do love this as a wonderful comfort food version of the classic. I’ve made it for years now (and love to add bacon). For me, the bechamel version tends to be too much. This is a great, adaptable classic! Sorry too take so long to rate.
Have to say I made it exactly as the receipt calls for turned out more like scrambled eggs than mac and cheese.
I’ve made this recipe at least five times and I’ve always had to almost DOUBLE the bake time in order for it to set.
Am I doing something wrong?!?
I’m planning to make this today and see if I can put some in a lunchbox and reheat for lunch tomorrow (in a microwave)! I’ll see how it goes!
Chowing down on this now and it is amazing. I mixed panko with some Italian seasoning to put on top and used Texas Pete in place of the cayenne, but both changes totally work. I really like the three cheese blend. With peas and some red wine, it makes a great easy dinner with lots of protein, carbs and calories (all of which are good for me right now, lol)
How good is this dish if it is made the day before and reheated in the oven? Does it congeal or dry out? This recipe sounds great, but I need to make it the day before. Thanks so much
Hi Tammi, I’ve never made it ahead of time so I can’t say for sure. I would probably assemble it, refrigerate, then bake it the next day. I wouldn’t bake it one day, then put it back in the oven the next day.
Tried it for valentines day and loved it, I also added mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, ham chunks and bacon bits. Oh and i replaced minced garlic with fresh chopped garlic.
I made it for thanksgiving and it was awesome. I doubled it and it turned out perfect ry. Although I omitted the garlic!
How does this recipe hold up when doubled…or even tripled? Thinking of trying this for Thanksgiving…
Hi Sherida, I have not scaled up the recipe, but I wouldn’t think you’d have a problem doing so. Enjoy!
Sherida, I doubled it and it turned out fine.
can i use milk instead of evaperated milk ?
Hi Ami, To replace evaporated milk using regular milk you can do one of two things:
– Simmer 2¼ cups of whole milk down to 1 cup.
OR
– Substitute ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup half-and-half
I am a sucker for a good mac and cheese recipe so I guess that means I will be making this recipe for dinner.
Yikes, I made this and it did not turn out for me for some reason. It ended up tasting like eggs and cheese with some noodles in it… the only thing I could tell is that it seemed like the 1/2 pound of macaroni did not seem like very much at all, it was only 1 cup. Any advice?? I was very excited about this recipe, it seemed like everyone else got it to turn out!
i made this for a Labor Day bbq and everyone LOVED it. Especially the girls. it got me laid. Thanks
Tonight is my third time making this recipe. It’s wonderful, very tasty, and super easy. I normally use regular macaroni and a mix of sharp and extra sharp cheddar. Tonight I’m using whole wheat rotini and a Mexican cheese blend. Thanks for this great recipe!
I made this last night to go with bratwurst for dinner and it was great! I was a little pressed for time, so I left out the garlic since I didn’t want to chop and sautee it, and it was still delicious. This will be a great recipe to modify by adding veggies or meat, or changing up the cheeses. I love that it goes together really fast and easy, and doesn’t require processed cheese powder. :D
I would love to add breadcrumbs! Any tips oh how much should I add, and when?
Aria, I would mix 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle it over the top before you bake it. Makes a delicious crust!
Hey there. I used this recipe last night for dinner. It was a hit! I love it because it takes my mom’s recipe and adds garlic and cayenne. Delish. :-) I’ll be making it for the next big potluck event. Thank you.
I just made this for dinner. Thanks! It’s the best mac and cheese recipe I’ve tried (and I’ve maybe tried a dozen).
I’m drooling at the mouth, nothing beats Mac&Cheese. I wish I had another upcoming holiday to the states (particularly NY) so I can visit S’Mac (restaurant). You’re recipe looks ace, I would never have thought of putting evaporated milk into the mixture.
I made this last night. Yum! I love the hint of garlic. The egg gave it a nice texture. My son is not a fan of baked mac and cheese but he really liked this one (I think it’s the texture he liked). Thank you for sharing!!