There are two recipes on this page. The first is one that I’ve made a couple times, including in the photos above and below. It’s a solid, rich, Thanksgiving-grade mac and cheese. The second is one shared with me by Cara Watters, which also looks amazing.

This will be a lot of work, but you can do it! I have faith in you! 

Originally inspired by this recipe. 

16 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni, large shells, or cavatappi pasta
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup grated yellow onion
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika (cayenne pepper would also work)
1/3 c. flour
3 1/2 c. milk
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
14 oz. cheese, some combination of gruyere, smoked gouda, sharp white cheddar, and 1-2 oz. of cream cheese (i.e., 4 oz. each of the hard cheeses and 2 oz. cream cheese)
6-10 slices bacon (optional)
panko crumbs

Shred the hard cheeses and blend with the cream cheese until the cream cheese is incorporated. You’ll need to get your hands dirty for this.

While you still have the cheese grater handy, grate the onion if you haven’t already.

Cut the bacon into strips and cook in a skillet. Remove and drain as much of the fat as you can.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add salt to taste. Follow the instructions on the pasta packet, and boil them to al dente. Drain.

Add the chopped bacon and approx. 1 cup of cheese medley to the cooked pasta and stir together. 

Measure out all the rest of the ingredients because it will make the bechamel chapter of this recipe so much easier on you.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, dry mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper/paprika. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. 

Add flour and stir, cooking until golden, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.

Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 1 1/2 cup of cheese medley. Reserve remaining cheeses for topping. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to broil.

Sprinkle the last amount of cheese medley on top, followed by the panko crumbs. Broil 6 inches from heat until cheeses are melted and golden, about 2 minutes.

Cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack.

Cara Watters’ recipe (Serves 12):
8 T (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, plus more for dish
5 ½ C Milk 6 Slices White Bread, crusts removed, torn into ¼ -inch pieces
½ C Flour
¼ tsp. freshly ground Black Pepper
¼ tsp. freshly grated Nutmeg
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
2 tsp. Salt
4 ½ C (about 18 oz) grated Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
2 C (about 8 oz) grated Gruyere

Preheat oven to 375F.

Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Microwave 2 T butter in medium microwaveable bowl. Place the bread in it, and toss. Set the bread crumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat the milk. Melt remaining 6 T butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups Cheddar Cheese, and 1 ½ cups Gruyere; set cheese sauce aside.

Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into reserved cheese sauce.

Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bread crumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Serve.