Go Back
Baked mac and cheese in a white rustic baking dish
Print Recipe

Classic Mac and Cheese (5 Cheeses)

Thanksgiving just isn't complete without a classic mac and cheese and I refuse to let PCOS stop me from enjoying it, so here's 3 Tips to enjoy REGULAR macaroni and cheese for the holidays! And spoiler alert it doesn't involve low carb pastas or cheese substitutes! By now you've gotta be ready to find out how to enjoy mac and cheese with less impact on your blood sugar so lets get into it!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time24 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic mac and cheese, mac and cheese, mac and cheese PCOS, mac and cheese recipe, macaroni and cheese, thanksgiving
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Pasta Strainer
  • Deep Pan or Heavy Bottom Pot
  • Silicone Whisk / Wooden Spoon
  • Cheese Grater
  • Baking Dish - 8x8 or 9x9

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce

  • 8 oz Elbow Macaroni
  • 2 Tbsp Butter (28g)
  • 2 Heaping Tbsp A.P. Flour (25g)
  • 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Filtered Water *Sub Full liquid amount with Whole Milk if you prefer
  • 2 oz Cream Cheese
  • 2 oz Provolone
  • 6 oz Total Sharp Cheddar (2oz Sauce + 4oz Cheese Layer)
  • 4 oz Extra Sharp White Cheddar
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric

Additional Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Sour Cream (30g)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Cheese Layer

  • 4 oz Mozzarella
  • 4 oz Sharp Cheddar (from the 6oz)

Instructions

  • Boil pasta for 6-8 minutes or until perfectly cooked through
  • Add butter to a pan over medium heat. Once melted add flour
  • Stir butter and flour together for 1-2 minutes or until it smells slightly toasty and barely golden brown
  • Slowly whisk cream mixture (or whole milk) into the the roux. Should be smooth with no lumps
  • Add spices and cream cheese. Heat gently until cream cheese melts and sauce thickens (2-3 minutes)
  • Remove from heat and add cheese one handful at a time
  • Don't worry if the cheese isn't 100% melted at this point. When you add the HOT pasta to the sauce it will finish melting
  • Strain pasta and immediately add to the cheese sauce
  • Add sour cream and stir. Taste cheese sauce for seasoning
  • I like to add a little salt and pepper, as well as additional garlic and onion powder if it needs it
  • Fold 1/3 of shredded cheese layer mix into the pasta. We don't want it to melt, just speckled with cheese throughout the sauce
  • Add half the pasta to a deep 8x8 baking dish. Top with half of the remaining cheese. Add the second half of the pasta. Finish the top with remaining cheese and a few shakes of paprika for color.

Baking The Mac and Cheese

  • Bake 350℉ for 25-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned to your liking
  • Wait 15 minutes before digging in and enjoy the best classic mac and cheese for the holiday season
  • Happy Cookin!