Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb cavatappi or large elbow macaroni
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz sharp yellow cheddar, freshly shredded
• 6 oz Gruyère, freshly shredded
• 4 oz Fontina, freshly shredded
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. 2

   Cook the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directs — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

3. 3

   In a large saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.

4. 4

   Slowly stream in the warm milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly. Simmer 4–5 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon thickly.

5. 5

   Stir in the Dijon, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

6. 6

   Reserve 1/2 cup each of the cheddar and Gruyère for the top. Add the remaining cheddar, Gruyère, and all the Fontina to the sauce one handful at a time, stirring until glossy.

7. 7

   Fold in the drained pasta and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the reserved cheeses.

8. 8

   Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter and toss with the panko. Sprinkle evenly over the top.

9. 9

   Bake for 20–25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the top is deeply golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.