Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-11 · Updated 2026-04-11

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A creamy, crowd-pleasing casserole featuring a blend of sharp cheddar, nutty Gruyère, and melty mozzarella, baked to a golden crust. This American-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs elbow macaroni, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min Serves 4 American cuisine 400 cal/serving

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Ingredients

12 oz elbow macaroni
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup, shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup, shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp (optional) cayenne pepper
to taste salt
to taste black pepper
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp melted butter

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until golden. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Step 3: Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar, Gruyère, mozzarella, dry mustard, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper until melted and creamy.
Step 4: Gently fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 5: Mix the panko breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.