I love macaroni and cheese and have tried every version made. This version of the famous Ina Garten Mac and Cheese recipe is rich and creamy, with sharp cheddar and Gruyere, tomato slices, and a crispy, buttery breadcrumb topping!
It is truly the best macaroni and cheese recipe! We guarantee you will love this deliciously smooth and flavorful macaroni and cheese recipe.
Homemade macaroni and cheese is a classic choice for comfort food for a good reason, whether you enjoy it as a main or side dish. It’s creamy, comforting, filling, and there are a ton of different ways to make it!
Ina Garten’s Macaroni and cheese
Ina Garten’s macaroni and cheese is a step above the rest, with a cheese sauce made extra velvety with the addition of Gruyere. She tops her macaroni and cheese bake with fresh tomato slices and toasted breadcrumbs, so we did, too!
Our version of this macaroni and cheese casserole is a little more family-friendly, using more cheddar than Gruyere, and we consider the tomatoes optional (especially if you’re serving picky kids!).
If some in your company want the crunchy breadcrumb topping and others don’t, you could even sprinkle the breadcrumbs on only one side. It’s a very close second to our tomato pasta bake.
Mac and Cheese Ingredients
Although this is one of our favorite decadent Ina Garten recipes, we like to keep it simple. The ingredients for our version of this recipe are easy to find at your local store; we even found the Gruyere pre-shredded!
This is our kind of easy macaroni and cheese recipe!
- Pasta Bake: We use 16 oz. of fusilli pasta, but feel free to use the pasta of your choice. Macaroni elbows or cavatappi work just as well.
- A dash of salt and a drizzle of olive oil in the pot with the pasta.
- Cooking spray to coat the dish for your macaroni and cheese bake.
- Ingredients for the roux: Butter, flour, and whole milk.
- Cheese: We used a combo of sharp cheddar and Gruyere.
- Salt and pepper to get the cheese sauce just right.
- Sliced tomatoes for the top. This part is optional, but tasty if you like tomatoes!
- Panko breadcrumbs for that buttery, crispy topping.
How to Make Macaroni and Cheese
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add pasta and boil according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In another large pot, melt 6 Tbsp. of butter. Once melted, add in flour, and stir until combined and thickened into a paste.
- Slowly add milk and whisk until creamy, thick, and smooth.
- Remove from heat and add cheeses, stirring until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta to cheese sauce and mix.
- Spray a 9×13″ dish with cooking spray and add macaroni and cheese, smoothing into an even layer.
- Melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from pan immediately so they don’t continue to brown in the hot pan.
- Place tomato slices on top of macaroni and cheese (optional) and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and edges are starting to brown.
What is a Roux?
A roux is a mix of flour and fat cooked together to form a thick paste. Traditionally, roux is used to thicken both soups and sauces.
It ranges in color from white to brown, depending on how much time it spends cooking on the stove. The longer your roux cooks also changes its flavor and aroma.
For the cheese sauce, you would normally use a light-color roux, but you can also cook it to almost brown if you prefer your sauce a bit richer in flavor.
What Is Gruyère Cheese?
Gruyère (pronounced “groo-YAIR”) is a smooth melting Swiss cheese that’s made from whole cow’s milk. It is a great melting cheese that is perfect for fondue, grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese. (Have you tried our bacon macaroni and cheese?)
This delicious cheese is often described as creamy and nutty.
What to Serve with Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
- Reverse Sear Ribeye
- Mushroom Swiss Burgers
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Or even a rotisserie chicken you pick up at your local grocer!
Our favorite pasta bakes
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese Casserole
- One-Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Turkey Tetrazzini
Can you freeze mac and cheese?
Macaroni and cheese is a great dish to freeze! Consider making an extra one and freezing to have on hand for later, or to give to a friend or family member in need of a frozen meal.
Once you prepare the macaroni and cheese and scoop it into your dish, you’ll need to stop and let it cool. Cover it with foil, and then freeze for up to two months.
When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the remaining instructions of our recipe (steps 9 through 11).
How to Reheat Mac and Cheese
To reheat mac and cheese, cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Because of the crumb topping, you cannot add any additional liquid, but if you made the dish without a topping you could add a splash of milk to help get back the creamy baked mac and cheese texture. This dish reheats well with no additions as long as you only reheat it once.
Our favorite dishes inspired by Barefoot Contessa Recipes:
And don’t forget dessert! Our Strawberry Cheesecake is the perfect ending to any meal!
📌 Pin Barefoot Contessa Mac and Cheese recipe to save for later!
Rich and creamy with a little crunch, this recipe for macaroni and cheese is the one your family is going to request over and over.
If mac and cheese are in constant rotation in your house, we’d love to know in the comments below and with a rating!
Ina Garten Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz fusilli pasta
- 1 dash salt
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- cooking spray
- 10 tbsp butter 6 for pasta, 4 for breadcrumb topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced optional
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add pasta and boil for amount of minutes indicated on package. Drain and set aside.
- In another large pot melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Once melted add in flour and stir until combined and thickened into a paste.
- Slowly add milk and whisk until creamy, thick, and smooth.
- Remove from heat and add cheeses, stirring until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta to cheese sauce and mix.
- Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray and add macaroni and cheese, smoothing into an even layer.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from pan immediately so they don't continue to brown in the hot pan.
- Place tomato slices on top of macaroni and cheese (optional) and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and edges are starting to brown.
Video
Notes
- Macaroni and cheese is a great dish to freeze! Consider making an extra one and freezing to have on hand for later, or to give to a friend or family member in need of a frozen meal. Once you prepare the macaroni and cheese and scoop it into your dish, you’ll need to stop and let it cool. Cover it with foil, and then freeze for up to two months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the remaining instructions of our recipe (steps 9 through 11).
Nutrition
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