The traditional homemade version is made with luscious cheese sauce scattered with buttery breadcrumbs and baked until crisp and bubbling. Milk is gradually whisked into a roux of melted butter and flour to make the smooth and creamy béchamel sauce. Melt in some grated cheese, and now you have a velvety cheese sauce called mornay. But you don’t always have to make a cream sauce. What I love about these simple and classic recipes is that they’re so easy to modify. It’s almost second nature to reach for the cheddar cheese and elbow macaroni, but there are endless variations. You could try using another cheese or a blend of cheeses, like Monterey Jack, Fontina, Gruyere, or mozzarella. Another easy swap is the pasta. You could use cavatappi, campanelle, orecchiete, rotini, penne, or fusilli. Easy swaps can make an old recipe seem new again. There are so many ways you can vary the flavor with add-ins too. The recipes here run the gamut from the classic baked mac and cheese to sophisticated and flavorful adaptations. Whether you’re searching for a quick weeknight version or a decked out comfort food mash-up there’s always a mac and cheese recipe meet your needs.
