Did you survive on mac and cheese as a kid? Ree Drummond sure did! In fact, she says it's basically the only food she ate until she was about fourteen—and it's still one of her favorite comfort foods of all time! A good bowl of mac and cheese is magical. It's warm, cheesy and full of nostalgia, and it can turn a bad day around in just a few bites. But what's the secret to a good mac and cheese? No surprise here—it's all about the cheese! Read on to find out the best cheese for mac and cheese.
There are very few things as unsatisfying as a bad mac and cheese. But what could possibly ruin an objectively perfect food? Using the wrong type of cheese, above all things! The key to making the ooey-gooey mac and cheese of your childhood dreams is to use cheeses that have good flavor and, more importantly, melt well, with a low melting point—the temperature at which a substance turns from solid to liquid.
We scoured the cheese aisle to bring you six worthy candidates that will deliver on both flavor and texture for your mac and cheese. Before you read on though, just remember to always start with a block of cheese and a cheese grater. The pre-shredded stuff doesn't melt the same way. And feel free to mix and match your cheeses to create your signature mac and cheese blend!
Cheddar
This is the ultimate mac and cheese cheese! It has a low melting point, which means the cheese will get nice and creamy quickly and coat your pasta perfectly. Ree uses sharp cheddar in her Shells & Cheese, but you can also experiment with flavored cheddars—or use a mix!
Velveeta
This processed cheese has been designed to melt as smoothly and perfectly as possible—and that is exactly why it's on this list! Adding some Velveeta to the mix will basically guarantee a smooth, velvety mac and cheese (just try Ree's Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese for proof!). For the best results, use Velveeta from a block. The shredded kind won't get you the gooey Insta-worthy cheese pull we all love.
Gruyère
Named after a small Swiss village, gruyère is a rich and creamy cheese often used to make fondue, which also makes it perfect for mac and cheese. The saltiness and nuttiness of this cheese can add some complexity to this seemingly simple dish. Just keep in mind that gruyère has a stronger flavor than some of the other cheeses (and it's also a bit more expensive), so it's best used in combination with other cheeses, like Ree does in her Fancy Macaroni.
Gouda
This beloved semi-soft Dutch cheese is great for mac and cheese. Don't use the aged stuff—it's hard and crumbly and won't melt quite like a young, soft gouda. Smoked gouda is a fun option: It melts nicely while adding a lovely smokiness to the dish that's reminiscent of bacon but without the bacon, of course!
Fontina
Another semi-soft cheese, fontina can range from mild varieties made in the U.S, Sweden or Denmark, to more assertive varieties specifically from Aosta Valley in Italy. Both types are readily available at most grocery stores and work really well in mac and cheese.
Cream Cheese
To roux or not to roux: This is perhaps the most common mac and cheese dilemma. And we get it, making a roux can feel a bit intimidating. So if you don't want to...whisk...a broken cheese sauce (😏 see what we did there?), add some cream cheese to the mix! It melts easily and helps achieve the same thick, smooth consistency that you might get from a roux.
