Similar to a classic sharp cheddar, gruyere needs to be melted into the white sauce so that it melts and doesn't split. The older varieties of gruyere tend to be more complex and better suited on a cheeseboard.
Gruyere produces young and old varieties, but if you want to add creaminess to your mac and cheese, the young variety is the way to go. Switzerland produces some amazingly tasty cheeses, and gruyere is one of them - It's nutty, salty, rich, and creamy. It doesn't have that melting ability to create sublime cheese sauces, but it has the texture and flavor to enhance them with other cheeses. Parmesan is something you shave onto meals or mix with butter and garlic to make garlic bread.
On its own, parmesan cheese is too strong for mac and cheese, but when combined with cheddar, gruyere, or smoked gouda cheese, it makes the best macaroni and cheese recipe.Ĭheck out my cheesiest mac and cheese ever that combines parmesan with white cheddar cheese. It's best paired with a slightly sharper cheese like cheddar. It adds silkiness to cheese sauces and has a pleasantly mild flavor that works well with mac and cheese. Colby Jack is a mixture of Monterey Jack and Colby and has the marbling of yellow and orange colors from both kinds of cheese. It's not the best cheese to enhance recipes with distinct flavors, but it is a good melting cheese that pairs with almost any other cheese. It's quite mild like Monterey Jack and used for casseroles, burgers, and cooked pasta dishes.Īdd this to your bacon mac and cheese for a sweeter, creamier flavor, and because it is mild, you may want to pair it with a strong-flavored cheese like sharp cheddar or gruyere. ColbyĬolby is a semi-hard cheese similar to cheddar in color and how it's made, but not in flavor.
Or upgrade and go for the mature Fontina, which has an even nuttier flavor. If you want a nutty, slightly buttery flavor to go with your mac and cheese, fontina is the best cheese. This semi-soft table cheese has a mild, nutty flavor with a smooth texture that melts perfectly at the right temperature and makes a delicious cheese sauce. It's perfect on its own or mixes it with something lighter in flavor like fresh cream cheese or Boursin cheese. It's a soft cheese with just the right amount of flavor and gooeyness to give any homemade macaroni and cheese a delicious creamy taste. Smoked GoudaĪdd some smokiness to your mac and cheese with smoked gouda. Since it doesn't have a strong flavor, it is best to pair Monterey jack with cheddar cheese or something with a kick like Pepper Jack.
Not so powerful in flavor, but it's seriously melty-like mozzarella cheese and makes a smooth sauce with a gooey texture. If you're combining two or more cheeses for mac and cheese, Colby, parmesan, or Monterrey Jack, pair beautifully to create a silky smooth melty cheese sauce.Ĭheck out my cheeseburger mac and cheese and skillet chili mac and cheese recipes made with mealty hearty cheddar cheese as main ingredient. All cheddar cheese varieties taste delicious with mac and cheese apart from extra mature, as it is too oily for this recipe and doesn't melt properly. There are a few varieties to select, from sharp cheddar, white cheddar, mature, and extra mature. It has a distinct sharp taste without overwhelming, has a lovely bright orange color, and melts perfectly in any cheese dish.
It has everything you could want from cheese. Cheddar cheeseĬheddar is the number one and original cheese for mac and cheese. ? What is the best cheese to use for macaroni and cheese?īefore you start making your homemade mac and cheese, we've compiled a list of the best cheeses for mac and cheese to help you make the right decision. The cheese should always be bought in block form and not pre-shredded cheese as it melts easier and creates a creamier texture. ? What cheeses go well together for mac and cheese?Ī good mac and cheese recipe should have a combination of cheeses that are distinct in flavor, easily melted, and creamy in texture. ? What is the best cheese to use for macaroni and cheese?.? What cheeses go well together for mac and cheese?.When making mac and cheese recipes, it's essential to understand the flavor of cheese and how it melts in the white sauce (béchamel) if you want your mac and cheese to taste amazing.