Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (2024)

By: Jessica Marcy

Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (1)

Who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese? It’s an age-old classic that many of us have fond memories of from childhood. But who says that mac and cheese has to be relegated to the kids table? We decided to take this classic and dress it up to make a fancy mac and cheese recipe just for adults. The decadent blend of cheeses and toppings take this from a kids dish to an adult’s new favorite.

Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (2)


With the image of a soothing, delicious, and uncomplicated macaroni and cheese in mind, we kept this recipe pretty simple and just elevated the ingredients. A blend of cheddar, gruyere, and pecorino cheeses is stirred into a classic béchamel sauce to create a perfectly creamy sauce. This blend creates a buttery, slightly nutty flavor that really changes the whole dish. This is a cheese sauce made for adults.
To finish it, we added buttered, spiced panko breadcrumbs and bacon crumbles to the top. Smoked paprika goes wonderfully with a well-smoked bacon and the decadent cheese sauce. The combination of smoke and spice is a fun addition to round out the creaminess of the overall dish; add more or less heat depending on your preference. The little bit of crunch supplied by the panko topping is the final touch to complete the package.

Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (3)

For the ultimate in evening comfort, wash down this dish with a cup of our Candlelight Blend white tea. Its hints of orange and champagne will be the perfect calming cap to round out your evening.
This mac and cheese is fancy enough to serve at your next party. Try preparing individual servings of it, or bake up small bites in a mini cupcake tin for a co*cktail party. Your guests will love it.
Want to take this fancy mac and cheese recipe to and even higher level? Add some sliced jalapenos, caramelized shallots, or pulled pork to the top before serving. You could even set out a few topping options and let your guests decide how they want to dress up their own dishes. You know we love a good buffet bar around here, so be sure to check out our Bagel Bar Brunch post for more inspiration.

Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (4)


Fancy Mac and Cheese


Ingredients:

  • 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
  • 3 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated
  • 2 ounces pecorino cheese
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a thick-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until it browns slightly. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the milk until well blended. Cook for an additional minute until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the gruyere, cheddar, pecorino, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Allow the cheese to melt slightly and stir in the cooked macaroni. Pour into 2 individual-size gratin dishes.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Add the panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Toss well to combine. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the pasta.
Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Serve immediately.

Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (5)

Jessica Marcy

JC is from Upstate NY and is the blogger behind Sweet Love & Ginger. She believes in celebrating a healthy lifestyle and can be found enjoying the great outdoors, crafting, cooking and entertaining.

Back to Article

Featured product

Back to Article

You may also like

View all

  • The Self Care Blend (Elderberry - Apricot)

    tart berry, sweet apricot, recovering from the day

    From $7.00/oz

    $28.00

    From $7.00/oz

    Sale

  • Strawberry Immunity Herbal Tea (Berries - Echinacea)

    tart hibiscus, rich red berries,woodsy florals, nurturing health

    $7.00/oz

    $7.00/oz

  • Huckleberry Happiness Black Tea

    tart fruit, bursting berry, things that make you cheerful

    $5.00/oz

    $7.00

    $5.00/oz

    Sale

  • Blender's Choice

    Let us choose a surprise tea for you! $5/oz, limit one per order.

    $5.00/oz

    $5.00/oz

  • Just Elderberry Herbal Tea

    earth, dark fruits, integrating wellness

    $4.00/oz

    $4.00/oz

1 / of 5


Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe for Your Grownup Party Needs (2024)

FAQs

How to fancy up mac and cheese? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

What is the best cheese for fancy mac and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

How much macaroni for 40 people? ›

How Much Pasta to Make Per Person
Type of PastaUncooked Amount Per Person
Elbow Macaroni½ cup/2 oz
Fettuccine2 oz
Linguine2 oz
Medium Shell¾ cup/2 oz
9 more rows
Jan 13, 2021

What is the best flavor to add to mac and cheese? ›

Black Pepper: Always a must! Nutmeg: This is also optional but trust me, a dash of it goes a long way to balance the tangy cheese flavor and all the fats. Cayenne Powder: A little sprinkle makes all the difference. It does not make this spicy – it just balances the flavors.

What is the fanciest cheese? ›

1. Pule Cheese - $600 Per Pound. Pule cheese is the most expensive cheese in the world because it is produced exclusively at Serbia's Zasavica Special Nature Reserve. This rare cheese is made from the milk of Balkan donkeys which are endangered and native to Serbia and Montenegro.

What kind of milk is best for mac and cheese? ›

2% milk– You want to use a higher fat milk when making mac and cheese. 2% or higher is preferred.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.

What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

What is the most expensive bowl of mac and cheese? ›

Mac and Cheese

Made by Chef Josian Citrin at Santa Monica restaurant Mélisse, the dish is a white truffle tagliatelle whose price varies between $115 and $130, depending on the quality of the imported Italian truffles.

How to keep mac and cheese warm for a party? ›

Keep cooked macaroni and cheese warm in a crockpot for serving at a potluck or anytime you need the dish to stay warm for hours. Spraying the crockpot insert with nonstick cooking spray prevents the macaroni from sticking to the insert without adding extra calories and fat.

How many people does a full pan of mac and cheese feed? ›

One filled with baked beans will feed 60-70 people yet it will only feed 40 for mac n cheese so it really depends on what you put in them. As a guideline though you can figure a minimum of 25 serving from a half pan and 50 servings from a full.

How much pasta for 100 guests? ›

When you cook pasta, 2 ounces of dry pasta per person is a good rule of thumb to follow.

What compliments mac and cheese? ›

  • 1 / 25. Roasted Broccoli. Perfectly seasoned broccoli florets roasted until crisp and caramelized. ...
  • 2 / 25. Garlic Green Beans. ...
  • 3 / 25. Glazed Carrots. ...
  • 4 / 25. Easy Sautéed Spinach. ...
  • 5 / 25. Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini. ...
  • 6 / 25. 5-Ingredient Kale Caesar Salad. ...
  • 7 / 25. Shaved Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • 8 / 25. Spanakopita Kale Salad.

How do you make bland mac and cheese taste better? ›

Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gregorio Kreiger

Last Updated:

Views: 6150

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gregorio Kreiger

Birthday: 1994-12-18

Address: 89212 Tracey Ramp, Sunside, MT 08453-0951

Phone: +9014805370218

Job: Customer Designer

Hobby: Mountain biking, Orienteering, Hiking, Sewing, Backpacking, Mushroom hunting, Backpacking

Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.