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–+ servings

Four Cheese Mac n' Cheese with Garlic Sage Breadcrumbs - 2023 Version

5 | 3 reviews
This is my dream baked macaroni n' cheese. It's baked to perfection, extra creamy, and covered in garlicky, sage breadcrumbs. Plus, the four melty, gooey cheeses don't hurt either.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 1 9"x13" baking dish

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup freshly grated white cheddar, 3 ounces
  • 1 cup freshly grated fontina, 3 ounces
  • 1 cup freshly grated swiss cheese, 3 ounces
  • 1 ball fresh mozzarella, torn , 8 ounces
  • 5 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 3 sage leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 box pasta shape of choice, 16 ounces
  • 1 cup heavy cream
For the breadcrumbs
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 10 sage leaves
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Add the grated cheeses to a large bowl, reserving 1/3 of the mozzarella for later.
  3. Set a medium pot over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then add the flour and stir with a spatula into a paste. Using about 1/3 cup of milk at a time, gradually pour it into the butter/flour mixture. Mix until you get a smooth paste, then continue to add the milk in splashes, mixing until a smooth sauce begins to form. Do this with up to two cups of milk, then stop.
  4. Add the garlic, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, a teaspoon of salt, a few cracks of pepper, nutmeg and cayenne to the sauce. Stir and continue to whisk in 1 1/2 more cups of milk, using splashes at a time. Taste and season with salt and pepper as preferred. After the béchamel has been cooking for about five minutes, pull out the rosemary, bay leaf and sage leaves.
  5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and cook the pasta for 6-7 minutes or until very al dente.
  6. Add the béchamel to the bowl with the cheeses. Drain and add in the pasta. Then add the heavy cream. Mix everything into a big, cheesy pile, then transfer to the 9"x 13" baking dish. Dot in the remaining mozzarella and pour in the remaining half cup of milk. Swirl with a spoon to make sure everything is combined.
  7. Bake the mac n' cheese in the oven for 15 minutes.
  8. While that is baking, make the breadcrumbs. Set a small pan over medium heat and add an inch of olive oil. Bring this up to 300-325°F, but no higher, or it will smoke. Add the sage and garlic at the same time, and swirl the pan to make sure everything fries evenly.
  9. When the garlic is golden, use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer to a paper towel to drain.
  10. When the garlic and sage leaves are cool enough to handle, add them to a bowl with the panko breadcrumbs. Crush everything together with your fingers, then season with a pinch of salt.
  11. When the mac n' cheese has baked for 15 minutes, add the breadcrumbs on top. Bake for another 9-10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the mac n' cheese is bubbling.
  12. Serve warm!