The Best Homemade 4-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Introducing the ultimate comfort food: Four Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese! This dish takes the classic mac and cheese to new heights with evaporated milk and a luscious blend of four gourmet cheeses, each bringing its own unique flavor and creamy texture. Whether you’re hosting a cozy dinner party or just craving something indulgent, this recipe is sure to satisfy.

Editor’s Note: Originally Published on October 6, 2018.  Updated with full process shots and expanded info.

Imagine golden, bubbly cheese blanketing tender macaroni, with every bite delivering a rich, velvety experience. Perfect as a main dish or a decadent side dish, this Four Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese is a crowd-pleaser that everyone will love!

When I think of soul food, I immediately think of mac & cheese. This homemade mac & cheese is near and dear to my heart because it is one of the first dishes my mom taught me how to make. My mom taught me how to make my first tray of Mac & Cheese one Thanksgiving, and I’ve been playing with the recipe ever since. I’ve tried different cheeses, different amounts of elbow noodles and evaporated milk, different amounts of seasoning, but this right here is perfection. It is my most popular recipe among my friends and family members, so I’m so excited for you to try it out. 

Table of Contents

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Ingredient Breakdown

Elbow Macaroni:

Elbow noodles are the classic choice for baked macaroni and cheese. Their small size and curved shape allow them to soak up the sauce and cling to the cheese for the ultimate cheese pull.

Four Types of Cheese:

This recipe uses four different kinds of cheese: sharp cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, and muenster. This combination of cheeses brings the ultimate flavor and gooey pull to this dish. Skip the pre-shredded cheese when making mac and cheese—it’s coated in anti-caking agents that mess with that perfect gooey melt. The best option is to grate your cheese from a block for the ultimate creamy, dreamy sauce. I like to use a food processor with a grating attachment to grate my cheese in seconds.

Evaporated Milk:

Most recipes you may find usually use whole milk to make a béchamel sauce, which is then transformed into a cheese sauce. However, I like to use evaporated milk and an egg in my recipe, which is a technique you can find in Southern baked macaroni and cheese.

Evaporated milk is shelf-stable milk & is my go-to for mac and cheese because it gives you that rich, creamy sauce we all love. It’s made by removing 60% of the water from regular milk, which means it’s packed with more fat and protein. This not only makes the sauce more stable—so it won’t curdle or break—but also helps it stay smooth and thick. Plus, it adds deep, delicious dairy flavor without watering down your dish like regular milk or heavy cream might.

Make sure to check the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions for 4-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

Into a large bowl, shred all your cheeses and mix them until they’re evenly combined. It’s better to shred your own cheese because pre-shredded cheese has preservatives that don’t allow the cheese to melt the same/as well as blocks of cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a good amount of salt. Add your elbow noodles and boil for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.

Drain the elbow noodles and add them back into the pot.

Pour the evaporated milk, adobo seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, sugar, mustard, smoked paprika, and butter to the cooked pasta.

Add 3/4ths of the shredded cheese, a little at a time, and mix until gooey and melted. Add the large egg to the pasta mixture and mix until evenly dispersed.

Pour this mixture into a 13x9in baking dish, sprinkle a little more smoked paprika on top, and top it off with your remaining cheese.

Place your macaroni and cheese into the oven, and let it bake until the cheese on top is nice, crisp, and golden; about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes. Serve.

Making Baked Macaroni and Cheese For A Large Gathering

This four-cheese baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe with evaporated milk is perfect for special occasions to feed the whole family. This recipe serves 10-12 people, so it is perfect for Sunday dinners and holidays like Thanksgiving. It pairs perfectly with fried chicken, collard greens, and candied yams. You can also double it successfully to feed more people. Some people top their mac and cheese with bread crumbs to add a crunch factor, but this recipe bakes up with a crispy golden brown crust, so it isn’t needed here. You can pack away any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Frequently asked questions

Add These Comfort Food Recipes To Your Dinner Table

• Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Neck
• Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Braised Turkey Wings with Pan Gravy
• Fried Chicken

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Disclosure: This post was originally published in October 2018. It was updated in September 2024 to add updates, new photographs, and information.