Baked 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

This 4-cheese baked mac and cheese is a tasty blend of classic cheesy goodness with a hint of the unexpected.

Served with tender macaroni noodles and broiled at the end for a cheesy crust.

Why You’ll Love This 4 Cheese Baked Mac And Cheese

This mac and cheese is simple to make, packed with flavor, and is ideal for those cheese lovers out there.

There’s no fancy cheese to complicate the casserole, but if you have them on hand, certainly use them and make this dish your own. That’s what makes this macaroni casserole work, you can customize it to fit your taste preferences and you will never go back to boxed mac and cheese again.

Groceries Needed For This Cheesy Pasta Casserole

Elbow Macaroni: Nothing complicated or fancy here. Good ole’ elbows do the trick. If you want to change up the shape, you could absolutely do so, but try and pick a pasta shape that has a hollow tubular shape so that all that cheesy goodness is absorbed everywhere!
Butter: Regular salted butter is perfect. If all you have is margarine, that’s ok as well, but I encourage you to use butter as the flavor payoff is worth it.
Egg
Heavy cream: Again, we’re not being wimps on the calorie counts here. We’re using lots of cheese, butter, and so it makes sense to use heavy whipping cream for this dish.
Salt & pepper to taste
Sharp Cheddar: I prefer to use Sharp as it’s easily accessible at your grocer’s, and it gives a bigger cheesy bang for your buck over medium or mild cheddars out there.
Parmesan: What’s mac and cheese without parmesan, and I right? That delicious cheesy, salty addition is exactly what this recipe needs.
Mozzarella: We all love that creamy mouthfeel that mozzarella brings to the mac and cheese party don’t we? You can’t skip this one.
Pepper Jack: A slight peppery, warm bite to the cheese sauce? Yes, please! It helps a bland mac and cheese come to life!

4 Cheese Mac and Cheese Ingredients. Heavy cream, dry macaroni, 4 different shredded cheese, butter, egg, salt and pepper.

How to Make This 4 Cheese Baked Mac And Cheese

Preheat the oven.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it thoroughly and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
While the pasta is still hot, add butter, the cheese and seasoning.
Whisk together an egg and heavy cream in a separate small bowl until well combined. Pour this egg and cream mixture into the pasta and cheese mixture.
Stir everything together thoroughly to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed and the pasta is coated with the creamy mixture.
Transfer into the prepared baking dish, and top with cheese.
Bake.
Broil in the last few minutes to achieve that crispy caramelized top layer.

Heavy cream with an egg dropped inside, just before whisking.

The cooked pasta with all the cheese on top, ready to be mixed in.

***Look below for a fully printable complete list of exact ingredient measurements and instructions with tips and tricks to make this recipe perfect every time.

Suggestions for Putting a Twist on It

Add some more flavor with some of your favorite herbs and spices. You can add in some fresh minced garlic, some smoked paprika, and some Italian seasoning for an earthy flavor that is sure to please.

Add some dried chili flakes or even some hot sauce to the mix to add a spicy kick to the macaroni and cheese!

If you’re looking for a creamy mac and cheese, melt the cheese into your heavy cream and leave out the egg.

4 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole in a green baking dish.

What Can I Serve this With?

When it comes to serving this cheesy mac and cheese, try it served alongside some Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs, or some air fryer pork chops. I’ve often served this all on its own for dinner and even for the next day’s lunch.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an air-tight container to keep it from drying out and mix in a dash of milk when reheating to maintain the moisture.

The mac and cheese casserole from a side view.

Questions You May Have

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese?

Believe it or not, yes. Adding more cheese than what’s called for in the recipe can make it heavy, cloggy and greasy. I know, cheese lovers would never believe it but it’s true!

What does the egg do in the mac and cheese recipe?

The egg helps a little bit with binding the casserole together, but more importantly, it really helps with adding a nice mouth feel and richness to the 4 cheese pasta casserole.

A bite of baked mac and cheese on a fork.

Did You Make This Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe?

I’d love to hear from you if you tried this 4 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole! Please leave a comment below and let me know if you made changes or cooked it as is!
Thanks for stopping by The Salty Pot today and I hope you have a fantastic week.

~Joanne

4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This 4 cheese mac and cheese is SO cheesy and scrumptious. Creamy, cheesy with tender macaroni and nice crispy cheesy crust, it's heaven for all us macaroni and cheese lovers out there!

Ingredients

8 oz elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shreds
½ cup parmesan cheese shreds
½ cup mozzarella cheese shreds
½ cup pepper jack cheese shreds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Take an 8x8 baking dish and apply some nonstick spray to coat the inside surface evenly. This will prevent the pasta from sticking to the dish during baking.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it thoroughly and transfer it back to cooking pot.
While the pasta is still hot, add a generous amount of butter to the pot and toss the pasta gently to ensure it is evenly coated. The melted butter will add flavor and prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Add the cheese and seasoning. Stir in all of the cheese except ½ cup of cheddar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. The cheese will add creaminess and flavor to the dish, while the salt and pepper will enhance the overall taste.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together an egg and heavy cream until well combined. Pour this egg and cream mixture into the pasta and cheese mixture in the pot. Stir everything together thoroughly to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed and the pasta is coated with the creamy mixture.
Transfer the mixed pasta to the prepared 8x8 baking dish. Use a spatula to spread the mixture evenly, ensuring it reaches the edges of the dish.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese on top of the pasta mixture. This will create a delicious golden crust during baking.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
This step is optional: Switch the oven to the low broil setting. Broil the pasta for about 2 minutes or until the top is golden brown. This will give the dish a nice crispy and caramelized top layer.
Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, using oven mitts or kitchen towels to protect your hands. Let it cool for a minute or two before serving to avoid burning yourself.

Notes

Feel free to change up the amount of each cheese or even substitute the cheese for others you have on hand, or enjoy the flavor of.

Broiling the cheese at the end is an optional step.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 514Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 631mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 21g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.