Grown-Up Mac and Cheese Recipes

This four cheese macaroni is dressed up with bites of spicy andouille sausage and a topping of crunchy kettle chips. 

Smoked Gouda gives this mac and cheese an extra savory depth, perfectly contrasted with the slightly sweet topping of corn flakes.

A little salty, a little spicy, this grown-up macaroni and cheese has it all. 

This incredibly rich baked mac and (blue) cheese might be the one dish that even the most staunch blue cheese hater will embrace with open arms. If a side dish better suited to accompany your next steak dinner exists, we sure don't know what it could be.

Undercook the pasta by 1 minute. It will continue to cook in the creamy sauce while the crumb topping toasts under the broiler.

Our Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is creamy, spicy, and decadent, with bite-sized pieces of tender chicken breast and a subtle hint of blue cheese. There's plenty of buffalo chicken flavor, minus the atomic shade of orange you find in other buffalo dishes. The panko topping stays nice and crispy, making for little hits of crunch that perfectly complement the pasta's toothiness and tender chicken.

Hugh Acheson's Southern Mac and Cheese combines 2-year-old aged Cheddar cheese with Gruyere cheese, diced bacon, and leeks. The results are a deliciously baked Southern classic that's finished with a drizzle of heavy cream and toasted breadcrumbs.

Decadent is the only word to describe this top-rated mac 'n' cheese of John's City Diner in Birmingham. The smoked gouda adds marvelous flavor, but you can substitute regular gouda.

Are you ready for the cheesiest Mac and cheese in your life? With a cheese pull so long you could play double dutch with it? This poblano mac and cheese might just be the only mac and cheese you'll ever make again. If you're not a fan of heat, use a bell pepper instead of a poblano to cut down on the spiciness. Regular Velveeta will work if you can't find Mexican. This dish can be made in a cast-iron pan or transferred to a 9x13 baking dish. It's best eaten warm while all the cheese is still gooey.

Fresh herbs, bacon, and a trio of flavorful cheeses - cream cheese, brie, and cheddar - adds sophisticated flavors to traditional macaroni and cheese.