You all need to try my friend Crystal’s Creamy Penne Macaroni and Cheese!  It’s creamy, flavorful, and the best I’ve ever had.  Sometimes I make it with Gouda cheese, sometimes with Gruyere…it always turns out.  For this batch, I baked it in individual ramekins using mini penne but sometimes I bake it in a big pan for a family dinner or pot luck.  Crystal is from Cleveland and so she knows comfort food!

Here’s how it’s made!

The Cheese

My favorite combination of cheese in this recipe is Gouda, Sharp Cheddar, and Parmesan.  But I’ve also had great results with Gruyere, Sharp Cheddar, and Parmesan.  You can play around with it a little and put your favorite cheeses inside (or the cheese you have in your fridge).  Just make sure they are good melting cheeses and they equal the amount given in the recipe.  And just make sure the cheese are freshly grated!  Preshredded cheeses have add-ins and just don’t melt as well.

The Noodles

I like to use Mini Penne in this recipe, especially if I am going to use small ramekins.  But I’ve had good luck with regular sized Penne also.  A tubular shaped noodle is best because it catches sauce inside and creates the perfect bite of macaroni and cheese!  Another important thing to remember is this is a baked macaroni recipe, so you will only want to cook the pasta a la dente before baking or it will become soggy while it continues to cook in the oven.  I cooked mine for 8 minutes.

The Roux

The other key to an amazing macaroni and cheese is a good cream sauce.  This starts with a cooked roux of melted butter and all purpose flour.

Melt the butter in a wide stock pot over medium heat.

Once melted, add the four and whisk together.  Stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and the raw taste is cooked out of the flour.

Immediately add some whole milk and simmer briefly until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the onion powder, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper.

Off heat, add 2 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture and whisk until smooth.

These pictures aren’t going to win any awards, but hopefully they get the point across – ha!  Keep whisking and the sauce will come together!

Add the pasta sauce to the cooked and drained pasta.

The Baking Dish

This macaroni and cheese works well in individual ramekins or a large baking dish.  Whichever works best for your mood and the occasion.

Spray the ramekins (or baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.  Fill halfway full with the sauced pasta.

Sprinkle with half of the remaining grated cheese.

Top with remaining pasta.

And then with the remaining cheese.  It’s assembled almost like a lasagna…lots of layers of pasta and cheese inside!

It’s assembled into a large casserole dish the same way…pasta, cheese, pasta, cheese.  It’s the motto I live by – ha!

Creamy Penne Macaroni & Cheese

(Recipe Updated 4/2020 to make is a little saucier!)

1 box (16 ounces) mini penne pasta
3/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Gouda or Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/2 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon season salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Heat oven to 400 F and coat small ramekins or a 2 quart broiler safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook pasta in salted water, to a la dente

Grate cheese, combine together, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and slightly bubbly. In a thin stream, whisk in milk. Cook over low heat briefly until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in onion powder, season salt and cayenne. Add 2 1/2 cups of grated cheese. Whisk until smooth and incorporated (see pictures above).

Drain (but don’t rinse) pasta and pour the cheese sauce over warm pasta.

Pour half of the creamy pasta mixture into a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese. Spoon remaining pasta over the cheese layer, and finish by sprinkling the remaining cheese. Pasta, cheese, pasta, cheese. It’s the motto I live by!

Bake at 400 F for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Finish by broiling for a minute or 2, if desired. Serve immediately, this macaroni and cheese is best served the same day it’s made.  Enjoy!