
It's a supremely savory and salty Spanish cheese - enough so that its odor even suggests roast meat to some tasters - that also happens to shred really beautifully. If I had to pick a favorite cheese, I think manchego would have to be it. For a more sophisticated mac, this is a fantastic addition. Traditionally made from unpasteurized milk, Fontina is a one-two punch of creaminess and pungency. Giada De Laurentiis' macaroni and cheese recipe calls for 2 cups of finely grated Fontina cheese. Young gruyère is creamy and nutty, while older gruyère takes on a really pleasant earthiness that adds some tremendous nuance to the mix. One of Ina Garten's go-to macaroni and cheese recipes, for instance, uses a combination of cheddar and gruyère - with gruyère as the dominant cheese in the mix. Much like cheddar, gruyère is ideal for melting and is a favorite macaroni and cheese addition.
#BEST TYPE OF CHEESE FOR MACARONI AND CHEESE FREE#
Feel free to experiment with different varieties, from sharp to mild to flavored (horseradish cheddar is an unexpectedly good choice in macaroni and cheese, especially served alongside a steak dinner). RELATED: The crunchiest, cheesiest macaroni and cheese bakes on a sheet panĪnd cheddar definitely has its benefits. The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese is attributed to British author Elizabeth Raffald in her 1769 cookbook "The Experienced English Housekeeper," Raffald recommends mixing macaroni with a Béchamel sauce that's been cooked down with cheddar cheese. When I think of "classic" macaroni and cheese - either the creamy stovetop stuff or the casserole dishes my mom would bake during the holidays - cheddar is definitely the predominant flavor. But which of those flavors makes the most sense to add to everyone's favorite cold weather comfort food, macaroni and cheese? After all, they have to both taste good and melt and coat pasta well. After a fair amount of tests of my own this winter, here are nine cheeses you should consider adding to your pot next time. Visit the cheese counter at your local supermarket or specialty store and there is a kaleidoscopic array of flavors present in that case. I think the reason why is that most cheeses begin with the same few elements - milk, salt, water and time - and can end up with wildly different flavors depending on the treatment of those ingredients. I've been a lifelong lover of cheese, enough so that starting last year I began the process of sitting for cheese mongering certification courses.
