Million Dollar Mac and Cheese Casserole

This is the mac and cheese casserole that converts people. The secret? A hidden layer of cheese and sour cream in the middle that makes it ridiculously creamy without being complicated. It’s comfort food that actually feels special enough for company, but easy enough for a Tuesday.

 

It’s The Secret Center For Me.

If you grew up on boxed mac and cheese, same. I mean, I still make it every now and then for the nostalgia (and the ease, let’s be real).

But these days? I want real cheese and I want a lot of it.

Am I obsessed with our ultra creamy baked mac and cheese casserole. Yeah. Sure am.

It’s got that “how did you make this so good?” factor without requiring any fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.

Intensely cheesy, ultra rich, super creamy, and just loaded with cheese.

With two layers of mac and cheese and a center layer of shredded cheese and sour cream, this is seriously the ULTIMATE mac and cheese recipe – which is why we’re calling it Million Dollar Mac and Cheese!

Love this? Try our Million Dollar Spaghetti. It’s where I got the inspo for this recipe!

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Seriously creamy texture – That center layer of sour cream and extra cheese creates the creamiest mac and cheese you’ve ever had. No dry, disappointing bites here.
2. Uses ingredients you probably have – Cheddar, milk, butter, sour cream. The Havarti and Gruyere are nice upgrades, but we’ve got swaps if you don’t have them.
3. Reheats like a dream – Most mac and cheese turns sad and dry as leftovers. This one stays creamy and delicious, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to potlucks.

Step by Step:

Cheese Sauce: First, you’ll make a roux, which is just a fancy term for melting some butter in a saucepan and stirring in some flour until it’s all combined.

Then you’ll whisk in some milk and heavy cream to make a thick sauce. Remove that from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper until it is smooth and creamy.

Combine: When the cheese sauce is ready, stir in your cooked macaroni and mix well to coat the pasta in all that glorious cheese!

Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. A bit more salt & pepper or a dash of hot sauce can go a long way.

Layer: Pour melted butter into the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish and then spoon half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into the dish.

Next spread the sour cream over the top of the macaroni and then sprinkle on the Havarti and gruyere cheeses! Top with the rest of the mac.

Topping: Since this is a baked mac and cheese, we’re going to top things off with a little Panko for some crunch.

Mix together the Panko, melted butter, garlic salt, and parsley to make the crunchy topping. Sprinkle it over the macaroni and cheese to add a little crunch to the finished dish.

Bake: Pop the dish into a preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is as golden brown as you’d like.

Serving Ideas

As a main dish (serves 4-6): Pair with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables. Add some protein like rotisserie chicken if you want to make it heartier.

As a side dish (serves 8-10): Perfect for holidays, potlucks, or BBQs. Goes great with grilled meats, fried chicken, or as part of a comfort food spread.

For smaller households: You can easily halve this recipe or try freezing it for another day.

How to reheat mac and cheese:

I personally believe that not many macaroni and cheese recipes can hold up to reheating, but I’m here to tell you that this one reheats like a dream.

It doesn’t dry out. It doesn’t get funky in texture. It just stays perfectly creamy and decadent.

I reheat my macaroni and cheese in the microwave, because it’s easiest and it doesn’t dry things out. 

Place in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 1 minute increments, stirring every minute, until it’s heated through.