This easy and delicious Cast Iron Mac And Cheese comes together in a cast iron skillet with minimal effort and delivers maximum flavor. It's the perfect side for a weeknight dinner or a special gathering.
Mac and Cheese has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. It was the ultimate comfort food that always brightened up my day. My mom always made the best homemade mac and cheese, I was spoiled, and I only experienced boxed mac and cheese once I went away to college.
Over the years I've experimented with different recipes, adding my own twists and variations, but always staying true to the classic flavors. This foolproof version is no different, it's a classic variation but using a cast iron skillet takes it to a whole new level that I know you and your family will love.
If you are looking for more comfort food recipes check out my Pasta Alla Salmone, Linguine Bolognese, Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie, or my Creamy Tortellini Soup.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super Easy: This dish is so easy to make - there's no reason to ever go back to the boxed stuff!
- Customizable: Whether you are gluten-free or dairy-free, you can adjust this recipe to meet your needs. Also, feel free to customize it with your favorite cheeses or add-ins.
- Family-Friendly This creamy mac will be a favorite of both kids and adults! You don't get complaints from anyone at the table!
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Pasta: To keep this recipe gluten-free, I used Jovial's gluten-free elbow macaroni which are made out of cassava, but if you are not gluten-free, use any elbow pasta that you like. If you are not gluten-free, you can use your favorite regular pasta.
- Butter: Something like Kerrygold Butter works great.
- Gluten-Free Flour: You can use any gluten-free flour, however I prefer 1:1 baking flour such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour. Again, if you are not gluten-free, you can use regular all purpose flour.
- Spices: mustard powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. These spices add a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Whole Milk: If you can get raw grass-fed milk that would be ideal. If you don't have whole milk you can also use heavy cream or half and half for an even creamier sauce.
- Chicken Broth: For the best flavor try using my homemade chicken stock. You can also use a good quality store bought brand if needed.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: In my humble opinion, you can't have a good mac and cheese without a sharp cheddar. The sharper the better! It will provide a nice bite and a lot of flavor! If you can find a raw sharp cheddar, that's grass-fed-even better!
- Aged Cheddar Cheese: Like the sharp variety, and aged cheddar is key. The longer it's aged the more flavor it has.
- Gruyere Cheese: Lovingly known as the stinky sock cheese in our household; don't let the stinky scent deter you. Gruyere adds an earthiness to this dish that you don't want to omit.
- Dried Breadcrumbs: I make my own using sourdough, but you can buy or make gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Avocado Oil Spray: I love spraying the top of the breadcrumbs to help them crisp up in the oven.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cheese: You can use whatever types of cheese you like! Experiment with different cheeses like Gouda, Swiss, Parmesan cheese, or Fontina cheese.
- Milk: For an even richer sauce, you can use heavy cream or half-and-half.
- Pasta: You can use any pasta shape you like. I recommend using one that really soaks up the sauce like shells, cavatappi, or penne.
- Spices: Play with the spices as well. You can add in garlic powder or onion powder for some extra flavor.
- Add-ins: Mix in cooked bacon, lobster, crab, hot dogs, broccoli, or pulled pork for a super decadent version!
How To Make Cast Iron Mac And Cheese
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below..
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, generously salt the water (about 1 tsp) and cook the pasta until right before it is al dente. This is usually 1-2 minutes shy of the package directions.
Step 2: In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Once the butter has melted, add the gluten-free flour and whisk until there are no lumps and the flour and butter mixture just starts to bubble slightly. This should take 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add in the mustard powder, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.
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Step 4: Next, slowly add the chicken stock and milk, while continuing to whisk until smooth.
Cook the sauce over medium low heat until it starts to thicken and bubble. You will want to continue to stir the sauce every minute or so. You'll know the sauce is done when it coats the back of a wooden spoon, and if you slide your finger down the center of the spoon, the sauce will not come back together.
Step 5: Turn the heat off and add the cheeses. Gently stir until smooth and melted.
Drain the cooked pasta, and add it directly to the cheese sauce in the cast iron skillet.
Stir the pasta until it is covered in the creamy sauce.
Step 6: Add the bread crumbs and the remaining ¼ cup sharp cheddar to the top of the mac. Spray with a little avocado oil to help the bread crumbs brown.
Step 7: Place the cast iron skillet mac in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the skillet and set your oven to broil. Return the cast iron skillet to the oven and broil for 2 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Expert Tips And Notes
- You will want to shred your own cheese for this dish! While pre-shredded cheese is convenient, it contains anti-caking agents which will affect how the cheese melts. You will likely end up with a clumpy mixture.
- Don't overbake the mac and cheese! You need just enough time for the dish to come together and for the topping to crisp up. The longer you bake, the less creamy it will be.
Mac and Cheese Toppings
Toppings are what can really take this comfort food to the next level. You can top mac and cheese with any of the following:
- Breadcrumbs
- Fresh parsley
- Bacon
- Diced ham
- Lobster (hello lobster mac and cheese!)
- Crab
- Butter Crackers
- Jalapenos
- Truffle Oil
Serving Suggestions For Cast Iron Mac And Cheese
This recipe is the perfect side dish for any occasion. I love making this for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It pairs well with any of the following.
- Side Salad
- Smoked Asparagus
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Grilled Chicken
- Steak
- Traeger Grilled Salmon
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: I'm not a microwave girlie. I think the best way to reheat is in the oven at 350 degrees f for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Depending on the thickness you may want to add a splash of milk to help loosen up the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Cheddar Cheese is the most commonly used in mac and cheese. Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts nicely and has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Fontina, Havarti, Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, Brie, and Monterey Jack.
My favorite noodles are elbow macaroni or pasta shells. You will want a noodle that has a lot of surface area as well as nooks and crannies to capture all of that wonderful cheese sauce.
Making this dish with full fat milk or heavy cream will add a rich and creamy texture to your dish. You also want to make sure that when making the roux, you whisk the butter and flour together until all lumps are gone. Also, be sure to grate your own cheese, rather than using pre-grated/shredded cheese.
Yes, you can prepare the mac and cheese mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Just add a few minutes to the baking time if baking from chilled.
More Side Dish Recipes
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Cast Iron Mac And Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz Dried Pasta gluten-free, elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Gluten-Free Flour
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated
- ½ cup Aged Cheddar Cheese grated
- ½ cup Gruyere Cheese grated
For The Topping
- ½ cup Dried Breadcrumbs gluten-free
- ¼ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated
- 3-4 sprays Avocado Oil
- Parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, generously salt the water (about 1 tsp) and cook the pasta until right before it is al dente. This is usually 1-2 minutes shy of the package directions.
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the gluten-free flour and whisk until there are no lumps and the flour and butter mixture just starts to bubble slightly. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the mustard powder, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper and wisk to combine.
- Next, slowly add the chicken stock and milk, while continuing to whisk until smooth.
- Cook the sauce over medium low heat until it starts to thicken and bubble. You will want to continue to stir the sauce every minute or so. You'll know the sauce is done when it coats the back a wooden spoon, and if you slide your finger down the center of the spoon, the sauce will not come back together.
- Turn the heat off and add the cheeses. Gently stir until smooth and melted.
- Drain the cooked pasta, and add it directly to the sauce in the cast iron skillet.
- Stir the pasta until it is covered in the creamy sauce.
- Add the bread crumbs and the remaining ¼ cup sharp cheddar to the top of the mac. Spray with a little avocado oil to help the bread crumbs brown.
- Place the cast iron skillet mac in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the skillet and set your oven to broil. Return the mac and cheese to the oven and broil for 2 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You will want to shred your own cheese for this dish! While pre-shredded is convenient, it contains anti-caking agents which will affect how the cheese melts. You will likely end up with a clumpy mixture.
- Don't overbake the mac and cheese! You need just enough time for the dish to come together and for the topping to crisp up. The longer you bake, the less creamy it will be.
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