Top 5 Best Cheeses for Mac and Cheese

With so many different options available, you might ask yourself “what are the best cheeses for mac and cheese?”. The foundation of any great mac and cheese undeniably hinges on the type and quality of cheese used. We have tried (way too many) different variations and combinations, and this is our list of the Top 5 Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese.

Best Cheeses for Mac and Cheese

1. Cheddar Cheese
   • Unequivocally the most popular type of cheese used in mac and cheese recipes – and for good reason. With its sharp, pungent flavor and smooth melting ability, cheddar cheese melds perfectly into any cheese sauce. Any list that didn’t feature this would be incomplete.
2. Gruyere Cheese
   • Known for its nutty and slightly sweet flavor, Gruyere is an often overlooked addition to mac and cheese. The meltability of Gruyere also contributes to its well-deserved spot on this list. Additionally, this cheese can often be found smoked – which adds a deep layer of flavor complexity to any mac and cheese profile.

3. Gouda Cheese
   • Another underrated cheese that helps elevate a mac and cheese to the next level. Gouda is known for its rich, buttery, and slightly sweet flavor profile. This is another type of cheese that is often found smoked, and its one that we use in our Homemade Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese recipeAMP (which you should definitely try). If you plan on incorporating this into your next mac and cheese dish, try to avoid buying “aged” gouda, as it is considerably more difficult to melt into a smooth and consistent creamy cheese sauce.
4. Mozzarella Cheese
   • While mild in flavor compared to most other cheeses, mozzarella excels at providing an incredibly rich, creamy texture to the overall dish. When used in correct combination with other more pungent cheeses, mozzarella will help deliver a perfectly textured and flavored base for your mac and cheese.
5. American Cheese
   • No list would be complete without a high quality American cheese (we use Cooper’s). Flavorful. Creamy. Meltability. This cheese checks all of the boxes required for a delicious mac and cheese recipe. Its flavor profile also blends exceptionally well with almost every other type of cheese on this list.

What kinds of cheese should you use for mac and cheese?

Ultimately, this decision is up to you. However, we’ve experimented with a number of different combinations and these are our top 3 blends:

1. Cheddar, Smoked Gruyere, Mozzarella, and American
2. Cheddar, Gruyere, Smoked Gouda, American, and Provolone
3. Cheddar, Smoked Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Provolone