Best Mac and Cheese Recipe

The best mac and cheese recipe ever

Looking for the best mac and cheese on the planet? Okay, here goes: the best mac and cheese recipe is…the one you like the most.

No, we're not trying to be coy. And we're happy to share any of our recipes for mac and cheese. It's just deciding on the best mac and cheese recipe is an incredibly personal decision, and we would never dare suggest that our favorite should be yours as well.

Some people love their mac and cheese with jalapenos and queso quesadilla, a superbly melty Mexican style cheese. For others, lobster mac and cheese is out of this world. Cauliflower and breadcrumbs are the perfect partners for some folk's best mac and cheese recipe, while andouille sausage and shrimp give plain mac and cheese a decidedly Cajun vibe.

While you might not really know yet what your perfect mac and cheese recipe is, the fun part is trying to figure it out. All we know is, whatever else is in your best mac and cheese recipe, adding Wisconsin cheese will help you kick up a notch.

The best mac and cheese recipe tips

As you're exploring the infinite varieties of recipes, here's a few tips to help you up your mac and cheese game.

Go for two. The best mac and cheese recipes usually feature two or more cheeses, because it's the rare cheese variety that can deliver both a creamy texture and dreamy flavor. (Emmentaler and mild cheddar are two of the cheeses that accomplish this feat.) Combining a great melting cheese like fontina, monterey jack or mozzarella with a big-flavored cheese like extra sharp cheddar, smoked gouda or gorgonzola gives you the best of both worlds. Don't feel you need to stop at two – many of the best mac and cheese recipes feature four to five cheeses, topping the whole thing off with a sprinkle of parmesan to create a tangy crust.

Pick your pasta wisely. While elbow macaroni is the standard bearer, there are lots of great pastas that will give your mac and cheese more kick. Stay away from the straight and skinny models like spaghetti or capellini – you want the curvy, nooks-and-cranny pastas that will trap more cheesy goodness. Shells, bowties, penne, and rotini are excellent choices.

Melt with care. Be sure to go slow and use low heat as you're melting the cheese, to avoid ending up with a lumpy mess.

Why the best mac and cheese recipe starts in Wisconsin.

Whatever else you decide are the ideal ingredients for your mac and cheese recipe, make sure your recipe starts with Wisconsin Cheese. We produce more than 600 types and varieties of cheese each year – more than any other state in the nation. And we've won more awards – 5,552 and counting – than any other state or country in the world. So, you know you're getting the best possible cheese if it comes from Wisconsin.

Here's the fun part of making mac with Wisconsin cheese: with so many amazing and delicious cheeses to choose from, you'll be able to create your own custom-made, unbelievably good version of this iconic dish. The best is all the different versions you'll get to try on the way to deciding on your best mac and cheese recipe. And as we all know, even a failed mac and cheese experiments is still going to be clean-your-plate delicious.

Okay, all this mac and cheese talk is making us hungry. What do you say we wrap this puppy up, grab some Wisconsin cheese and head for the kitchen. ‘Cause in Wisconsin, it's always mac and cheese time.