Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen
Who can really argue with the blissful combination of macaroni and cheese? Here in the States, the boxed stuff is effectively a childhood rite of passage. For so many of us growing up, the orange-hued elbows were an easy-to-love sustenance that cemented itself so deeply in our taste memory that cheesy pasta remains a lifelong comfort food. Some of our best mac and cheese recipes honor the classics (don’t miss our gooey four-cheese mac or culinary legend Edna Lewis’ Southern-style casserole), while others take the beloved dish in a slightly more grown-up direction (think luxe add-ins like truffles, lobster, Comté, and fresh chèvre). Choose your own mac and cheese adventure below—it’s guaranteed to be delicious.
Visitors to Switzerland’s Fribourg region who ride the swinging funicular to the tippity top of Mount Moléson can soak in dazzling views over a cool glass of chasselas wine and a heaping bowl of macaroni du chalet. A generous handful of scallion and chives provide a necessary hit of freshness—and draw out the herbal and oniony notes in this dish’s mountains of melted Gruyère. Get the recipe >
Baked Macaroni with Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomatoes Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen
In this stovetop-to-oven casserole, a tomato-topped, golden-brown crust gives way to cozy macaroni slicked in a warm and gloriously creamy sauce. This colorful mac ‘n’ cheese is perfect for summer potlucks.
