Beecher’s Mac and Cheese
This post may contain affiliate links, that if you make purchases through, I will earn a small commission.
Named “World’s Best Mac and Cheese” is no easy feat, and this Beecher’s Mac and Cheese recipe is tried and true, made at home! No trip to Pike Place Market required!
One of the best things about visiting Seattle is a trip to the famed Pike Place Market. There are a few things that everyone needs to do when visiting.
See the Flying Fish, and catch one yourself if you can. Oh yeah, I did it!
Go to the original Starbucks, with it’s tiny coffee house charm and original creaky wood floors.
And get some Beecher’s Mac and Cheese. It is known and the “world’s best” for a very good reason (even Oprah agrees). And stock up on the cheese curds, too.
But if you can’t make it to Pike Place Market in person, you can now make it at home, thank heaven! It’s a bit of Seattle in your very own home. I am never going to shy away from my absolute favorite comfort food of all time, and this is officially my go-to mac and cheese recipe.
Beecher’s Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for preparing dish
- 6 ounces penne pasta
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated Beecher’s Flagship cheese, divided
- 2 ounces (about ½ cup) grated Beecher’s Just Jack cheese, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon chili powder, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
How to Make Beecher’s Mac and Cheese
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish. You can use non stick spray as well.
Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions, since it will finish cooking in the oven. Rinse the pasta in cold water, and set aside for later.
Melt the butter in a heavy- bottomed saucepan, or Dutch oven, over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes and the mixture will be clumpy and start to turn golden brown.
Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to create a thick sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Add 1¾ cups of the Beecher’s Flagship cheese, ¼ cup Just Jack cheese, salt, 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes.
Combine cooked pasta and sauce in a medium bowl, and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheeses and then the remaining chili powder.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes to let the cheese bubble on top. When done cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
More Inspired Mac and Cheese Recipes
Ultimate One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Roasted Red Pepper and Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Sausage and Apricot Brie Mac and Cheese
Print
Beecher’s Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Beecher’s World FAMOUS Mac and Cheese is indeed famous for a very good reason, but if you can’t pop down to Pike Place Market, you can make it at home!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for preparing dish
- 6 ounces penne pasta
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated Beecher’s Flagship cheese, divided
- 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) grated Beecher’s Just Jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish. You can use non stick spray as well.
Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions, since it will finish cooking in the oven. Rinse the pasta in cold water, and set aside for later.
Melt the butter in a heavy- bottomed saucepan, or Dutch oven, over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes and the mixture will be clumpy and start to turn golden brown.
Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to create a thick sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Add 1¾ cups of the Beecher’s Flagship cheese, ¼ cup Just Jack cheese, salt, 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes.
Combine cooked pasta and sauce in a medium bowl, and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheeses and then the remaining chili powder.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes to let the cheese bubble on top. When done cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Original recipe from Kurt Beecher Dammeier
The ads at the bottom of the page do not allow me to print the recipe unless I make the print font really small. This seems to be happening all over the internet. Ads are needed, but interfere with printing.
thank you, always like to try new mac and cheese recipes, interesting that this one has both cheddar and some jack cheese both Beecher’s, noted, good to know!
Oh yes, the Beecher’s gives it the best sharp tang! I love it!
So for those of us to no access to the beechers cheese, do we use an aged sharp and Jack cheese?
Jo, yes that would be perfect!! Thanks for that note!
I have made this several times and it is Excellent. However, I think the 6 oz of penne might be a typo. I always use 16 oz. 6 oz of pasta is not enough.
This is best Mac and cheese recipe I’ve ever made.
We cannot get Beecher’s cheese here but I use Collier’s Sharp and it works well.
I promise, it is only 6 ounce of penne! 🙂 I know it sounds nuts, but it’s so delicious with that extra sauce! But if you need to use more – that is never a bad thing, it’s pasta after all!
This was a surprising recipe, I was worried about the 6 ounces of pasta but it works, so cheesy and yummy, just like at the Beecher’s café. Thank you