Creamy Brie Mac and Cheese
This creamy brie mac and cheese recipe is an elevated version of stove top mac and cheese. It has creamy brie and white cheddar melted in a silky béchamel sauce, then topped with buttery toasted breadcrumbs. Fresh thyme adds an elegant finishing touch.
Creamy Mac and Cheese with Brie
Mac and cheese was one of my main food groups as a child, but this elevated brie mac and cheese version is far better than the box stuff! You may have had brie before in dishes like Baked Brie, but you can use brie in other ways!
We are taking classic mac and cheese to the next level with this sophisticated version by swapping regular cheddar for brie cheese and white cheddar. It is great as a side dish, but works well as a main course option too! It is topped with a buttery breadcrumb topping for the perfect texture contrast.
Baked macaroni and cheese is great, but I love that stove top mac and cheese like this White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, tends to be creamier. Plus making mac and cheese on the stove is a great way to save room in the oven when you’re cooking a big holiday dinner or dinner party. So this brie macaroni and cheese is perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
All pasta dishes are delicious in my opinion, but creamy pasta recipes will always have a special place in my heart (and belly). For more creamy pasta favorites, try Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce, Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka, and One Pot Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- TL:DR: This is a creamy stove top mac and cheese recipe with brie and white cheddar melted into a smooth béchamel sauce. The crispy breadcrumb topping adds the perfect textural contrast.
- Lauren’s Take: This is mac and cheese that had a glow up, graduated at the top of her class at an Ivy League school, and now summers in the Hamptons. The addition of the shallots, fresh time, and brie elevates this mac and cheese recipe and makes it feel a little more sophisticated than the traditional version. I like that this is a stovetop macaroni and cheese rather than baked, so it saves room in the oven for holidays and big dinners. And of course, making homemade is best!
- Taste: Cheesy with mild earthiness from the brie. The shallots add a savory depth of flavor and the fresh thyme adds an herbaceous note.
- Texture: Thick, creamy, and silky with the perfect crunchy topping.
- Time: Ready in 30 minutes, including 10 minutes of prep!
What is Brie Cheese?
Brie is a creamy and mild tasting cheese. It has a soft and creamy texture and melts very well (making it perfect for mac and cheese!). It comes in a wheel, and is often cut into wedges to be sold.
You will often see brie in a baked brie appetizer, where it is covered in pastry and baked. It is also popular to add to a cheese or charcuterie board. It’s soft enough to spread on crackers, which is my favorite way to eat it!
The brie wheel is covered in a soft white rind. The rind is edible, but you can choose to remove it if you want. I like leaving the rind on when baking it like in this Baked Brie with Fig Jam recipe, but I remove it when melting the brie for this mac and cheese recipe, as the rind does not melt well.
For more information about Brie cheese, see this What Is Brie Cheese article from The Spruce Eats.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Pasta – You can use your favorite shape. I like elbow macaroni, penne, fusilli, shell pasta, or cavatappi pasta (corkscrew). Anything with holes and crevices to soak up that creamy brie cheese sauce.
Shallot – A shallot has a milder flavor than an onion, so it is perfect in this macaroni and cheese. You can substitute for ½ a small onion. If you don’t enjoy an onion flavor, you can omit it, but it does come out only mildly.
Brie cheese – Although the rind of brie is edible, you should remove it for this recipe so the cheese sauce will be perfectly creamy, as the rind won’t melt as well.
White cheddar – White cheddar has a sharp flavor and is a good match for the mellow brie in this recipe. You can substitute for fontina, gouda, or gruyere.
Fresh thyme – Optional, but fresh herbs add a nice contrast of flavor to balance out all the cheese.
Breadcrumbs – For the crunchy topping, you can use plain, seasoned, or panko breadcrumbs. I like making homemade breadcrumbs out of stale bread by pulsing it in a food processor until a medium fine crumb is achieved.
Variations
You can change up this recipe to make it perfect for you!
- Make it a meal – Adding a protein to this mac and cheese can make it a full meal. Can’t go wrong with adding perfectly cooked chicken breasts. Browned ground Italian sausage would also be good. For a more elevated pairing, serve it with seared scallops.
- Other add-ins – Adding in caramelized onions or roasted garlic to this brie mac and cheese would be so delicious! Sautéed vegetables like mushrooms or spinach would also be good.
- Baked brie mac and cheese – To make this a baked version, make recipe per directions, but add an extra ¼ cup of milk. Add the mac and cheese to a greased baking dish. Top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake at 350°F until bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- Change up the cheeses – Add some freshly shaved parmesan cheese on top for extra cheesiness and flavor. You can also swap the cheeses for your favorite. Cheeses that melt well and work great for mac and cheese are gruyere, muenster, fontina, Havarti, Monterey jack, and American cheese.
- Make it truffle-y – Toast the breadcrumbs in truffle olive oil instead of butter to add in some delicious mushroomy flavor.
Equipment needed
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Buy Now → How to Make Brie Mac and Cheese
Step by step instructions to make this delicious creamy mac and cheese!
Step One: Boil and Prep
Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions and reserve about ½ cup of pasta water. While the pasta cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step Two: Sweat
Melt butter and sweat shallots then add in garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step Three: Blond Roux
Add additional butter and sprinkle flour while whisking. Cook for 2-3 minutes to make a blond roux.
Lauren’s note: A roux is a thickening agent made from equal parts fat and four. You can use butter or oil to make a roux. The longer you cook a roux, the darker it will become. Lighter roux have a lighter flavor and stronger thickening power, whereas darker roux have a stronger flavor but less thickening power.
A light sand colored roux is called a blonde roux.
Sign up for my email freebie to learn all about how to make a gumbo roux.
Step Four: Béchamel
Whisk in the warmed milk a little at a time until all the flour is incorporated with no lumps.
Step Five: Melt
Add in paprika, cayenne pepper, brie, and white cheddar. Stir and melt in cheese until smooth.
Lauren’s note: A Béchamel sauce is one of the five French “mother sauces” – meaning basic sauces that can be used to make more complex sauces. Béchamel has a roux, usually made from butter and flour, with milk whisked in. The result is a creamy sauce that can be used in lasagna, gratins, macaroni and cheese, and creamy pasta sauces.
Step Six: Fold
Fold in cooked pasta and thyme. Add a splash of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Step Seven: Toast
Toast breadcrumbs in melted butter until lightly golden brown.
Serve brie macaroni and cheese warm topped with toasted breadcrumbs. Serve as a side dish, or the main course!
Now that you know how to make a béchamel sauce, try it out in this mushroom lasagna with creamy parmesan béchamel sauce.
Testing Notes
Recipe development is one of my favorite parts of being a food blogger! For this recipe I tested out a few variations.
- Milk vs heavy cream – I tested this recipe with 1% milk, whole milk, and heavy cream, and the winner was whole milk. The batch made with 1% milk wasn’t just a little too thin, whereas the batch made with heavy cream was too thick.
- Fresh vs dried thyme – Fresh thyme was the winner here, but you can use dried thyme if needed. Don’t use ground thyme.
- Brie rind – I tried melting small chunks of brie rind into the sauce, and it just did not melt. While it’s ok if a few small bits make it into your final product, I would try to remove most of it.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water. A lot! – Use at least a tablespoon of salt in the water to make sure the pasta is perfectly salted. This seems like a lot but it will ensure your pasta is properly seasoned.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Once the pasta is boiled, it will cook a little more in the creamy cheese sauce, so it is better to cook it to just al dente.
- Remove the rind from the brie. The rind is edible, but it won’t melt fully causing the sauce to be lumpy.
- Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which will prevent the cheese from melting smoothly into the sauce. When possible, buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself.
- Sauce is too runny. The sauce will thicken up as it cools, but if your sauce is still a bit too loose, reduce it over medium heat for a few more minutes.
- Sauce too thick – This is where reserving some pasta water comes in handy! Add a splash of pasta water or milk to the sauce when it is too thick.
Storage & make ahead
How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as it will not keep the same texture once thawed and reheated.
How to reheat:
- Stovetop – Reheating a creamy sauce like this one is best done slowly on the stove to prevent the sauce from breaking and becoming greasy. Heat the macaroni in cheese in a medium saucepan over medium- low heat while stirring with some milk until warmed throughout.
- Microwave – Reheating this macaroni and cheese in the microwave will most likely lead to the sauce breaking and butter coming out of emulsion, making it greasy. To help avoid this, add a splash of milk to loosen it up and heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
For a more in depth tutorial on how to reheat creamy pasta sauces like this one, check out How to Reheat Alfredo Sauce.
What to Serve With Mac and Cheese
Brie mac and cheese is pretty delicious on its own, but here are some serving suggestions to make a complete meal.
- Perfectly cooked sliced chicken breast for protein with a side of roasted asparagus and Brussels sprouts.
- Braised Pot Roast + Mac and cheese is one of my favorite comfort meal combinations!
- Dutch Oven Turkey Breast with Garlic Herb Butter with a side of Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts and Boursin Mashed Potatoes.
- Go the seafood route with Cajun Honey Butter Salmon and a side of broccoli.
- Hear me out – pair the leftovers with Dutch Oven Chili for the best chili mac ever!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, remove the rind from the brie before melting it into the cheese sauce. Although the rind is edible, it won’t melt smoothly into the sauce. If you’re making a dish like baked brie, you don’t have to remove the rind.
To remove the rind from the wedge or wheel of brie cheese, simply cut it off with a sharp knife.
Yes. To make this a baked mac and cheese version, make recipe per directions, with an extra ¼ cup of milk. Add the mac and cheese to a greased baking dish. Add buttered breadcrumbs over the top of the mac and cheese and bake at 350°F until bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden brown.
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
- Lobster Ravioli Cream Sauce
- Cajun Salmon Alfredo Pasta
- Creamy Bolognese Sauce
Meet Lauren
I’m the blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and otherwise food obsessed gal behind Lauren From Scratch. I was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in South Louisiana most of my life. Growing up around Cajun country has instilled a love of food that runs deep in my bones. I am passionate about food and teaching you how to make mouth-watering Louisiana inspired dishes in your own kitchen!
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This post was updated in 2023 with re-edited photos, testing notes, and refined directions.
Elevated Mac and Cheese with Brie and White Cheddar
Ingredients
- ½ pound dried elbow macaroni pasta or your favorite shape
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 small shallot finely diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warmed
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces brie cheese rinds removed and cubed into ½ inch piece
- 6 ounces white cheddar cheese freshly and finely grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme leaves from a few sprigs
Buttered Breadcrumb Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup breadcrumbs plain, seasoned, or panko
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- BOIL: Boil pasta to al dente in heavily salted water. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water and drain.
- PREP: While water is boiling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Finely dice shallot and mince garlic. Remove rind from brie and cube into ½ inch pieces. Grate white cheddar.
- SWEAT: In a large saucepan or pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat, and sweat shallots for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- BLOND ROUX: Add in the other tablespoon of butter and melt, then sprinkle in the flour while whisking. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, allowing the roux to darken slightly to a white sand color (should not be browned!) This is a blonde roux. It may be clumpy.
- BÉCHAMEL: Whisk in the warmed milk a little at a time until it is all incorporated and mixture is smooth. Simmer for a few minutes. Add in paprika, cayenne pepper, brie, and white cheddar. Stir occasionally until all melted.
- MIX: Gently fold in the pasta and thyme leaves and mix to combine. Add a splash of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
- TOAST: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add in breadcrumbs. Mix to combine. Lightly toast until golden brown. If you are using plain breadcrumbs, add a pinch of salt.
- SERVE: Serve hot topped with the breadcrumbs and fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
- A roux is a thickening agent made from equal parts fat and four. You can use butter or oil to make a roux. The longer you cook a roux, the darker it will become. Lighter roux have a lighter flavor and stronger thickening power, whereas darker roux have a stronger flavor but less thickening power.
- A light sand colored roux is called a blond roux.
- A Béchamel sauce has a roux, usually made from butter and flour, with milk whisked in. The result is a creamy sauce that can be used in lasagna, gratins, macaroni and cheese and creamy pasta sauces.
- Use at least a tablespoon of salt in the water to make sure the pasta is perfectly salted.
- Cook pasta to just al dente. It will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Remove the rind from the brie. It won’t melt into the sauce.
- Shred the cheese yourself if you can. Shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which will prevent the cheese from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Sauce is too runny – The sauce will thicken up as it cools, but if your sauce is still a bit too loose, reduce it over medium heat for a few more minutes.
- Sauce too thick – This is where reserving some pasta water comes in handy! Add a splash of pasta water or milk to the sauce when it is too thick.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- How to freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as it will not keep the same texture once thawed and reheated.
- How to reheat on Stovetop: Reheating a creamy sauce like this one is best done slowly on the stove to prevent the sauce from breaking and becoming greasy. Heat the macaroni in cheese in a medium saucepan over medium- low heat while stirring with some milk until warmed throughout.
- How to reheat in Microwave: – Reheating this macaroni and cheese in the microwave will most likely lead to the sauce breaking and butter coming out of emulsion, making it greasy. To help avoid this, add a splash of milk to loosen it up and heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
Equipment
- Large pot or dutch oven
- Mixing spoon or silicone spatula
