Mac n’ Cheese? Yes, Please

Käsespaätzle—spätzle with cheese, butter, and onions—is the perfect match for acidic salads and crisp German lagers.

The foundation of this creamy casserole is a classic mornay sauce, a béchamel sauce to which cheese has been added—in this case, comté, a French cheese with a complex, nutty flavor that melts beautifully. With lots of freshly grated nutmeg to season it and a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping, it’s a luscious, satisfying side dish for the Thanksgiving table. The dish comes from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, in the Napa Valley, where the staff makes it as part of their annual Thanksgiving dinner for veterans and their families.

This savory casserole is studded with spinach, topped with feta cheese, and infused with a hint of cinnamon. Get the recipe for Greek Mac and Cheese »

Chef Terrance Brennan of the Manhattan restaurant Artisanal uses penne instead of the standard elbow macaroni for his take on the dish, which is topped with a crisp panko-Parmesan crust. Get the recipe for Artisanal Macaroni and Cheese »

This ultra-creamy, decadent mac and cheese—with sharp white cheddar, Gruyère, blue cheese, and, yes, a touch of Velveeta—is one of the best we’ve ever tried. Get the recipe for Four Cheese Mac and Cheese »

This lobster meat–studded mac and cheese, from New York’s Macbar, is a decadent, holiday-appropriate version of that homey dish. Get the recipe for Lobster mac and cheese »

Fresh goat cheese makes a creamy, velvety sauce for pasta baked with spinach and topped with sliced tomatoes that is bright with festive colors, and deeply comforting. And as it takes only slightly longer than an hour to cook, this can be a main player in a delicious and casual last-minute Christmas dinner.

This casserole has a piquant bite.

Sun-dried tomatoes and chopped ham turn up the flavor in this baked pasta. Get the recipe for White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese »

In this wonderful regional take on mac and cheese, grated onion and Worcestershire sauce are added to the mix.