Costco’s Mac and Cheese Recipe Was Just Leaked—Now You Can Make It At Home

I’m a long-time lover of macaroni and cheese. While I’ve never been a fan of the boxed stuff, I do love the homemade versions loaded with gooey, creamy cheese. What I don’t love is greasy, overly salted, yet somehow flavorless macaroni and cheese. It’s the kind you often find in the freezer or refrigerated section of the grocery store, except in the case of Costco. I’ve heard great things about the warehouse club store's mac and cheese and since the recipe was recently revealed in a social media post, I knew I had to give it a try. It’s what any legit mac and cheese lover would do.

The details of Costco’s macaroni and cheese have been a mystery. While decent copycat recipes exist, most were created using educated guesses rather than facts. It wasn’t until @jordan_the_stallion8 went to TikTok to share the recipe, that we finally found out the truth. In the video, he reveals exactly what goes into making Costco’s famous macaroni and cheese.

How to Make Costco’s Macaroni and Cheese

In the video, the creator shared all of the ingredients and measurements, which I quickly jotted down. Since there wasn’t enough time for him to explain the method, I defaulted to using what I know (from making millions of pots of mac and cheese) to put the dish together. For me, it always starts with making a roux. I melted 1/4 cup butter in a pot and then added 1/4 cup flour and cooked it until it was golden brown. Next, I added 3 cups of milk and whisked to combine. I let it come to a simmer and thicken, before turning down the heat and adding the cheese (FIVE kinds: white Cheddar, Gruyère, Romano, Parmesan, and medium Cheddar). Next, I added the seasonings; salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. I added a splash of the pasta water to loosen things up a bit and then added my cooked (al dente) pasta. I poured it all into a baking dish and baked it at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. During the last five minutes, I topped it with some toasted, buttered panko bread crumbs (even though Costco doesn’t, more on that in a  minute).

How Does It Taste?

It’s really as good as people say. While I’ve never bought or tried Costco’s premade version, I can confirm this homemade interpretation is pretty darn delicious. I love the complexity of the dish, made possible by using five different cheeses. I love the creaminess as well as the seasonings. Every bite made me happy, except for the last one, which was only because I wanted more. The OG version doesn’t have bread crumbs, but if you’re baking mac and cheese, I think it’s a nice crunchy contrast to the soft noodles. I didn’t use all of the salt or cream, finding 1 teaspoon of salt was sufficient and 3 cups of milk was enough to keep things saucy. Take my advice and make this the next time you’re craving macaroni and cheese. You won’t be disappointed.

Costco's Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

Macaroni and Cheese:

• 1 pound cavatappi pasta
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cream (*I didn’t use)
• 3 cups milk
• 3 1/2 cups shredded white Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded medium Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
  

Directions

While no instructions were included for the leaked recipe, it likely follows a traditional mac and cheese recipe method, as mentioned above:

1. Cook pasta until tender yet firm to the bite according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Make a roux with the butter and flour, then add in milk and cream. Stir in the cheeses until melted. Add the seasonings to the cheese sauce.
3. Combine macaroni with sauce until all the pasta is gooey and coated.
4. Meanwhile, make the bread crumb topping if using.
5. Either enjoy the mac and cheese straight away or pour into a greased baking dish and cook in a 350-degree F oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.