I Made Alton Brown And Ina Garten's Mac And Cheese Recipes. One Bowl Should Be Your Next Go-To Option

Whether it's in a big tray on Thanksgiving, cooked right from the box, or served in a skillet at an upscale restaurant, nothing may be more versatile — or more comforting — than mac and cheese. Some families have recipes passed down through generations, like those with one secret ingredient they won't tell to a soul. From the seasonings to the cheeses to the pasta, mac and cheese is a perfect canvas for customization. Over the years, countless chefs have tried their hand at developing versions of the classic dish.

Now, two American culinary icons — Ina Garten and Alton Brown — have released their own takes on mac and cheese, so I tested them side by side to see how they shaped up against one another. With different cheeses, sauce bases, and breadcrumbs, they each had a unique flavor and texture profile. Yet both recipes connected back to the core qualities of a good mac and cheese.

To be clear up front, both dishes were delicious, and I'd easily make them again. However, after having bite after bite and multiple helpings of cheesy goodness, one distinct winner emerged. Read on to find out which celebrity Mac and cheese recipe to make at your next family party.

I've been an avid lover of food and a home cook for as long as I can remember. Although I grew up learning to cook from my Italian-American grandmother, I have since expanded my palate, and constantly try out new recipes from different chefs and cuisines. Since these two recipes are accessible to the amateur home cook, I felt confident I could make them as they were intended. I read through the instructions and ingredient lists thoroughly and followed each step as written.

When comparing the dishes, I focused on texture, consistency, flavor, and prep time. Since each recipe makes a relatively large portion, I had some friends blind-taste test the mac and cheeses and share their thoughts to get a more comprehensive opinion. While it was a close call, ultimately, everyone came to the same consensus.

When it comes to an American food staple like macaroni and cheese, it's no surprise that two quintessentially American chefs and TV personalities would have at least one go-to recipe. Ina Garten — or, should I say, the Barefoot Contessa – was initially working in the White House before deciding to open up a specialty food store in the Hamptons. Eventually, she began publishing a series of widely successful cookbooks and had her own show on Food Network. Garten has had worldwide success developing recipes for those comforting, classic dishes seen on dinner tables across the country.

Alton Brown also started his career outside of the kitchen. Brown was a cameraman for years before attending culinary school. By 1999, he had the show "Good Eats" on Food Network, which ran for over a decade. Brown's approach to cooking has been scientific and informative, and his unique outlook on food cemented him as a culinary legend. There's no doubt that these two wildly successful chefs can make a great mac and cheese, but when put head-to-head, it's anyone's game.

For both Ina Garten's and Alton Brown's mac and cheese recipes, the components themselves were similar, though the actual ingredients varied. There was a bit of overlap in that both recipes included pantry staples like unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and black pepper. They both used elbow macaroni, as well, although Garten's recipe used 1 pound, while Brown's used 8 ounces. Brown's recipe also instructed placing the pasta in cold water then bringing it to a boil, which saved a few minutes.

Both recipes used a variety of cheeses that needed to be grated from scratch. Garten opted for Gruyere and extra-sharp cheddar, while Brown used a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. As for seasoning, Garten's recipe used a warm blend of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, while Brown's went for a punchy mix of salt, pepper, ground mustard, and paprika. Both dishes required a roux that was then combined with milk for Garten's and half and half for Brown's, along with the seasonings and cheeses.

Brown's cheese sauce took a bit longer, requiring constant whisking of the roux and half and half until slightly thickened. However, when it came to the breadcrumb topping, Garten's took a few extra minutes to make. She used fresh breadcrumbs, made from five slices of bread with the crust removed; Brown's used premade panko breadcrumbs, though both breadcrumbs were tossed with melted butter. Garten's recipe added sliced fresh tomatoes and Brown's added a layer of grated cheese for additional toppings. Overall, the ingredient pricing ended up being similar, but Brown's mac and cheese came together a few minutes quicker.

The first step in making Ina Garten's mac and cheese is to preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and get a pot of salted water boiling. In a separate saucepan, heat up a quart of milk until hot, but not boiling. While waiting for the water and oven to get to temp, you can prep your other ingredients by grating around 4 cups of Gruyere cheese and 2 cups of extra-sharp cheddar cheese. A clever trick for grating cheese without it getting all sticky and clumpy is to give it a quick chill in the freezer for a few minutes.

After grating the cheese, it's time to make the fresh breadcrumbs. While Garten doesn't give explicit instructions on this aside from slicing off the crusts, you can just pulse the bread in a food processor until you get that breadcrumb consistency. Since the cutting board is already out for the bread, you can also slice 4 small tomatoes to be used for the topping later on. Once the water reaches a boil, add a drizzle of vegetable oil and the elbow macaroni, cook according to the box instructions, and then drain.

Now you're ready to make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a pot and add all-purpose flour. Make sure to whisk this on low heat for a few minutes, and continue to whisk while adding the hot milk for another minute or so. Then take it off the heat and add in that grated cheese, the seasonings, and the cooked pasta. Pour all of this cheesy goodness into a baking dish and top it with the sliced tomatoes and breadcrumbs tossed with melted butter. All that's left now is to pop it in the oven and let it cook until the toppings are browned and the mac and cheese is nice and bubbly.

For Alton Brown's mac and cheese, get your oven heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While that's heating up, place your elbow macaroni in a pot with a tablespoon of kosher salt and enough cold water to just cover that dry pasta. Turn on the heat and wait until it starts to boil. Once boiling, cook until the macaroni is al dente and then drain, but don't rinse. You don't want to lose all of that salty, starchy flavoring from the pasta water. This cold water pasta method is a classic Alton Brown cooking tip that saves time, water, and results in a more concentrated starchy cooking liquid.

While you're waiting for the pasta to boil, though, you can get your other ingredients prepped. After grating the Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar, grab a saucepan and make a roux with flour and butter. Once the roux is a pale blonde, throw in the paprika and mustard powder and whisk until the spices bloom. This step takes about a minute, so be careful not to wait too long, as there is a chance you can burn the seasonings. After this, turn up the heat, whisk in the half and half, and keep on whisking until the mixture becomes slightly thicker. Don't worry, you'll notice when it starts to thicken up.

Once it hits that point, you can take it off the heat, mix in the cheese, salt, and pepper. Finally, fold in the cooked pasta, pour it into a greased casserole dish, and top with some of that grated Monterey Jack and butter-tossed panko breadcrumbs. All that's left is to bake until nice and golden.

Ina Garten's mac and cheese feels like the perfect dish on a slightly chilly yet sunny spring evening. This mac and cheese had a perfect consistency: It was melty and gooey, but still held its shape when scooped out of the baking dish. The cheese sauce was smooth and velvety, with ample macaroni noodles woven throughout.

Flavor-wise, the sauce had a gentle cheese flavor with a hint of sweetness. I typically prefer a punchier cheese flavoring, but this blend ended up tasting quite mild. Next time, I'd spend a little more money for a stronger Gruyere to amp up the flavor. I wish there were a bit more seasoning, as I felt it was slightly under salted, and I struggled to find any real hints of the nutmeg or black pepper. I was skeptical about how the fresh, sliced tomatoes would fare as a topping, but the tang and acidity acted as a welcome contrast to the rich cheese sauce.

The fresh breadcrumbs had a sweet, creamy butter flavor and a light, crispy texture. Since the breadcrumbs were fresh, there was some variation in the crumb sizes, which led to uneven browning. Even so, it was a tasty addition and textural component. Overall, I really enjoyed this mac and cheese. The subtle flavors and creamy texture didn't feel too heavy on the stomach, and the tomatoes added a brightness that I really enjoyed.

Alton Brown's mac and cheese feels like the ultimate crowd-pleaser. The crispy browned breadcrumbs and vibrant orange cheese sauce had that classic mac and cheese feel that everyone knows and loves. The buttered panko breadcrumbs were super crunchy, and a few crumbs made it into every bite. That crispiness, paired with the caramelized, slightly chewy cheese layer beneath it, created a layered textural experience with each bite.

The cheese sauce was creamy and smooth, with nutty, robust cheese notes. The mustard powder added depth, while the paprika provided a slight, subtle smokiness. This mac and cheese was well-seasoned, I assume in part due to the tablespoon of salt added during the boiling of the elbow macaroni along with the salt in the sauce. This mac and cheese held its shape when scooped, and the thick cream sauce coated the pasta while giving the dish structure. Overall, I'd eat this mac and cheese any day.

Considering these mac and cheese recipes were developed by two iconic American chefs, it's not entirely shocking that each resulted in a well executed dish. The ultimate winner came down to the nitty-gritty details, and Alton Brown's mac and cheese pulled ahead in a few categories in the end.

For one, Brown's dish took less overall time to make than Ina Garten's when taking prep and technique into account. Brown's use of premade panko breadcrumbs, along with the cold water pasta cooking method, decreased the overall prep and cook time. The seasoned pasta water and the addition of mustard and paprika amplified the overall flavor of the dish, and the sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack gave the sauce a comforting, classic look and feel.

While Garten's dish had a great consistency and tanginess from the tomatoes, it lacked in flavor and needed more seasoning or a stronger cheese to amplify it. Brown's mac and cheese was warming and nostalgic, and the entire dish was gone in no time. If you're a fan of that traditional mac and cheese flavor, Alton Brown's should be your next go-to recipe.