Updated 12.04.25
Like almost all of us, I like Mac & Cheese and have made a whole heap of variations, different Cheddars, Gruyere, Fontina, Mozzarella, Provolone and of course different types of pasta and many of these variations are wonderful. Mac & Cheese never has to be the same as the last one and will therefore never be boring. So, to set this Mac & Cheese apart from the rest, I thought, I’ll give it a slightly different title Three European Cheese Penne.
The flavor combination of this saucy concoction is sharp, fruity and nutty from the Parmigiano, sweet, salty and earthy from the Gruyere and creamy, buttery and milky from the Brie. How does this combination tastes, that’s very hard to describe; the best I can do is a sweet, silky sauce with some sharper edges and earthy notes. No, I am not describing the wine; I am trying to describe the cheese sauce. Describing a flavor is one of the hardest things in food, it is an art in itself, in my opinion.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Pasta – I used whole grain penne pasta
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Gruyere cheese
- Brie cheese
- Thyme
- Nutmeg – optional
The cheeses in the sauce are Brie, Gruyere and Parmigiano Reggiano; and the pasta is not the elbow pasta, but a whole grain penne. All three cheeses melt easily; you’ll need to cut the rind off the Brie and then cut it into small pieces. The rind is perfectly edible, but doesn’t melt as easily as the cheese and leaves little pieces in the sauce. The Gruyere I picked is a cave-aged, and has more flavor than a normal Gruyere; both the Gruyere and the Parmigiano cheese needs to be shredded.
How to Make Three European Cheese Penne
Step 1 – Cook the pasta according to the direction on the packaging. Start making the cheese sauce by creating a roux. Melt butter in a saucepan and add an equal amount of all-purpose flour. Mix and allow to cook on low heat for a few minutes, so the flour is no longer raw.
Make sure the roux does not brown, for this sauce, you’ll need a white roux.
Step 2 – Add the milk to the roux and stir until you have a smooth sauce.
Step 3 – Add all three cheeses to the sauce and allow to melt. You may want to add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Step 4 – Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and fresh or dried thyme and stir.
Step 5 – Add pasta and mix.
Step 6 – Divide the pasta and sauce over two bowls and sprinkle with some extra Gruyere cheese.
Place under a hot broiler until the cheese turned nicely brown.
ENJOY !
Other Pasta & Cheese Recipes to Try
Three European Cheese Penne
Pin Recipe Facebook Share by TextIngredients
- 4 ounces penne pasta, whole grain
- 1 ounce butter
- 1 ounce all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups skim milk
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 2 ounces Cave-aged Gruyere cheese, grated
- 2.5 ounces Brie
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg, optional
- 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Boil water and salt in a pot and cook the pasta according to the direction on the packaging. Drain.
- Melt butter in a medium pot or large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, creating a roux.
- Slowly add milk and stir until you have a smooth sauce.
- Remove the rind from the Brie and cut into small cubes. Add all 3 cheeses to sauce (reserve 2 tablespoons of Gruyere and 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to finish the top of the dish. Stir the sauce until the all cheese is melted.
- Add salt, pepper to taste and nutmeg if you like. Also add the thyme at this point. Mix.
- Add penne pasta to the sauce and pour in a oven-safe dish or divide over 2 oven-resistant dishes.
- Mix the Gruyere and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese you kept behind with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta. Slide the dish(es) under hot broiler until cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love a good Penne with different cheeses. Comfort food at its best.
This looks amazing! I always like to learn about new mac n cheese recipes and I love anything with Gruyere and Camembert! I adapt mine to be gluten free by using GF flour for the roux and GF pasta, but with all this amazing cheese, I don’t think anyone will notice! Thanks!
Look absolutely yummy. We are cheese lover’s family and definitely this would be a hit.
thank you for sharing.
This looks so yummy! I want some!
This sounds delicious!! Cheesy pasta dishes are some of our favorites. This is something my family would love. 🙂