Viral Mac and Cheese Recipe: Cavatappi in a Three-Cheese Sauce, as Gen Z's Favourite Thanksgiving Side Returns

One of the most talked-about dishes of the Thanksgiving run-up is a baked pasta. Tini Younger's "viral mac and cheese", a cavatappi bake in a sauce built on evaporated milk and three cheeses, began as a TikTok tutorial that has drawn more than 100 million views, and it is back at the centre of the table because her first cookbook, Today We Are Cooking, came out on 3 November. ABC News ran her recipe on 4 November, and USA Today's profile, dated 2 November, reported that she now has more than 14 million followers.

The timing suits the data. In Campbell's 2026 State of the Sides survey of more than 5,000 Americans, reported by Sporked on 7 November, mac and cheese was the top Thanksgiving side among Gen Z respondents, and 65 per cent of them said they would happily eat a dinner of sides alone.

What follows is our own version of the idea, not a copy of hers: a short roux, evaporated milk for a sauce that will not split, a mustard-and-paprika backbone, and three cheeses chosen for stretch, sharpness and colour. The technique points are the ones her own advice stresses, which are to shred the cheese yourself, keep the heat low and add liquid gradually.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8 as a main or 10 as a side. Total time about 1 hour 10 minutes, plus a 5-minute rest.

• 450 g cavatappi or other short, ridged pasta
• 2 tbsp fine salt, for the pasta water
• 40 g unsalted butter, plus extra for the dish
• 35 g plain flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 355 ml evaporated milk (one 12 fl oz tin)
• 250 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 200 g low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated
• 200 g Colby Jack or Monterey Jack, coarsely grated
• 200 g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives, to finish (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190 C (170 C fan). Butter a 23 x 33 cm baking dish generously. Toss the three cheeses together in a bowl and set aside about a third of the mixture for layering and the top.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the 2 tbsp salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet says, so it is firm in the middle. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and leave it in the colander.
3. In a wide, deep pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until you have a smooth, pale paste that smells like biscuits.
5. Pour in the evaporated milk a little at a time, whisking each addition smooth before adding the next. Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, then whisk in the cream and mustard.
6. Lower the heat to the minimum. Add the larger portion of cheese a handful at a time, letting each handful melt before the next, until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Do not let it boil.
7. Fold the pasta into the sauce until every piece is coated. Spoon half into the dish, scatter over half the reserved cheese, add the rest of the pasta and finish with the remaining cheese.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling at the edges. Switch the grill to high and place the dish about 15 cm beneath it for 2 minutes to blister the top.
9. Rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, scatter with chives and serve.

Tips, swaps and storage

Grate the cheese from the block. Pre-shredded cheese carries anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy. If you cannot find Colby Jack, Monterey Jack or a mild red Leicester works, and Gruyere makes it nuttier. Smoked paprika is the signature, so do not skip it, though a pinch of cayenne is a fair addition.

The unbaked dish can be assembled the day before, covered and chilled, then baked for 10 minutes longer. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat covered with foil at 175 C with a splash of milk, then uncover and grill briefly to restore the crust.

It is a trend built on a very old dish, and that is probably why it lasts. Learn the sauce once and you can make it, scale it and change it for years.