Macaroni and cheese is one of the most perfect dishes in human history. What could surpass shapely noodles swimming in a thick, bubbly cheese sauce? While many of us likely fell in love with the boxed variety as kids, now that we’re mature adults it’s time for some real indulgence. The simple mac & cheese of childhood is merely a blank canvas, waiting to fulfil all your fromage fantasies.

Not all cheeses are meant for mac and cheese, though. It’s all about getting the right ratio of the melters and the flavour-enhancers. Some cheeses get too gooey, others liquify into cream or break, and then there’s the kind that won’t melt at all. The best mac and cheese combines all three types.

The holy trinity, in my opinion, combines a lot of cheddar, a little cream cheese, and a parmesan-panko crust. But you didn’t come here for a traditional trio, now did you? No-you came for something sensational that will take us through the coming months like a full-blown love affair. Here are some of our favourite cheeses to sprinkle into your next mac:

Scamorza

Like provolone and mozzarella, scamorza is a member of the pasta filata family of cheese. Pasta filatas are made by heating up curds in hot water, then kneading and stretching them together. This hand-pulled technique makes for the perfect cheese pull, which is why they’re often used in pizzas. Scamorza tastes very similar to a dry mozzarella, but with a more piquant flavour.

Raclette

This stinky Frenchie is best known as the star of those viral videos where someone scrapes bubbling layers of melted cheese onto stacks of potatoes. It’s gone viral for good reasons; raclette is a prime melting cheese, and its firm, brothy paste almost liquifies into its own sauce. If you want an unapologetically bold mac with funk and flair, use this one all by himself and serve with a lightly dressed arugula salad for good measure.

Two-year Wisconsin cheddar

Many aged cheeses can be too dry to melt properly, but not block cheddar. These are aged in Cryovac plastic, which allows them to retain most of their moisture and prevent a rind from forming. A two-year Wisconsin Cheddar brings sharp, tangy flavours while also melting into liquid gold. By the way, here’s a little Cheddar trivia for you: The only difference between white and orange styles is the addition of food coloring.

Chällerhocker

A lot of people love adding Gruyère as an economical way to pack in some sweet, nutty flavour. If you’re looking to ball out even harder, get yourself a wedge of the super rich and meaty Chällerhocker, a decadent cheese from Switzerland. It packs intense flavours of caramelized onions, toasted hazelnuts, and stewed beef. It’s also insanely delicious with pickled brussel sprouts if you’re looking for a garnish.

Drunken Goat

This semi-firm goat cheese is ideal for anyone who thinks they don’t like goat cheese. It tastes similar to a manchego, but with that bright white colour and slightly tangy, subtle sweet flavour that you often find in aged goat’s milk varieties. It’s also bathed in red wine, which adds a boozy and fruity flavour.

These cheeses bring extra creaminess to the cheese sauce. Add them before the melting cheeses.

Double cream brie

Many recipes recommend adding cream cheese to thicken the cheese sauce, but I prefer to add double cream brie. It’s just as smooth and velvety, but brings a stronger, slightly mushroom-like flavour. Take off the rind and cut into chunks before adding. If you want a little extra oomph, use taleggio instead.

Blue cheese

The right blue can bring an amazing funky quality to your cheese sauce. Use with a milder base, like havarti or gouda, and sprinkle some large crumbles on top. Creamier blues like French Saint Agur melt decently, whereas firmer ones like gorgonzola keep their shape while adding a pop of flavour. Either style is especially heavenly with a handful of caramelized onions swirled in.

Goat cheese

Fresh goat cheese will turn your sauce into a liquid cream dream with a tantalising tang. I recommend getting freaky with the bevy of flavoured goat cheeses on the market, like jalapeño or chive. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, mascarpone or even Boursin have a similar effect.

American

I dare you to judge me, haters. A little processed cheese can add unbeatable and irresistible creaminess to your cheese sauce. The chemical salts in American cheese prevent it from separating, resulting in the silkiest texture known to man when melted. Velveeta works great, or just chop up a few Kraft singles and watch the magic happen. If you’re the type of person to break cheese sauce after cheese sauce, just opt for American and save yourself from heartache.

These babies don’t melt, but they bring a layer of crust and complexity to your mac. Add them to the cheese sauce right at the end, or crumble on top just before baking.

Feta

Even though it’s a high-moisture cheese, feta doesn’t melt because its matrix of proteins is too tight to soften and liquify properly. It does, however, bring a briny tang when crumbled on top-along with oregano, and maybe some chopped olives if you’re feeling freaky.

Mimolette

This flirty Frenchie is basically autumn’s “it” cheese. With its glowing orange hue and butterscotch-like flavour, it’s as comforting as that first PSL of the season. That being said, Mimolette is just begging to be grated into a pile of butter-toasted breadcrumbs to go atop your mac. Go heavy handed with this one you won’t regret it.

Truffle pecorino

Sometimes (or maybe always), you just need to embrace the earthy, inundating sensation of black truffles in your mac. Pecorinos are Italian sheep’s milk cheeses with rich, sweet, and nutty flavours, which act as a perfect foil to the savoriness of truffles. Most are too firm to melt, but they are simply amazing when grated atop and baked ’til brown and bubbly.

Erika Kubick is a monger-turned-cheese preacher devoted to turning on cheese lovers through her blog, Cheese Sex Death. Take yourself to #CheeseChurch and follow her at @cheesesexdeath.