Simple Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is our favourite consolation meals. And whereas we love the nostalgia of that orange mac n cheese in a blue field, typically you need the actual deal. Our recipe is made with actual cheese, and it doesn’t that rather more work than making it from a field! We promise, it’s value it!

Make it a meal and serve with these scrumptious Crockpot Ribs and a few Coleslaw.

Why My Recipe

Takes only a few extra minutes than the boxed stuff—and tastes 100 instances higher.
Made with actual cheese for a brilliant creamy, flavorful sauce.
Follow sharp cheddar or combine it up along with your favourite cheeses.

An overhead image of creamy Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese in a cast iron pan.

This recipe is ideal for busy weeknights, choosy eaters, or anybody who simply desires a bowl of basic mac and cheese made proper. Sharp cheddar provides you that basic taste, however you too can mess around with different cheeses relying on what’s in your fridge. It’s quick, straightforward, and far more scrumptious than something that comes from a field.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese.

Elbow Macaroni: Traditional and dependable, however you may swap in shells, cavatappi, penne, or some other related small pasta form.
Salted Butter: If utilizing unsalted butter, simply add an additional pinch of salt to the sauce.
All-Function Flour: This helps thicken the cheese sauce. You’ll want to whisk it effectively with the butter to keep away from any lumps.
Onion Powder: Provides taste with out precise onions. Don’t skip it. It makes a distinction.
Floor Mustard: This enhances the cheese taste. You should use 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard as an alternative.
Salt: Begin with 1 teaspoon and alter to style after including the cheese.
White Pepper: Retains the sauce trying clean with out black flecks, however you need to use black pepper whether it is what you’ve.
Milk: Entire milk provides the creamiest outcome, however 2% or 1% nonetheless works nice.
Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded melts greatest. See our cheese swap observe for extra concepts.

Utilizing Pre-Shredded Cheese

We get it, typically grabbing a bag of pre-shredded cheese is simply simpler. And sure, it would work on this recipe! Simply know that pre-shredded cheeses are coated with anti-clumping brokers like potato starch, cellulose, or natamycin. These components can mess a bit with how easily the cheese melts, so your sauce may not prove fairly as silky.

For the creamiest, dreamiest mac and cheese, freshly shredded cheese is the way in which to go. But when pre-shredded is what you’ve obtained, go forward and use it. Your mac and cheese will nonetheless be scrumptious.

Different Cheese Choices

Sharp cheddar is a basic for a motive, however you don’t must cease there. This recipe works with all types of cheese, so be happy to get artistic along with your cheese selections. Simply follow ones that soften effectively. Nobody desires a bizarre, clumpy sauce.

Gouda, gruyère, fontina, provolone, and mozzarella are all nice choices. Even brie or goat cheese can work if you wish to be fancy. Need to follow cheddar however change it up? Attempt a pointy white cheddar for one thing just a bit totally different. Combine and match to search out your favourite combo!

Once I need to get actually fancy, one among my favourite mixtures is cheddar, goat cheese, brie, and smoked provolone, which I take advantage of in my gourmet mac and cheese.

A spoon in a bowl of creamy Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese.

Chef’s Secret: Scorching Sauce

Right here’s a trick straight from professional cooks. Add a touch of sizzling sauce to your cheese sauce. It doesn’t make it spicy, we promise! We’ve served it this technique to actually a whole lot of youngsters and we’ve by no means had a criticism about it being spicy. It simply bumps up the cheese taste and makes every little thing style somewhat higher.

For this recipe, you may add about 4 dashes of Tabasco or 2 tablespoons of Frank’s Crimson Scorching once you pour within the milk. It’s a small step that makes an enormous distinction, particularly if you happen to’re utilizing milder cheeses. Give it a try to you may by no means skip it once more. My children can all the time inform if I do!

Storage & Reheating Directions

Retailer leftovers within the fridge in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Be certain it’s absolutely cooled earlier than sealing it up.

Reheat in a saucepan on the range over low warmth till heated by. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to a serving to deliver again some creaminess.

Reheat within the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between to assist it warmth evenly. You possibly can add 1 tablespoon of milk to a serving to assist deliver again a number of the creaminess.

Extra mac and cheese goodness…

Watch the video beneath the place Rachel will stroll you thru each step of this recipe. Typically it helps to have a visible, and we’ve all the time obtained you coated with our cooking present. You’ll find the whole assortment of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or proper right here on our web site with their corresponding recipes.

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