Homemade Mac and Cheese

It’s amazingly delicious on its own, straight off the stovetop, and I included a list of fun add-ins and other ways you can make it your own. All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious. “I have tried so many Mac and cheese recipes and my kids haven’t liked a single one.

I gave this one a try tonight and they all came back for seconds. We will definitely be adding it to our method book.”

Cheesy Homemade Mac and Cheese

For this extra cheesy homemade mac and cheese recipe, I used slightly more roux, lots of seasonings, and added about 30% more cheese than I generally do to my simple stovetop macaroni and cheese recipes.

The thicker sauce and extra cheese made this recipe so lusciously creamy and cheesy that I couldn’t stop sneaking forkfuls between photographs. AND the best part is that it even stays smooth and creamy when reheated in the microwave. Mac and cheese heaven! 🙌 , We also have instructions for baked mac and cheese in the method card if you want to give that a try!

Recipe Success Tips

- Cheddar is probably the best cheese for macaroni and cheese, with sharp cheddar providing the most pronounced savor.

But feel free to mix things up! Sometimes I’ll pair the cheddar with one or two of these if I have them: Parmesan, Gruyere, smoked gouda, chevre, cream cheese, brie, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack.

- Use block cheese for the creamiest sauce. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it from melting smoothly, which is the biggest reason mac and cheese turns grainy.

Shredding it yourself takes a minute but makes all the difference. - Keep the roux-to-milk ratio steady. Using 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour to 2 cups (500ml) of milk gives you a dependable base (a roux) that thickens in about 5 minutes.

Heat is what activates the roux, so be patient during this step! I pour in a little at a time and whisk until it thickens before adding more. This quick step keeps the sauce silky and helps it thicken faster.

- Turn off the heat before adding cheese. Add it by the handful and whisk until it melts.

If it cools too much, warm it gently on low. Keeping it below a simmer (do not let it boil!) prevents the cheese from separating or becoming grainy. - As the noodles sit in the sauce, they will absorb and thicken it.

Add a splash of milk to reach your desired consistency if needed. - Use the stovetop method for an easy win.

The sauce comes together in one pot while the pasta cooks, so you can have dinner on the table in about 20–25 minutes. It’s quick, easy, and doesn’t call for any extra steps unless you want to bake it, of course!

Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe

- 8 oz. (230 g) macaroni (uncooked, $0.49) - 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (30g, $0.03)

- 2 cups (500 ml) whole milk (16 oz. $0.43) - ½ tsp onion powder ($0.02)

- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.02) - ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.04)

- ½ tsp hot sauce ($0.01*) - 2½ cups (280 g) sharp cheddar cheese (shredded, (250g) $2.08**)

- Gather and prepare all components. - Cook the macaroni going to the package directions (boil for 7-8 minutes, or until tender). Drain the macaroni in a colander and set aside.

- Place the butter and flour in a medium pot over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to bubble.

Once bubbling, continue to whisk and cook for one minute. - After cookery the butter and flour roux, slowly whisk in the milk.

I added a few tablespoons at a time, letting each addition thicken before adding more milk. - Cook and whisk over medium heat until the milk gently simmers and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Be patient and let it fully thicken before adding the cheese, or it won’t melt smoothly.

- Once it thickens, turn the burner off. Season the sauce with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

- Add the shredded block cheddar a handful at a time, whisking until each addition melts before adding more. If the sauce cools too much, briefly return it to low heat, but don’t let it boil, or it may separate and turn grainy.

- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir to combine. If your pasta appears to be drowning in cheese, don’t worry!

It’ll be the perfect consistency as the macaroni absorbs the sauce and thickens up.

Baked Mac and Cheese

- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180C/160C fan or Gas Mark 4. - After combining the drained pasta and cheese sauce, transfer it to a casserole dish.

- Top with more shredded cheese, then bake for 15 minutes. - To achieve a golden brown crispy cheese crust, turn on the oven’s broiler for just a few short minutes, watching it closely to prevent burning. See how we calculate method costs here.

How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese step-by-step photos

Gather all your elements.

Cook pasta: Boil 8 oz. of macaroni per to the box directions (boil for 7-8 minutes, or just until tender). Drain the macaroni in a colander and set aside.

Start the cheese sauce: You can start the cheese sauce either while the macaroni is boiling, or wait until it’s draining and just make it in the same pot to save on dishes. Add 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the pot. Make a roux: Place the pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt.

Whisk the butter and flour together as the mixture begins to get bubbly and frothy. Cook and whisk for about one minute after it becomes bubbly. Slowly whisk 2 cups of milk into the butter and flour roux.

Add a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking as the milk begins to heat (keep the pot over medium heat). Let each addition thicken before adding more milk.

Allow the milk to come up to a gentle simmer, whisking often, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Be patient and let it fully thicken before adding the cheese, or it won’t melt smoothly.

Turn the burner off once thickened. Season the sauce: Season the sauce with ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp paprika, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp hot sauce.

Add cheese: Begin adding 2½ cups shredded cheddar to the pot, one handful at a time, whisking until it is completely melted before adding more. If the sauce cools down too much to continue melting the cheese, you can put it over low heat briefly, but avoid allowing the sauce to simmer again.

Overheating cheese sauces will cause them to break and become grainy and oily. Taste and adjust: When all of the cheese is melted into the sauce, the cheese sauce is complete. You can give it a taste at this point and adjust the seasonings if you’d like.

Remember, you want the sauce to be seasoned well since the taste intensity will be diluted a bit once the macaroni is added. Add pasta: Add the cooked and drained macaroni back to the pot and stir to combine with the cheese sauce.

If your pasta appears to be drowning in cheese, don’t worry! It’ll be the perfect consistency soon as the macaroni absorbs the sauce and thickens up. Don’t tell me you don’t want to dive right into that pot and swim around a bit. 😂

This classic stovetop mac and cheese method starts with a roux, which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter). The roux thickens the sauce and helps the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping up as it melts.

While there are ways to make a cheese sauce without a roux, taking this extra step definitely creates the creamiest, dreamiest cheese sauce for this dish. Here’s where the method can get really fun.

In addition to changing the cheeses, you can switch up the herbs and spices, add in some veggies, or your favorite protein to make your own creation. Here are some other fun components to add:

- Proteins: Cooked chicken, bacon, sausage, tuna, ham - Vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, peas, pickled jalapeños, Rotel - Sauces & Condiments: kimchi, pesto, Sriracha, salsa, Buffalo sauce

Mac and cheese makes a super easy dinner when you pair it with simple dishes you can pop in the oven or slow cooker. It goes well with meatloaf (or lentil loaf for a veggie option) and roasted broccoli rounds things out without adding much work.

It’s as well delicious with anything BBQ, like my shredded BBQ chicken. If you’re preparation for the holidays, it in addition pairs well with roast turkey breast!

Storage & Reheating

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

It’ll get a bit thicker the longer it’s stored because the pasta will absorb more of the creamy sauce, but it’s still delicious! I usually reheat it in the microwave until heated through.