Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Is it because we have fond memories of the Blue Box as a kid? Possibly. Is it the irresistible cheesiness? Most definitely. While the Blue Box was great back in the day, our tastes have matured to move away from the store-bought mac and cheese. If you’ve never had made-from-scratch mac and cheese, you are in for a serious treat. We know parents and kids will agree that the real cheddar cheese in this creamy sauce just can’t be beaten.
Why Our Recipe
- Ready in about 15 minutes (depending on how long it takes you to boil water).
- Can use sharp cheddar or switch things up with other melting cheeses.
White Pepper vs. Black Pepper:
White pepper and black pepper are both the fruit of the pepper plant. They are processed differently which causes the change in color, and end up tasting slightly different. White pepper is hotter than black pepper, but black pepper has a more complex flavor. White pepper tends to have more floral and earthy notes to it.
Pasta Options for Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese:
Mac and cheese traditionally uses macaroni, but you really can use almost any small, tube-shaped pasta. Cavatappi, shells, farfalle, and penne are all other great pasta options.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
Pre-shredded cheeses are mixed with either potato starch, powdered cellulose, and natamycin, or a combination of the three to prevent clumping. These agents have an impact on how the cheese melts. The best mac and cheese uses freshly shredded cheese as it melts better, but pre-shredded cheese can also be used in a pinch. The results may not be as velvety smooth, but it’ll still taste delicious.
More Than Just Cheddar
Classic mac and cheese is made with a good sharp cheddar cheese, but you can also switch things up and use another kind of cheese, or a combination of cheeses. You want to be sure that whatever cheese you use is a good melting cheese. Gouda, brie, provolone, goat cheese, mozzarella, gruyere, fontina, and asiago cheese are all commonly found cheeses that are good for melting. For a fun twist on cheddar, try a sharp white cheddar cheese!
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a scant amount of water to the saucepan to thin out the sauce.
More cheesy pasta…
Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo
25 mins
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
30 mins
Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini
50 mins
3 Cheese Chicken Cavatappi
30 mins
Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.
Absolutely amazing ! My whole family loved it.
I agree with other poster. This is a terrific recipe. I didn’t change anything and it was a huge hit!
This was so good and very easy to make. Family loved it!
Really liked the creaminess and texture however too much onion for my taste . Next time I’ll put less.
Agree! It was really nice and creamy but holy onion! I would cut it to half a tsp. It should kick up the cheesy flavor, not overwhelm it.
next time I will leave it out. I love herbs and spices but didn’t like the onion flavor here. to each his (or her) own!
For the first time ever I made the perfect creamy gooey mac & cheese! When I tell you that members of my family are mac & cheese fanatics I am not exaggerating! I consider myself a pretty decent cook, but for whatever reason. I have never been able to master mac & cheese, I mean never, cause believe me I have tried. It was either too dry, too gritty, too bland you name it, it was always “meh “at best. Thank you for this amazing and easy recipe. Don’t change a thing. I used the Trader Joes combo gruyere and cheddar. Perfection! Finally! Thank you!
Could I make the sauce ahead of time and reheat it?
We do not recommend that.
This is very near my recipe for our family’s creamy Mac n’ cheese, except we like the macaroni to be tender. Not al debate.
I would never have thought of mustard and onion powder but it should kick up the flavour. When I was a kid mom used to put drained stewed tomatoes in the mac and cheese, put it in a cassorole with ground saltines and shredded cheese on the top and bake for half an hour. It was good.
That sounds yummy!! I will defer trying this for my kiddos!! Thank you
My mom sometimes added tomatoes, too, instead of milk.
I have never heard of putting mustard in Mac n cheese. Do u taste it because some of my crew would not eat it if it has a strong mustardy taste.
It’s very common as it enhances the flavor of the cheese without giving a mustardy taste.
I always put dry mustard in mac and cheese even if the recipe didn’t call for it. Yum!
Excellent!!