Stovetop Mac and Cheese, creamy

This is the creamiest, cheesiest stovetop mac and cheese you'll ever eat! Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s the reliable weeknight recipe. Whether you make a meal out of it or serve it alongside your favorite entree, this simple macaroni and cheese will become your go-to.

A big bowl of macaroni and cheese ranks right up there with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for us when it comes to comfort food. Our go-to recipe is our favorite baked mac and cheese version - we love the buttery crumb topping and crusted bits of macaroni and cheese around the edges! And, of course, we turn to our beloved slow cooker mac and cheese when feeding a crowd.

However, there is something that feels so good about scooping creamy mac and cheese out of a pot on the stove. It took us what felt like eons to nail this recipe, but we're convinced that this might be THE creamiest and cheesiest stovetop recipe EVER. Case closed.

Simple Ingredients

This is an incredibly simple, basic cheese sauce made with butter, flour, milk, and cheese, but the ratios result in one HECK of a cheese sauce. It's thick and cheesy, which basically equates to perfection when you're talking about macaroni and cheese. Here is what we use:

• Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the classic mac and cheese shape, but any other short noodle will work like small shells, cavatappi, gemelli, campanelle, or radiator.
• Unsalted Butter + All-Purpose Flour: The combination of these creates a roux, which thickens the cheese sauce.
• Milk: The base of the cheese sauce! We recommend using whole milk for a richer, thicker sauce, but 2% will also work.
• Cheese: We use a combination of American and cheddar cheeses for a classic, creamy flavor. However, you can play around with other varieties, such as white cheddar, Muenster, gruyere, fontina, gouda, colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, etc. Also be sure to buy your cheese in a block (and slices of American cheese) and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent it from clumping, but this also prevents it from melting well and can cause your macaroni and cheese to be grainy.

Ways to change it

Our favorite way to enjoy macaroni and cheese is with a simple grind of fresh pepper on top, but there are countless ways you can modify the recipe. Aside from changing up the cheeses (see some ideas in the “Ingredients” section above), below are other ways you can customize the recipe:

• Add Meat – Chopped-up ham, bacon, turkey, or even cut-up pork chops!
• Add Veggies – Onions and peppers for a southwestern flair; broccoli florets, cauliflower, mushrooms, and spinach are all great options, too.
• Add Seasonings – While we keep the recipe pretty plain, feel free to add extra flavor by using garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc.
• Add a Topping – Crush up some Ritz crackers or toast some panko breadcrumbs in butter and sprinkle on top of each serving.

Keeping leftovers

• Make-Ahead – You can shred your cheese ahead of time and store it in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before you prepare the mac and cheese.
• Storage – Store the prepared mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat – This reheats like a DREAM! Simply re-warm in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove; while it stays nice and creamy, you can always add a splash of milk when reheating if you think it needs to smooth out a bit.
• Freezing – This mac and cheese freezes beautifully. Store in an airtight ziploc bag (or airtight container) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

While we wholeheartedly believe that mac and cheese can be a bona fide main dish, it is most often served as a side dish. The following are great pairings for creamy mac and cheese:

• Classic Meatloaf
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket
• Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
• From-scratch Fish Sticks

Watch the Recipe Video

• Yield: 8 to 10 servings
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• ½ cup ( 113 g ) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup ( 49 g ) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups ( 1200 ml ) whole milk
• 24 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces American cheese, sliced and chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box, then drain; set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture is a light golden brown color and beginning to emit a nutty smell.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
4. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, whisking well after each addition and not adding more until the previous handful is fully melted and incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of macaroni. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the classic mac and cheese shape, but any other short noodle will work like small shells, cavatappi, gemelli, campanelle, or radiatore.

Milk: we recommend using whole milk for a richer, thicker sauce, but 2% will also work.

Cheese: You can substitute other cheeses, such as white cheddar, Muenster, gruyere, fontina, gouda, colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, etc. Also, be sure to buy your cheese in a block (and slices of American cheese) and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent it from clumping, but this also prevents it from melting well and can cause your macaroni and cheese to be grainy.

Add Meat - Chopped-up ham, bacon, turkey, or even cut-up pork chops!

Add Veggies - Onions and peppers for a southwestern flair; broccoli florets, cauliflower, mushrooms, and spinach are all great options, too.

Add Seasonings - While we keep the recipe pretty plain, feel free to add extra flavor by using garlic powder, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc.

Add a Topping - Crush up some Ritz crackers or toast some panko breadcrumbs in butter and sprinkle on top of each serving.

Make-Ahead - You can shred your cheese ahead of time and store it in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before you prepare the mac and cheese.

Storage - Store the prepared mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat - This reheats like a DREAM! Simply re-warm in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove; while it stays nice and creamy, you can always add a splash of milk when reheating if you think it needs to smooth out a bit.

Freezing - This mac and cheese freezes beautifully. Store in an airtight ziploc bag (or airtight container) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.