Easy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
This stovetop mac and cheese is quick, creamy, and made with a silky homemade cheese sauce. Skip the oven and enjoy real Southern comfort in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni pasta uncooked
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the macaroni noodles and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Once the noodles are done, drain them.
- While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth and slightly bubbly, about 1-2 minutes. This creates the roux for your cheese sauce.
- Slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, while continuing to whisk to prevent clumps from forming. Keep whisking until the mixture is smooth and heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and half ot he gruyere cheese. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to taste. Stir to combine.
- Add the drained macaroni pasta to the sauce and stir until the noodles are fully coated.
- Add the remaining gruyere and the parmesan cheese to the pasta. Stir until the cheese is melted and everything is well combined.
- Serve the mac and cheese hot, and enjoy!
Notes
- When adding the milk to the butter-flour mixture (the roux), pour it in slowly while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. If you find any clumps, continue whisking vigorously, and they'll break down.
- Use freshly grated cheese. Pre-shredded cheese can contain anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. It can give the sauce a gritty texture.
- If your sauce feels too thick after adding the cheese, you can thin it out by adding a splash more milk until you reach the consistency that you like.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 608IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 389mg | Iron: 1mg