Creamy Mac and Cheese Recipe (Stovetop Cheddar Macaroni, No Flour Lumps)
Creamy mac and cheese recipe with a silky sharp cheddar sauce, made on the stovetop in 25 minutes. Plus an optional crunchy baked topping.
This creamy mac and cheese recipe gives you elbow pasta coated in a smooth, sharp cheddar sauce that clings to every bite, all made in one pot and one saucepan in about 25 minutes. It is the comfort food Americans grow up with, from holiday tables in the South to weeknight dinners everywhere, and it tastes far better than the boxed kind with only a few more minutes of work.
Macaroni and cheese has a long history. Baked pasta with cheese appears in medieval Italian and English cookbooks, and the dish became popular in America in the 1800s. James Hemings, the enslaved chef trained in Paris who cooked for Thomas Jefferson, is often credited with helping bring it to American tables, and today it is a staple of Southern soul food and Thanksgiving spreads. The name is simple: macaroni, the Italian word for small tube pasta, cooked with cheese.
The secret to a silky sauce is a light roux and patience. Butter and flour cook for a minute, then warm milk goes in slowly so the sauce thickens without lumps. Taking the pan off the heat before adding the cheese matters most: too much heat makes cheddar split and turn grainy. Grating the cheese yourself also helps, because bagged shredded cheese is coated with starch that keeps it from melting smoothly. A little mustard powder and paprika do not make it taste of mustard; they sharpen the cheese flavour.
Sharp cheddar gives the classic orange colour and tang. For extra stretch mix in Monterey Jack, mozzarella or Gruyère, and a spoon of cream cheese makes it even creamier. Shells or cavatappi work just as well as elbows. For a baked version, pour it into a dish, top with buttered breadcrumbs and grill until crisp.
Serve mac and cheese as a main with a green salad or steamed broccoli, or as a side with fried chicken, barbecue ribs, pulled pork or smoked sausage. Add crisp bacon, jalapeños or hot sauce if you like heat.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/-OSUcdBJWew
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 300 g elbow macaroniSubstitute: cavatappi or small shells
- 45 g butter
- 30 g plain flour
- 600 ml whole milk, warmed
- 120 ml evaporated milkSubstitute: single cream or more milk
- 1 tsp mustard powderSubstitute: 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 250 g sharp cheddar, freshly grated
- 100 g Monterey Jack or mozzarella, freshly gratedSubstitute: Gruyère or more cheddar
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs (optional topping)
- 15 g melted butter (optional topping)
Method
- Boil the pasta. Cook the macaroni in well-salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet says, so it stays slightly firm. Save a mug of pasta water, then drain.
- Make the roux. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until it smells nutty but is still pale.
- Thicken the milk. Slowly pour in the warm milk and evaporated milk, whisking all the time. Keep whisking at a gentle simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Season the sauce. Whisk in the mustard powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Melt in the cheese. Take the pan off the heat and add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each one melts before adding the next. The sauce should be smooth and glossy, never boiling.
- Combine. Tip the drained pasta into the sauce and stir well. If it looks too thick, loosen with a splash of the saved pasta water. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Add a crunchy top (optional). For a baked finish, spoon the mac and cheese into an ovenproof dish, toss the panko with melted butter, scatter it over and grill until golden and crisp.
- Serve hot. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the sauce settles and turns extra creamy, then serve straight away.
Always grate the cheese from a block, because pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy. Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in: boiling makes cheese split into oil and lumps. Undercook the pasta slightly, since it keeps softening in the hot sauce. To reheat leftovers, add a splash of milk and warm gently on the stove, stirring. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cheese for mac and cheese?
Sharp cheddar gives the classic flavour and colour. Mixing it with a good melter such as Monterey Jack, mozzarella or Gruyère makes the sauce creamier and stretchier.
Why is my mac and cheese sauce grainy?
The cheese got too hot or was pre-shredded. Take the pan off the heat before adding freshly grated cheese, and add it a handful at a time.
How do you make mac and cheese creamy and not dry?
Make plenty of sauce, slightly undercook the pasta and add a little evaporated milk. If it thickens while standing, stir in a splash of warm milk or pasta water.
Can I bake this mac and cheese?
Yes. Pour it into a buttered dish, top with buttery breadcrumbs and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 15 minutes, or grill for a few minutes, until golden.
Can I make mac and cheese ahead of time?
You can make it up to a day ahead. Store it covered in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of milk, or bake it with a breadcrumb topping until hot.
How do you pronounce macaroni?
In English it is MAK-uh-ROH-nee. The Italian maccheroni is said mak-keh-ROH-nee.
