Mac and Cheese · Creamy Stovetop
Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Silky, cheesy and ready in 25 minutes, this is homemade mac and cheese for weeknights. A simple cheese sauce coats every noodle, no oven required.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water
Cheese sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp dry mustard powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
- 2 oz Monterey Jack or American cheese, grated or torn
Steps
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the salt and cook the macaroni until just al dente. Drain.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until it smells toasty but hasn't browned.
- Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time so no lumps form. Add the mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Cook, whisking often and scraping the corners, until the sauce bubbles gently and thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheese a handful at a time until smooth. Adding cheese off the heat keeps the sauce from turning grainy.
- Stir in the drained macaroni. If it's thicker than you like, loosen with a splash of milk. Serve right away.
Tip: Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking powder that can make sauce gritty. Grate your own from a block.
Tip: Stir in peas, broccoli or diced ham at the end to make it a full meal.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk, stirring, until hot.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 630 calories · protein 28 g · carbohydrates 53 g · fiber 2 g · sugars 8 g · fat 34 g (saturated 19 g) · sodium 730 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.