Easy Creamy Mac and Cheese
If you love creamy mac and cheese, this is the recipe for you! It’s rich, delicious, and thanks to a simple homemade cheese sauce, it’s on your table in under 30 minutes. The secret to this mac and cheese recipe is cream cheese. A small amount adds a subtle tang and keeps your sauce unbelievably smooth. We love macaroni and cheese around here! When I’m not making this stovetop version, I love classic baked mac and cheese, or a fall-inspired meal, try pumpkin mac and cheese. Key Ingredients Pasta: I use pasta with nooks and crannies since they do a great job of holding onto our creamy sauce. Elbow macaroni and shells are great options. Butter and Flour: The combination of butter and flour thickens the creamy cheese sauce. You’ll cook them together on the stove and then add the milk. The mixture thickens, and you can add your cheese. Easy! Milk: I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk in this mac and cheese recipe. Warming the milk before adding it to the butter and flour helps the sauce stay creamy. Cheese: I love white cheddar cheese for macaroni and cheese. It’s flavorful and melts beautifully. I also prefer to grate the cheese myself. It melts so much better than the bags of pre-shredded cheese. You can experiment with different cheeses in the recipe below. Another favorite (but a splurge) is Gruyere. I’ve also made this with half cheddar and half Monterey Jack and loved it. Adding a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the end is a great way to add some more flavor, too! Cream Cheese: Here’s my secret ingredient for the creamiest mac and cheese. It adds a lovely, silky texture to the sauce. You don’t need much, but it really makes a difference. Mustard: This is optional, but if you have issues with a grainy sauce, adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a bit of dry mustard can help emulsify the cheese into a smooth sauce. Pasta: I use pasta with nooks and crannies since they do a great job of holding onto our creamy sauce. Elbow macaroni and shells are great options. Butter and Flour: The combination of butter and flour thickens the creamy cheese sauce. You’ll cook them together on the stove and then add the milk. The mixture thickens, and you can add your cheese. Easy! Milk: I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk in this mac and cheese recipe. Warming the milk before adding it to the butter and flour helps the sauce stay creamy. Cheese: I love white cheddar cheese for macaroni and cheese. It’s flavorful and melts beautifully. I also prefer to grate the cheese myself. It melts so much better than the bags of pre-shredded cheese. You can experiment with different cheeses in the recipe below. Another favorite (but a splurge) is Gruyere. I’ve also made this with half cheddar and half Monterey Jack and loved it. Adding a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the end is a great way to add some more flavor, too! Cream Cheese: Here’s my secret ingredient for the creamiest mac and cheese. It adds a lovely, silky texture to the sauce. You don’t need much, but it really makes a difference. Mustard: This is optional, but if you have issues with a grainy sauce, adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a bit of dry mustard can help emulsify the cheese into a smooth sauce. My Tips for Making Mac and Cheese This macaroni and cheese recipe works as a stovetop mac and cheese, as shown in our photos, or baked in the oven. Here are a few tips for making it the best: Tip 1: Slightly undercook your pasta. Undercooking your pasta by a minute or two prevents it from getting too soft and mushy. The macaroni will finish cooking in the cheese sauce. Tip 2: Shred your own cheese. I know this is annoying, because the bags are so convenient, but block cheese that you have grated yourself melts so much more nicely into the sauce than the bags of shredded cheese sold in stores. These bags usually contain anti-caking ingredients that don’t always mix well with our mac and cheese sauce. Tip 3: Have fun with the cheeses. You can use one or more cheeses for this recipe. I love using white cheddar cheese as my main cheese but, I love adding one or two other cheeses to make the sauce more interesting. Parmesan cheese is perfect adds a nice backbone to the sauce, and Gruyere adds nuttiness and a little sweetness. If you love boxed mac and cheese, consider a few slices of American cheese, which you can use instead of the cream cheese, since they achieve the same creamy texture (like when making queso). Tip 4: Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. When you first combine the macaroni with the sauce, it will look like there’s too much sauce. Give it a minute, though, and you’ll see that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. What to Serve With Mac and Cheese This is my easy, weeknight mac and cheese recipe. I love that you can make it on the stove in under 30 minutes. Because of this, I usually serve it with simple sides like a salad, roasted broccolini or broccoli, or these garlic roasted green beans. It’s also excellent for potlucks and get-togethers. You can make it on the stovetop and place it into a slow cooker on the warm function. Serve it next to pulled pork, oven-baked ribs, meatloaf, Italian meatballs, and roast turkey. Easy Creamy Mac and Cheese PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 30 mins PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 30 mins This is our quick and easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe. It’s extra saucy and very creamy. It’s made on the stovetop and does not require any baking. That’s not to say that you could not bake it. We’ve shared how in the recipe below. Cream cheese is optional but adds tanginess and even more creaminess to the sauce. *In the video, we add the cream cheese after the cheddar, but since sharing and testing again, we now prefer to the cream cheese before the cheddar. Also, we use slightly different amounts of butter, flour, and milk. Since posting that video, we received feedback that there was too much sauce, and after testing it ourselves, we agreed, so we’ve adjusted the recipe below. The method is the same, so you can still use the video as a guide! 8 Servings Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 1 pound dried pasta like elbow macaroni, shells or penne (450g) 4 cups milk, whole milk is best (945ml) 4 tablespoons butter (56g) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (24g) ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for cooking pasta ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional ⅛ teaspoon mustard powder, like Coleman’s, optional 2 ounces cream cheese, softened, optional (56g) 1 pound cheese, shredded, 4 cups, try sharp white cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or American (450g) 1 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, ½ cup, optional (28g) Directions 1Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon of salt in the water). Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, but cook for 1 minute less than the package suggests. Save 1 cup of starchy pasta water, drain the pasta, and then rinse with cool water so it stops cooking. Set aside. 2Warm milk: Warm the milk in a small saucepan, turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside. 3Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk it into the butter (it will be thick). Continue to whisk until it smells toasted and looks light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. 4While whisking, pour in a third of the warm milk. Whisk until smooth (it will thicken), then whisk in another third until smooth, and finally whisk in the rest. Continue to cook, constantly whisking until the sauce begins to simmer and thickens (the sauce only thickens after it has reached a simmer). Simmer for about 1 minute. 5Season the sauce with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, nutmeg (optional), and mustard powder (optional). 6Turn the heat to low, then stir in the cream cheese. When the cream cheese is mostly melted into the sauce, stir in the shredded cheese a handful at a time until it melts into the sauce. Taste, and then season with more salt and black pepper (I usually add 1/4 teaspoon or more of salt). If the flavor does not pop, add a bit more salt. 7To finish: Stir in the drained and rinsed pasta. It may look like there is too much sauce, don’t worry. The pasta absorbs the extra moisture as it sits. Take the pot off the heat, then cover with a lid. Leave for 5 minutes, stir once more, and then serve. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to thin it out slightly (I love to do this when it’s been sitting for a bit). 1Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon of salt in the water). Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, but cook for 1 minute less than the package suggests. Save 1 cup of starchy pasta water, drain the pasta, and then rinse with cool water so it stops cooking. Set aside. 2Warm milk: Warm the milk in a small saucepan, turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside. 3Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk it into the butter (it will be thick). Continue to whisk until it smells toasted and looks light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. 4While whisking, pour in a third of the warm milk. Whisk until smooth (it will thicken), then whisk in another third until smooth, and finally whisk in the rest. Continue to cook, constantly whisking until the sauce begins to simmer and thickens (the sauce only thickens after it has reached a simmer). Simmer for about 1 minute. 5Season the sauce with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, nutmeg (optional), and mustard powder (optional). 6Turn the heat to low, then stir in the cream cheese. When the cream cheese is mostly melted into the sauce, stir in the shredded cheese a handful at a time until it melts into the sauce. Taste, and then season with more salt and black pepper (I usually add 1/4 teaspoon or more of salt). If the flavor does not pop, add a bit more salt. 7To finish: Stir in the drained and rinsed pasta. It may look like there is too much sauce, don’t worry. The pasta absorbs the extra moisture as it sits. Take the pot off the heat, then cover with a lid. Leave for 5 minutes, stir once more, and then serve. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to thin it out slightly (I love to do this when it’s been sitting for a bit). Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake, covered, in a 350°F oven for about an hour. Or thaw overnight and gently reheat on the stove (if it seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of extra milk). Save your pasta water! I always save 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining my pasta. As macaroni and cheese sits, it thickens, so I love stirring in some pf the pasta water to loosen it (I’ve added the whole cup before, but use what you need to get your desired consistency). Less sauce: Some of our readers prefer this recipe with less sauce. Make the recipe as stated, and then remove 1 to 2 cups of the cheese sauce before mixing in your pasta. You can adjust with more sauce as you need it. You can store the leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat and serve with veggies. To bake the mac and cheese: After adding the pasta to the cheese sauce, spoon it into a large baking dish, scatter over some breadcrumbs (optional), and add more shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 375°F (190°C) oven until bubbling and browned on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Recipe update: We adjusted the thickness and amount of sauce this recipe makes as many of our readers shared they felt it was too much. (We now call for 4 cups instead of 5 cups of milk and reduced the amount of butter and flour required for the roux). This is still a thick, creamy sauce! The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake, covered, in a 350°F oven for about an hour. Or thaw overnight and gently reheat on the stove (if it seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of extra milk). Save your pasta water! I always save 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining my pasta. As macaroni and cheese sits, it thickens, so I love stirring in some pf the pasta water to loosen it (I’ve added the whole cup before, but use what you need to get your desired consistency). Less sauce: Some of our readers prefer this recipe with less sauce. Make the recipe as stated, and then remove 1 to 2 cups of the cheese sauce before mixing in your pasta. You can adjust with more sauce as you need it. You can store the leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat and serve with veggies. To bake the mac and cheese: After adding the pasta to the cheese sauce, spoon it into a large baking dish, scatter over some breadcrumbs (optional), and add more shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 375°F (190°C) oven until bubbling and browned on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Recipe update: We adjusted the thickness and amount of sauce this recipe makes as many of our readers shared they felt it was too much. (We now call for 4 cups instead of 5 cups of milk and reduced the amount of butter and flour required for the roux). This is still a thick, creamy sauce! The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/8 of the recipe / Calories 571 / Total Fat 31.9g / Saturated Fat 18.2g / Cholesterol 89.6mg / Sodium 564.7mg / Carbohydrate 48.7g / Dietary Fiber 2g / Total Sugars 2.3g / Protein 21.8g AUTHOR: Adam Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us