This simple recipe for Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese is a spectacular, creamy, cheesy one-pot dish! Serve with my Perfect Garlic Bread or Seasoned Baked Potato Wedges for the perfect comfort food combination.
Mac and cheese – The epitome of comfort food!
I’ve been making this dish for so long that it never occurred to me that it would be worth sharing. I thought it was just an everyday dish until I had a friend over for a casual dinner with the kids and she raved about it and insisted I include it on this site.
Why This Recipe Works
- The combination of cheeses gives the perfect blend of creaminess and flavor.
- The Mustard Powder adds a little kick of extra flavor.
- Making it on the stovetop keeps things nice and simple.
How do you make homemade mac and cheese easy?
The simple answer? Skip the oven and make it a one-pot dish! I make the pasta in the pot, drain it, make the sauce, mix it together and it’s on the table in no time!
I just love how easy this recipe is to make. You’d think something so easy couldn’t end up so rich and flavorful! Once you try this, you won’t buy a box mix again!
What Cheese is Used for Mac and Cheese?
You can use whatever cheese you like best! For my recipe, I use Cheddar, Gouda, and Parmesan. Cheddar is the classic flavor, but I like the peppery taste of the Gouda and the sharpness you get with the Parmesan. It’s the perfect marriage of Creamy, flavorsome indulgence!
That said if swiss cheese is your thing – go for it! Love the mild creaminess of Mozzarella – What’s stopping you? Hey, use Velveeta! I won’t judge!
Just make sure you use cheeses that melt well and you can swap them out like for like in the recipe.
How to Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Cook the pasta about a minute less than to the package instructions (you want it just underdone), drain well, and set aside.
In a medium saucepan melt the butter and then add in the flour and mustard powder. Mix well to form a paste (this is called a roux).
While mixing constantly, slowly pour in the milk.
Let cook until it’s smooth and thick. Mix in the Parmesan cheese
Add in the cheddar and Gouda cheeses.
Mix until melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the pasta and coat well, allow to cook until the pasta is finished cooking.
Serve with fresh ground pepper.
For an extra cheesy dish, mix in some extra shredded cheese when serving.
Cook’s Tips:
- Salt your pasta water well. The best cheese sauce in the world can’t make up for bland pasta.
- Choose a pasta shape that will have plenty of areas to catch the sauce.
- Be sure not to overcook the pasta. You want it with a little bite to it instead of soft.
- When making your white sauce, cook the flour well, stir constantly, and don’t allow the milk to boil.
- Swap out the cheeses for any cheese you like that melts well.
- For an extra cheesy dish, mix in some extra shredded cheese when serving.
What You can Add to Mac and Cheese to Make it Better:
It’s hard to improve on mac and cheese, but here are just a few suggestions you can easily add to make it even better!
- Chopped Bacon (because what’s not better with bacon?)
- Steamed Broccoli
- Tabasco Sauce or Hot Sauce
- Sauteed Garlic
- Hamburger Meat
FAQs
Can you freeze Mac and Cheese?
To freeze Mac and Cheese, cook the pasta until just underdone, drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add a half cup of cooled cheese sauce to every cup of pasta, coat evenly and pack in an airtight container or a freezer bag.
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Let's Make
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of your choice
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons Flour
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Powder
- 4 cups Milk
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 1 cup Gouda Cheese Shredded
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta about a minute less than to the package instructions (you want it just underdone), drain well and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter and then mix in the flour and mustard powder to form a paste. While mixing constantly, slowly pour in the milk until smooth and it starts to thicken.
- Mix in the Parmesan cheese until combined.
- Mix in the cheddar and Gouda cheese until melted.
- Add the salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix in the pasta until well coated and serve.
Tips + Notes
- Salt your pasta water well. The best cheese sauce in the world can't make p for bland pasta.
- Choose a pasta shape that will have plenty of areas to catch the sauce.
- Be sure not to overcook the pasta. You want it with a little bite to it instead of soft.
- When making your white sauce, cook the flour well, stir constantly, and don't allow the milk to boil.
- Swap out the cheeses for any cheese you like that melts well.
- For an extra cheesy dish, mix in some extra shredded cheese when serving.
Can you freeze Mac and Cheese?
To freeze Mac and Cheese, cook the pasta until just underdone, drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add a half cup of cooled cheese sauce to every cup of pasta, coat evenly and pack in an airtight container or a freezer bag.Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2014, but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in January of 2019.
Kim says
I pinned this a few years ago and my family loved it! I made it so much had it memorized. I just logged in because I haven’t made it in about a year and its definitely a different recipe that whst I had pinned and then I saw you updated the recipe. Can you send me the original please? I’m sure this is good but we loved the original. Thanks
Erren Hart says
Sure! I’ll email it to the email address you provided!