This homemade mac and cheese is creamy, rich and the ultimate comfort food! It’s made with simple ingredients in just 25 minutes from start to finish.
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Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese
My slow cooker mac and cheese has been a long time favorite, but I also loving making this stove top version when I want it done quicker. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and tastes just as delicious. I bet you already have most of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
Nothing screams comfort food like a bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese. When the craving hits, it can be tempting to just make a box of Kraft on the stove. But this homemade mac and cheese recipe is almost just as easy and tastes so much better!
The noodles are tender and the cheese sauce is perfectly creamy and rich. It’s made with two different types of cheese, which boosts the flavor even more. It tastes like the gourmet kind that you order from a fancy restaurant! Take it up a notch and make this baked macaroni and cheese.
How to make Homemade Mac and Cheese
- NOODLES. Cook the elbow noodles in a pot of boiling water until tender. Then drain and set aside.
- ROUX. Start making the roux by melting the butter in a large pot, then mix in the flour. Keep stirring the mixture over medium-low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- SAUCE. Then whisk in the milk and mustard. Once the mixture is simmering, remove from heat and add in the cheese. Stir until the consistency is smooth and the cheese has melted completely. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cooked noodles and then serve while warm!
Cooking Tips
- Best cheese to use. I like to use a mix of sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere. You can substitute sharp cheddar for mild, or replace gruyere with jack, colby, fontina or mozzarella. Even using all cheddar tastes great.
- Grate your own cheese. Instead of the pre-shredded bags, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. The bags have extra ingredients added in, which makes it harder for the cheese to melt. Grating your own gives it the perfect texture!
- Salt the water. Add a Tablespoon of kosher salt to the water you cook the noodles in. This helps boost the flavor.
- Hot sauce. If you like heat, mix in a dash of hot sauce right before serving.
- Baked version. Finish the dish off in the oven by making baked macaroni and cheese. Once it’s ready, pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with extra cheese or breadcrumbs. Then bake until golden and bubbly.
- Make it a meal. Mix in some cooked chicken and broccoli right before serving to make this dish a complete meal.
Favorite Meals to Serve with
This homemade macaroni is the perfect addition to any of your favorite comfort meals. We love serving it with the following dishes:
Need more comfort food ideas? Make my homemade pot pie, fried mac and cheese or this easy hamburger casserole!
More Macaroni Recipes
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Homemade Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow noodles (use 2 1/2 cups if using large elbow noodles)
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 3-4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1-2 teaspoons yellow or dijon mustard
- 2-3 cups medium or sharp cheddar cheese (shred from block)
- 1 cup gruyere or jack cheese (shred from block)
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
S&P, to taste
Instructions
- Cook your noodles in a large pot of water according to package. Add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the water. Drain once cooked.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat and then whisk in flour. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring consistently.
- Whisk in milk and mustard. Let come to a simmer and then remove from heat.
- Whisk in the cheeses and stir until smooth and melted. Add in salt and pepper, to taste. You could add a dash of hot sauce if desired as well.
- Add in cooked noodles and stir to combine. Serve while warm.
Notes
- You can also substitute the sharp cheddar cheese for a mild one.
- I love using gruyere as it adds a wonderful flavor and smooth and creamy texture, however you can substitute it for jack, colby, fontina or mozzarella. You could even just use all cheddar if preferred.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving
Super easy, quick, and delicious! So creamy. HAPPILY ate leftovers every day until it was gone!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! :)
On the Mac and Cheese recipe is the yellow mustard or Dijon mustard Called for in the recipe powder or liquid
I use liquid dijon, either works :)
I can’t wait to try this recipe at home, it looks very tasty!
So incredibly creamy, love the two types of cheese in the recipe!
Hi where can I find the other ingredients that used to be part of this recipe?
Salt
Pepper
Garlic salt
??
Thank you so much.
Hi Kim! Salt and pepper is added to taste. There is no garlic salt in this recipe, but you are welcome to add a little if you would like.
Love how easy these macaroni and cheese are to make!
Homemade mac and cheese is the best! This looks so good!
This sounds like something I need to try. I really like
Now, this recipe will be one of my favorites. Looks incredible!
Looks so perfect! Comfort food at it’s best, seriously drooling over this right now!
Nothing beats a good homemade mac and cheese! I wish I had a big plate of it right now!
Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. You totally nailed it with this recipe.
Love a good mac & cheese recipe, especially one that makes a lot! Does this amount fit into a 9X9 pan? I would think it would need at least a 9X13. Thanks for sharing this great looking recipe!
It does fit in a 9×9 pan, but you could put it in a 9×13 pan and just have it be less tall if you prefer! :)
What do you mean for whipping cream?
Whipping cream is also referred to as heavy cream. It’s usually near the milk and other dairy products at the grocery store. I hope this helps!
Oooh, Yummy! You’ve given me an idea for supper, tonight. We’ve had some cold, wintry weather the past few days. Always interested in perfecting my go-to mac & cheese recipee Also, thanks for the great cookie ideas recently. I’ve found some new favorites including the Pistachio Cherry Meltaways — a real hit at a cookie walk. I may add a few chocolate jimmies or mini chocolate chips to the batter next time, as this reminds me of another pistachio treat made with the jimmies.
Homemade mac & cheese is an essential in our house! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Those pistachio cookies are delicious…I’m sure they would be even better with chocolate in them! Good idea!