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    Home » Main Dish » Stovetop Mac and Cheese

    Stovetop Mac and Cheese

    Published: Aug 25, 2021 · Modified: May 13, 2022 by Jennie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Super creamy and cheesy Stovetop Mac and Cheese. You are going to love this simple one pot recipe, plus it's a hit with the kids! This awesome Macaroni and Cheese takes less than 20 minutes to make!

    Stove Top Mac and Cheese in pan

    Mac and cheese is my kid's all-time favorite food! I mean can you blame them, it's so good! My littlest actually doesn't really love pasta, he is my good eater and could eat fruits and veggies all day long!

    If he does eat pasta though it has to be covered in cheese. My oldest, on the other hand, is more of a boy after my heart and loves pasta.

    We both could eat it in about any form but covered in cheese is definitely our favorite way to eat it. If you love Mac and Cheese as much as we do then check out my other recipes next.

    How to make Stove Top Mac and Cheese?

    Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is a classic recipe that people have been making for years. This recipe is easy to make, and loaded with cheesy creamy goodness.

    And as you all know, I love a great recipe that has easy clean up! So yes, this is another great one pot recipe you all will love!

    Ingredients:

    • Elbow Macaroni
    • Butter
    • Flour
    • Milk (just to taste)
    • Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Directions:

    Step One - Cook macaroni according to box instructions. Drain and set aside.

    • Tip: Try to keep your noodles al dente as they will cook more once mixed in with the cheese.

    Step Two - In a large saucepan melt butter on medium/low heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes.

    melting butter and cheese and milk then adding noodles

    Step Three - Slowly mix in milk and smooth. Add more or less milk to get the thickness of the sauce to how you like it.

    Simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken still whisking occasionally.

    Step Four - Slowly add in cheese about a cup at a time whisking and allowing to melt before adding more. Season cheese sauce with seasoning salt and pepper.

    Add cooked macaroni to the saucepan and mix until well combined and all noodles are coated in cheese.

    stovetop mac and cheese close up

    Step Five - Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Serve and enjoy!

    What are the best cheeses for Mac and Cheese?

    The best cheese for a Macaroni and Cheese honestly is a good Sharp Cheddar. That melted with milk and some salt and pepper makes creamy perfection. There are some other great cheeses for mac and cheese you can use as well!

    1. Cheddar Cheese is definitely the king of cheeses for Mac and Cheese.
    2. Gouda Cheese is a nice rich and classy cheese that melts great!
    3. Cream Cheese is a great addition to add some extra creaminess to your mac and cheese.
    4. Velveeta. While some people do not think Velveeta is a cheese worth using, it provides an almost perfect melt and coating of your noodles. Not to put him on the spot, but this is my husband's favorite kind of mac and cheese.

    Can I use bag shredded cheese for this recipe?

    Bagged shredded cheese is not the best option for Macaroni and Cheese.

    Bagged shredded cheese usually has additives that help the shelf life of shredded cheese last longer.

    You want to use a fresh Cheddar Cheese block and shred it yourself for the best cheese option.

    stove top mac and cheese being scooped out on wooden spoon

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    Stove Top Mac and Cheese

    Stove Top Mac and Cheese

    Jennie Duncan
    Super creamy and cheesy Stovetop Mac and Cheese. You are going to love this simple one pot recipe, plus it's a hit with the kids! This awesome Macaroni and Cheese takes less than 20 minutes to make!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Side
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 652 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound Elbow macaroni
    • ½ cup Butter
    • ⅓ cup Flour
    • 5 cups Milk more or less to taste)
    • 4 cups Cheddar cheese (shredded)
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cook macaroni according to box instructions. Drain and set aside.
    • In a large saucepan melt butter on medium/low heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes.
    • Slowly mix in milk and smooth. Add more or less milk to get the thickness of the sauce to how you like it. Simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken still whisking occasionally.
    • Slowly add in cheese about a cup at a time whisking and allowing to melt before adding more. Season cheese sauce with seasoning salt and pepper. Add cooked macaroni to the saucepan and mix until well combined and all noodles are coated in cheese.
    • Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Tip: Try to keep your noodles al dente as they will cook more once mixed in with the cheese.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2gCalories: 652kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 27gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 667mgPotassium: 389mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1168IUCalcium: 595mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword mac and cheese, Stove Top Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Sue

      January 21, 2023 at 4:16 pm

      I am looking to make a very large batch, feeding about 50-60 people, would it be ok to use half Velvetta and half cheddar on the cheese? Should I do mild or sharp on the cheddar? Thank you

      Reply
      • Jennie

        January 22, 2023 at 2:07 pm

        Honestly, yes that is totally ok. I think sharp cheddar would be better because Velvetta is a more mild flavor already.

        Reply
    2. Donna

      December 29, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      Can you bake the Mac and cheese once you are done with the stovetop cooking? Just to brown the cheese a little?

      Reply
      • Jennie

        January 02, 2023 at 1:48 pm

        You definitely can. I would bake it at 350 for about 10 minutes to brown the top.

        Reply
        • Benilana

          January 09, 2023 at 10:06 pm

          This was really easy & my family loved it! I did add a bit more seasoning (dashes of paprika & chili/garlic/onion/mustard powders) while cooking, but that’s just how I roll. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks!

          Reply
    3. rod

      July 19, 2022 at 10:18 pm

      Tried this and was great, reheat was difficult but a little milk helped the sauce thin out.

      Reply
    4. Pamela

      July 17, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      fantastic. so easy to make and tastes amazing.... thanks

      Reply
      • Jennie

        August 11, 2022 at 7:19 pm

        I am so happy to hear you liked it!

        Reply
    5. Amanda

      May 22, 2022 at 4:01 pm

      I don't have flour do I have to use it

      Reply
    6. Tyneese

      January 07, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      If I don’t have butter, is there something I could use as a substitute?

      Reply
      • Jennie

        January 18, 2022 at 10:41 am

        If you don't have butter you could just skip it. If you would like to substitute it out you can use sour cream, cream cheese, or a little oil.

        Reply
    7. Vicki

      December 31, 2021 at 6:23 pm

      Delicious. Will be my go to recipe from now on

      Reply
    8. Marissa

      December 20, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      Hi, was browsing Google for stovetop mac'n'cheese, and yours looked good - turned out great!! Thanks for the guidance 💕

      Reply
      • Jennie

        December 20, 2021 at 10:42 pm

        So happy to hear you like it! Thank you for the review!

        Reply
    9. Deborah

      October 31, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      Sunday 🏈 , your Mac and cheese, and delicious!
      Had extra cheese & used it for nachos 😋😋!!

      Reply
      • Jennie

        November 01, 2021 at 2:49 pm

        Oh nice! You put it on top of nachos? That sounds amazing!

        Reply
    10. Holly

      December 23, 2019 at 9:35 am

      I’ve made this recipe a handful of times! I do 2c heavy cream and 3c milk! I looooveeee this recipe so much. Makes perfect stove top Mac and Cheese. Sometimes I like to make buffalo chicken tenders, or I cook bratwurst and serve it with it on top. Super tasty! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Jennie

        December 24, 2019 at 11:20 am

        So glad you like it!

        Reply
    11. Tim Araiza

      September 24, 2019 at 10:48 pm

      I’ve made this recipe several times, tonight I had three stripes of left over bacon that I chopped super fine, really good!!!

      Reply
      • Jennie

        September 26, 2019 at 10:03 am

        That sounds good!!

        Reply
        • Lisa

          May 27, 2021 at 6:45 pm

          Recipe was very good, but I needed to add 1.5 cups of cheese to the recipe. Once I added the extra cheese, it was perfect!

          Reply
          • Jennie

            May 27, 2021 at 8:59 pm

            So glad you liked it Lisa! More cheese is always a good thing in my books 😊

          • Maria gonzales

            January 23, 2022 at 9:49 pm

            Can i make it a day ahead of time?

          • Jennie

            February 10, 2022 at 11:56 am

            You sure can! Just allow it to fully cool and place it in a food storage container in the fridge. May need to add up to a 1/2 cup of milk when reheating just to get things moving!

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