This from-scratch macaroni and cheese recipe is about to become your new go-to. Forget the boxed stuff – with just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can whip up a batch of creamy, cheesy goodness that beats anything store-bought. It's fast and easy, perfect for a quick weeknight meal, a delicious side dish, or even a satisfying snack.
My kids have loved macaroni and cheese since they were really young. It's always been a favorite, and now that I am an empty nester, it is still a favorite comfort food that I go to. Other family favorite pasta dishes include these Mexican stuffed pasta shells and everyone loves when I do a simple pasta bar.
Table of contents
Why I love this recipe
Simple Ingredients: This recipe requires just a handful of everyday ingredients, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or anytime you need a quick and satisfying meal.
From-Scratch Flavor: Ditch the boxed stuff and experience the difference of a homemade cheese sauce. It's creamier, richer, and bursting with cheesy goodness.
Ready in Minutes: This recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd.
Kid-Approved: This creamy mac and cheese is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, especially with the little ones!
Ingredients
Pasta - traditional elbow macaroni is used.
Butter - salted or unsalted work. Unless I'm busy baking I only have salted at home so that is what I typically use.
All-purpose flour.
Milk - higher fat content milk is better, but I just use 1% because that is what I normally have in my fridge.
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese - shredded at home is better than the pre-shredded kind, but this will 100% work if you have pre-shredded at home or are in a rush.
Garlic salt - or powdered garlic with some salt
pepper and salt (optional, to taste)
Instructions
Helpful Hint - If assembling ingredients quickly and melting butter and cheese together, have everything premeasured and ready to be added. This is a simple recipe, but taking a few minutes at the beginning to measure everything and (possibly) shredding the cheese will make cooking this recipe very easy and failproof.
Step 1
In a large pot, boil macaroni according to the package directions. Salt the water and do not overcook the pasta! When the noodles are almost done, drain and set aside.
Step 2
In the pot you boiled the noodles in, melt butter. Keep the heat on medium-low; you don't want to scorch your butter. Then whisk in about half of the milk and half of the flour. Repeat whisking in both the milk and flour. If you don't have a whisk, use the biggest fork you have. Whisk until there are no lumps, and it should be smooth and bubbly.
Step 3
Then add ½ cheese and whisk until cheese is melted. Repeat. Adding your ingredients this way helps everything mix easier and not become lumpy.
Step 4
Add garlic salt (and optional salt and pepper) and stir well.
Add your pasta back into the pot.
Stir so the sauce covers the pasta
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FAQs
Make sure you are taking it off the stove while it is el dante, meaning it's not totally soft. I also find the better (often more expensive) pastas hold their shape and texture better.
If your cheese sauce is too thick, simply whisk in a little more milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
On the other hand, if the sauce is too thin, simmer it gently for a few more minutes to allow it to thicken up.
Other Pasta Sides
Easy Macaroni and Cheese.
Ingredients
- 16 oz macaroni elbows a typical-sized bag or of pasta
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- ¼ cup flour measure it!
- 1 ½ cups milk higher fat is better but I use 1 or 2%
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese that's how much is in the package
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- salt and pepper optional, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil macaroni according to package directions. Make sure to salt the water and do NOT overcook the pasta! When noodles are almost done, drain and set aside.
- In the pot you boiled the noodles, melt butter. Keep the heat on low, you don't want to scorch your butter. Then whisk in ½ milk, alternating with ½ flour. Repeat. If you don't have a whisk, use the biggest fork you have. Whisk until there are no lumps and it should be smooth and bubbly.
- Then add ½ cheese and whisk until the cheese has melted. Repeat. Adding your ingredients this way helps everything mix easier
- add garlic salt (and optional salt and pepper)
- Add your pasta back into the pot. Stir well, so cover pasta with cheese sauce.
Notes
Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)
**Originally published Sept.19, 2017
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