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Macaroni and cheese is comfort food, pure comfort food! It's filling, It's warm and most of all - it's cheesy! Stovetop mac and cheese is a delicious homemade macaroni and cheese.
This delicious cheesy pasta can be made in just 20 minutes using penne pasta or elbow macaroni.
Homemade mac & cheese
Macaroni and cheese is always a hit in our household with both the kids and adults and this mac and cheese is definitely one of our favorites. Making homemade mac and cheese isn't difficult and just takes a handful of ingredients.
This cheesy macaroni is made with pasta, cheddar cheese, milk, butter, flour, dry mustard, garlic powder and a touch of salt and pepper.
Now I'll be honest, we also eat plenty of the boxed mac and cheese and there's really nothing wrong with that! But sometimes we want things a bit cheesier and that's when I bust out my homemade version.
If you're looking for a baked mac and cheese with a crunchy topping, check out this recipe for an Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese!
Variations on mac and cheese
Pasta
Use any type of dried pasta
- Elbow macaroni
- Rotini
- Penne
- Mini shells
Cheese
I typically use cheddar cheese, but sometimes I add a mixture to change up the taste. Just keep the portions the same and add your favorite variety.
- Cheddar
- Pepper Jack
- Monterey
- Colby
Optional Add-ins
- Chopped ham
- Sliced sausages - smokies, hot dogs, kielbasa
- Frozen peas
- Thinly slice sun-dried tomatoes
- Cooked chicken breast
- Blanched broccoli
Step by step directions
- Boil pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is boiling, melt butter in another saucepan.
- Add flour and stir over low heat for about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in milk.
- Add dry mustard, garlic powder and salt and pepper.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. The mixture will begin to thicken as it heats up.
- Once your mixture has thickened, remove from heat and slowly stir in cheese.
- Drain pasta and return to pan.
- Pour cheese mixture over top, stir and serve.
Tips for making macaroni and cheese
- Drain pasta completely. Water left on the pasta can make your sauce watery
- Turn off heat before adding cheese to help prevent your sauce from breaking
- Taste sauce before adding to pasta. Add more salt and pepper, if needed
- For best results, serve right away
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator. Reheat pasta in microwave or try it cold!
More great recipes for lunch
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious pasta recipes!
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Grater
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (penne or elbow)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white ground pepper (or black ground pepper)
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions.1 pound pasta
- While pasta is boiling, melt butter in another sauce pan. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup flour
- Whisk in milk. Add dry mustard, garlic powder and salt and pepper2 cups milk, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon white ground pepper
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. The mixture will begin to thicken as it heats up. Do not bring to a boil.
- Once your mixture has thickened,, remove from heat and slowly add cheese while stirring.8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- Drain pasta and return to pan.
- Pour cheese mixture over top, stir and serve.
Notes
- Drain pasta completely. Water left on the pasta can make your sauce watery
- Turn off heat before adding cheese to help prevent your sauce from breaking
- Taste sauce before adding to pasta. Add more salt and pepper, if needed
- For best results, serve right away
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator. Reheat pasta in microwave or try it cold!
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October 2015. The pictures, text and recipe have been updated.
Jason says
How does 1/4 of flour and butter with 2cups of milk thicken it’s basically all milk ???
Kathy says
Hi Jason,
Have you tried this recipe yet? The amount of flour is the perfect amount to thicken the milk. The flour absorbs the liquid and expands which creates a thicker sauce. I hope you give it a try.
Kathy
Alyssa says
So tasty! I omitted the mustard and added a touch more salt. It was amazing and so creamy. Husband loved it but picky 5 year old did not like it. I made it for him to try and get him off of the processed crap Mac n cheese. I’ll just have to keep trying because this recipe will be in my rotation from now on. Thank you! Paired delicious with some Swiss mushroom burgers.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! I'm glad your husband loved it! Keep working on your little one. Maybe try some small noodles, like you find in the boxed kind and cut back on the amount of sauce you give him so it resembles what he currently loves! Keep me posted! 🙂
Cat says
Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. Liked the consistency, but would cut the mustard to 1/8 teaspoon.
Kathy says
Hi Cat,
Thank you! If you don't care for the taste of mustard, you can omit the dry mustard altogether.
Kathy
Hayden says
This was so bad I hated this recipe the sauce was like dough
Kathy says
Hi Hayden,
I'm sorry this didn't work for you. If the sauce was like a dough there's two things that may have gone wrong. Either you added too much flour or not enough milk. Be careful when measuring the flour that you aren't compacting the flour into the measuring cup. This can almost double the amount of flour called for in the recipe.
Kathy
Allie P says
I made this recently and found that if you take it off heat sooner rather than later when it’s starting to thicken to add the cheese it’s ooeygooey perfection. Maybe you waited til it thickened too much
Kathy says
Hi Allie,
Thanks for you suggestion!
Kathy 🙂
Annie says
Agreed! It was "gritty," if that's the correct description. Just a very weird, thick consistency.
Kathy says
Hi Annie,
If your sauce turned gritty it was because it was too hot when you added the cheese and possibly added the cheese all at once instead of slowly while whisking. Once the sauce thickens, turn off the heat and remove it from the burner. Then whisk the cheese in slowly.
Kathy
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Mac and cheese is always a hit in our home too..I mean, what's not to love, right? This looks so creamy and delicious, Kathy, and totally wishing I had a big bowl for lunch today!
Kathy says
You just can't go wrong with a creamy comfort food like mac and cheese!
Alex says
There is nothing more comforting than good old mac and cheese 🙂 Your version is so creamy, cheesy and delicious!
Kathy says
Thanks 🙂
Valentina says
I never met a person who didn't love mac and cheese. This recipe looks and sounds fabulous! 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
You know what's funny? We were literally making Robbie mac-and-cheese last night on the stovetop, and we commented how much better it tastes than the boxed stuff. And it's so easy, too! This post is making me crave mac and cheese like crazy right now - there's a chill in the air, and I'm ready for some good fall comfort food!
Kathy says
It really is easy peasy! 🙂
Suzi says
Thumbs up from the "box loving"kids! So quick and easy too!
Kathy says
Glad you tried it and your kids loved it! Hooray!!!
Brie @ ToasterOvenLove says
I used to only eat the blue box until I had real homemade mac & cheese. Once you've had homemade you never go back 🙂 With such a simple and flavorful recipe like yours there's no reason not to make the real stuff!
Kathy says
I agree!
Kalee @ The Crowded Table says
Nothing is better than homemade mac & cheese. I love that your stove top version is so quick and easy!!! 🙂
Kathy says
Sometimes we need quick and easy!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Nothing can beat a cheesy, classic, creamy and comfy mac n cheese. This one looks super divine, Kathy.
Kathy says
There's something so wonderful about a cheesy dish!
Maya @ Treats and Eats says
Total comfort food! I love this Kathy- perfect for fall nights!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Mac and cheese is the best comfort food! Who needs the box stuff when you can have this amazing deliciousness!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Love this recipe and my Hubby will too because mac-n-cheese is his favorite! He thanks you 🙂 Too funny about your kids. I don't have children but I cooked for four children when I was a private chef for a family a couple of years ago. I would spend all day cooking the meals from scratch and the kids couldn't have cared less. They just wanted food from a can or a box. LOL!
Kathy says
They always think the grass is greener on the other side....or the food tastier from a box!
Laura says
Kathy, this just looks awesome. That's all I can say! My kids won't touch boxed mac n cheese with a 10 foot pole. They just look at it like, ewwwww. They literally just stare at it, let it cold and leave it untouched. I only made it when I felt desperate. This recipe looks so much easier than the Fanny Farmer one I typically make. Thanks for sharing.
Kathy says
You've got smart kids! They've got a sophisticated palate!
David @ Spiced says
Oh my gosh, this is pretty much my definitely of the ultimate comfort food! I'm pretty sure I could go with a bowl of this for breakfast right now...looks awesome!!
Kathy says
Nothing wrong with having it for breakfast!
Michelle @ Unbound Wellness says
This looks beautiful! The pictures are just awesome! Mac n cheese always reminds me of Thanksgiving (because every holiday always had to include pasta for me growing up) and this gets me excited for Thanksgiving!!
Kathy says
Thanks, Michelle!
Marsha @ Marsha's Baking Addiction says
One of my favourite comfort meals is mac and cheese. This looks so delicious!
Kathy says
It's one of our favorites too!