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This easy stovetop mac and cheese is ready in just 20 minutes with a creamy homemade cheese sauce. Make it with traditional elbow macaroni or use penne pasta for an easy dinner the whole family can enjoy.
Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese has always been a favorite in our house. We eat the boxed kind too, but when we want something extra cheesy, this is the version I make.
The creamy cheese sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, cheddar cheese, and a few simple seasonings. It comes together on the stovetop while the pasta cooks, then everything is stirred together and served right away.
Ingredients for Stovetop Mac & Cheese
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for homemade stovetop mac and cheese. The full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: I usually use penne or elbow macaroni, but other short pasta shapes work too.
- Butter and flour: These form the base of the cheese sauce and help thicken the milk.
- Milk: Creates the creamy base for the sauce.
- Cheddar cheese: Shred the cheese before you begin so it's ready to add once the sauce has thickened.
- Seasonings: Dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper add flavor to the cheese sauce.
Pasta and Cheese Options
Pasta
You don't have to use elbow macaroni to make mac and cheese. I often use penne, but most short pasta shapes will work well.
- Elbow macaroni
- Penne
- Rotini
- Small shells
Cheese
Cheddar is my go-to cheese for stovetop mac and cheese, but you can use a combination of cheeses if you'd like to change the flavor.
- Cheddar
- Pepper Jack
- Monterey Jack
- Colby
Step by step directions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Make the roux. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Add the flour and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the milk. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in the dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Thicken the sauce. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Add the cheese. Remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese. Add the shredded cheese gradually, stirring until melted and smooth.
- Combine. Drain the pasta well and return it to the pan. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Serve right away.
Tips for making macaroni and cheese
- Drain the pasta well. Any water left behind can thin the cheese sauce.
- Remove the sauce from the heat before adding the cheese. High heat can cause the cheese to separate and give the sauce a grainy texture.
- Add the cheese gradually. Stir in a little at a time, allowing it to melt before adding more.
- Don't let the sauce get too thick. It will continue to thicken as it cools and once it's mixed with the pasta.
- Taste before combining. Taste the cheese sauce and adjust the salt and pepper before adding it to the pasta.
- Serve right away. Stovetop mac and cheese is creamiest when it's freshly made.
How to Fix Common Mac & Cheese Problems
Why is my mac and cheese grainy?
The cheese sauce can become grainy if the cheese gets too hot. Once the milk mixture has thickened, remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese. Stir the cheese in gradually until it has melted.
Why is my cheese sauce too thick?
The sauce may have cooked too long after it began to thicken. Remove it from the heat once it has thickened, keeping in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools and after it's combined with the pasta.
Why is my mac and cheese watery?
Make certain the pasta is drained well before adding the cheese sauce. Water left on the pasta can thin the sauce.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover mac and cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through. The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools, so leftover mac and cheese won't be quite as creamy as it is when freshly made.
Looking for Baked Mac and Cheese?
This stovetop mac and cheese is quick, creamy, and served straight from the pan. For a baked version with a crunchy topping, try my Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese.
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
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.1 pound pasta
- Make the roux. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Add the flour and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup flour
- Add the milk. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in the dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.2 cups milk, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon white ground pepper, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Thicken the sauce. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Add the cheese. Remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese. Add the shredded cheese gradually, stirring until melted and smooth.8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- Combine. Drain the pasta well and return it to the pan. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Serve right away.
Notes
- Drain the pasta well. Any water left behind can thin the cheese sauce.
- Remove the sauce from the heat before adding the cheese. High heat can cause the cheese to separate and give the sauce a grainy texture.
- Add the cheese gradually. Stir in a little at a time, allowing it to melt before adding more.
- Don't let the sauce get too thick. It will continue to thicken as it cools and once it's mixed with the pasta.
- Taste before combining. Taste the cheese sauce and adjust the salt and pepper before adding it to the pasta.
- Serve right away. Stovetop mac and cheese is creamiest when it's freshly made.
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!