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macaroni and cheese

Creamy Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

5 from 1 vote
This incredibly creamy stovetop macaroni and cheese features a rich, velvety cheddar sauce that never separates. By carefully managing the heat and grating your own cheese, you get a perfectly smooth sauce in under 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni Cooked just shy of al dente
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter Used for the roux base
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour Thickens the sauce
  • 3 cups whole milk Warmed slightly before using
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese Freshly grated from a block
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese Freshly grated from a block
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper Freshly cracked

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan For making the sauce
  • 1 Whisk For blending the roux
  • 1 Box grater For shredding cheese
  • 1 Large pot For boiling pasta
  • 1 Colander For draining pasta

Method
 

  1. Boil the elbow macaroni in heavily salted water until just shy of al dente, then drain well.
  2. Melt the unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until it foams gently.
    melting unsalted butter in a saucepan for mac and cheese
  3. Whisk the all-purpose flour into the melted butter and cook for one minute until pale golden.
    whisking flour and melted butter to make a roux
  4. Pour the warm whole milk into the saucepan gradually, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens slightly.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat completely, then stir in the grated cheeses until perfectly smooth.
    stirring grated cheddar and gruyere cheese into hot sauce
  6. Fold the drained pasta into the hot cheese sauce until every noodle is coated evenly.

Nutrition

Serving: 250gCalories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 28gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1000IUCalcium: 600mgIron: 2.5mg

Notes

Always remove the saucepan from the heat before adding the grated cheese. Boiling the cheese sauce will cause it to separate and become grainy. Use freshly grated cheese from a block for the best melting texture.

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