• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Lifestyle of a Foodie
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • breakfast
    • desserts
    • Diets
    • Drinks
    • Savory
    • Small Batch
    • Recipe collection
  • About me
  • Contact
  • Privacy

Home » Savory

The Best Stove Top Mac and Cheese EVER!

Published on May 15, 2021 - Updated on July 1, 2022 by Chahinez Leave a Comment

Spread the love

Stovetop mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food! This macaroni dish is cooked in a creamy sauce and finished off with grated sharp cheddar. All of this magic is made in only one pot, so no extra dishes needed! Say bye to boxed mac and cheese because the moment you have this you will never go back.

Since you’re here, why not try The Best Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Healthy Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Restaurant-style Air Fried Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze and also this Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan.

Jump to recipe
The best stovetop mac and cheese ever!

Homemade one pot mac and cheese, the ultimate American comfort food! I mean can you believe I never had mac and cheese until I moved here!

Actually, I tried boxed mac and cheese that my aunt brought with her to Algeria and fell in love immediately. So you can imagine how mind-blown I was when I tried the real thing after moving here. Of course, after that, I had to learn how to start making it at home because a girl just gotta satisfy her cravings quickly when they hit!

This is the best one-pot mac and cheese

That’s why this recipe came about, it is an easy recipe that can be made on the stove top in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for someone that had just moved to America.

now years later, I still love this recipe and decided that it was time to share it with everyone, just in time for family cookouts and eventually thanksgiving celebrations and Christmas dinner. (Yup, this recipe is so versatile!)

Why you need to make this recipe!

  • An easy weeknight recipe
  • The perfect side dish
  • Ready in less than 30 minutes
  • The ultimate comfort food
  • So so versatile!
Stove top mac and cheese ingredients

Ingredients for this stovetop mac and cheese

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this macaroni and cheese. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements.

  • Macaroni pasta- To keep this dish more basic and on the traditional side, I used elbow pasta but you can use any small pasta that you have on hand. A good other option is penne pasta or even shells.
  • Butter– You can use either salted or unsalted butter. They both will work great.
  • Milk– You can use full-fat milk or 2% milk for this recipe.
  • Heavy cream- The heavy cream will keep our mac and cheese extra creamy.
  • Flour– You can use regular all-purpose flour for this. It will help thicken the mac and cheese slightly.
  • Sharp cheddar– The sharper the better to give it as much flavor as possible. It’s better to grab a block of sharp cheddar and grate it yourself because most of the pre-shredded cheeses have this coating on them that will affect the texture of your mac and cheese.
  • Salt, pepper, nutmeg & ground mustard– These spices are usually to taste and this is how my family liked this mac and cheese. If you prefer to make this recipe without feel free.

How to make one-pot mac and cheese

This is how you can make this super easy mac and cheese. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions!

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot then add in the flour and stir to combine.
  2. Pour in the water, and cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly.
  3. Add in the milk and heavy cream, stir to combine then add in the macaroni pasta, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ground mustard.
  4. Cook the pasta in the milk mixture for 9-10 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Melted butter in a le creuset pot
Melted butter in a le creuset pot
Cooking butter and flour
Add water to the butter and flour mixture
Add milk to the flour and butter mixture
Add the dry pasta to the liquid mixture
Add the dry pasta to the liquid mixture
Add the dry pasta to the liquid mixture
Creamy mac and cheese

How to store this homemade mac and cheese

This recipe can be made in advance and store in an aritight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I would not recommend freezing the mac and cheese as it would change its texture completely.

Can stovetop mac & cheese be reheated or made in advance?

Yes! You can easily reheat this pasta dish in the microwave or on the stovetop on low heat. Just make sure to add a few spoonfuls of milk before reheating to bring the mac and cheese texture back to that luscious, cheesy, creamy texture that we all love.

Overhead shot of stovetop mac and cheese pasta with shredded cheese

Mac and cheese mix-in ideas

Here are a few of my favorite cheese pasta mix ins:

  • Grilled chicken
  • Cooked shrimp
  • Roasted veggies
  • Caramelized onions
  • Buffalo sauce
  • Mushrooms
  • Bacon

Feel free to get creative and add in whatever you think would taste good. Let me know in the comments if what you add in!

Tips for the perfect pasta dish

  • Get creative– Mac and cheese is such a simple dish that you can really get super creative with it and come up with something completely different. Check out the mac and cheese mix in ideas above to get some ideas of what to add to your mac and cheese next.
  • Use any noodles you have– Preferably smaller noodles so that the cooking time is similar to the one I have for this recipe.
  • Try as hard as possible to shred your own cheese– Shredding your own cheese will ensure that the texture of your mac and cheese is as good as can be. Since many pre shredded cheeses have this preservative coating on them
  • Stir your pasta frequently to avoid it from sticking and help it cook evenly
Close up of the mac and cheese

Frequently asked questions – FAQ

Can I use pre-shredded cheese to make this one-pot mac and cheese?

Yes and no. I say this because most of the store-bought shredded cheeses have some sort of mix-in to keep them from clumping altogether. Usually potato starch, natamycin, or powdered cellulose, or a mix to be honest. These additives will affect the way your final macaroni and cheese turns out.

So it’s always best to grate the cheese yourself for the best texture. I have made this recipe with both grated cheese and block cheese that I grated myself and they both taste amazing nonetheless.

Can I use other cheese to make mac and cheese?

Usually traditional mac and cheese uses a good quality sharp cheddar but I love going a little crazy with my cheeses when it comes to mac and cheese because I’m a little cheese crazy.

You can try a combination of cheeses or go with something else completely. A few of my favorite options are gouda, gruyere, mimolette, fontina, mozzarella, asiago cheese… When choosing a different cheese to use in your mac and cheese, make sure it is a cheese that melts well… after that, the sky is the limit!

Stovetop mac and cheese on a blue plate

Can you bake stovetop mac and cheese?

You definitely can. The beauty of this stovetop mac and cheese is that it can be served right way or can also be topped with buttery toasted bread crumbs and baked to perfection.

You can bake your stove top mac and cheese at 350 for 10-15 minutes and then serve.

Overhead shot of stovetop mac and cheese plate

Easy stovetop mac and cheese

If you made these kid friendly pancake mix blueberry muffins and enjoyed them, don’t forget to leave a 5-star review by clicking on the 5 stars under the title and description. It would help me a ton 

Creamy mac and cheese

The best Stove top mac and cheese EVER!

This creamy, cheese mac and cheese is made on the stove for a quick and easy dinner side option.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 279 Calories

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz dry pasta
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 & ½ tablespoon flour
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • 2 & ¼ cup 2% milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg optional
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard optional
  • 1 cup sharp shredded cheese

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat then add in the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the water, and cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly. This will take about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the milk and heavy cream, stir to combine then add in the macaroni pasta, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ground mustard. Give it a quick stir and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
  • Cook the pasta in the milk mixture for 9-10 minutes, making sure to stir often to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and add in the shredded cheese, stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy then serve immediately!

Nutrition

Calories: 279CaloriesCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 12gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 446mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 807IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 301mgIron: 1mg
Keyword 4-inch burnt basque cheesecake, cheddar mac and cheese, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, sharp cheddar, stove top mac and cheese
Tried this recipe?Follow us and tag us on Instagram! @chahinez_tbt

Thank you for making it all the way down here 🙂

If you enjoyed this recipe don’t forget to let us know in the comments below! In the meantime, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!

how to make no bake keto cheesecake

Shop this recipe

This post may contain affiliate posts, meaning that at no cost to you I will get a small percentage of every purchase you make!

If you enjoyed this homemade stovetop mac and cheese make sure to pin it for later!

Cheesy pasta
Stovetop mac and cheese
Cheesy pasta
Cheesy pasta
Macaroni and cheese recipe
Macaroni and cheese recipe
Macaroni and cheese recipe
Close up of cheddar pasta
Close up of cheddar pasta
« Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies Copycat Recipe
Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso Starbucks Copycat »

Filed Under: Pasta, Savory Tagged With: mac and cheese, sharp cheddar mac and cheese, stovetop mac and cheese

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About me

Hey there! My name is Chahinez, and I’m the brains behind the blog, Lifestyle of a Foodie. LOAF was started back in 2018 during my last semester ...

Read More

Categories

Footer

Most popular posts

Crumbl copycat cookies

In the past few months, Crumbl cookies have gotten so popular! Tiktok went crazy for them the second I shared my first chilled sugar cookie recipe on there. Since then I have put my baking expertise to test by going through their whole menu and bringing you the best Crumbl copycats found online! The hundreds of reviews on the Crumbl cookie recipes that have been posted throughout the past few months can be proof of that! In this article I have 39 Crumbl cookie copycat recipes to satisfy all your cravings, so get ready!

Social Slider

  • If you’re not ready to let summer go, you have to make these lemon poppyseed cookies!!! Each one is filled
    by chahinez_tbt 7 months ago
    If you’re not ready to let summer go, you have to make these lemon poppyseed cookies!!! Each one is filled
  • Imagine taking a bite of a thick buttery cookie that’s topped with caramel cream cheese frosting, caramel popcorn, and a
    by chahinez_tbt 7 months ago
    Imagine taking a bite of a thick buttery cookie that’s topped with caramel cream cheese frosting, caramel popcorn, and a
  • Nothing more comforting than the smell of these chocolate chunk cookie cups baking in the oven! Today I am sharing
    by chahinez_tbt 7 months ago
    Nothing more comforting than the smell of these chocolate chunk cookie cups baking in the oven! Today I am sharing

Copyright © 2023 Lifestyle of a Foodie on the Foodie Pro Theme