A Simple, But Fabulous Stove-Top Mac and Cheese (with optional herby golden bread crumbs!)
Everyone needs a simple, easy stove-top mac and cheese they can throw together in no time at all and this is bound to become your new favorite! Perfect for serving kiddos, as a holiday side dish, or for jazzing up with roasted veggies, broccoli, bacon, sausage or chicken! The options are endless when it comes to the base of this creamy mac and cheese that’s ready in only about 25 minutes!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 684cal
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 ounces dry pasta shells, shellbows or elbow noodles (any pasta shape will work!)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat flour or GF 1:1 all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- LOTS of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ cups whole milk (or sub 2% or unsweetened cashew milk), plus more as needed
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese)
- 2 to 3 ounces gruyere cheese (about ½ cup shredded gruyere)
- For topping:
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)
- 2 ounces gruyere cheese (½ cup shredded gruyere)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, make the cheese sauce: In another large oven-safe skillet or braiser, melt the butter over medium heat, then whisk in the flour, cooking and whisking constantly until a paste forms, about 30 seconds. Slowly stream in the milk, constantly whisking away any lumps, until smooth and combined. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened a bit, reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, lots of pepper (don’t be shy!). Fold in the cheddar and gruyere cheeses and stir until completely melted. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Stir in the pasta and serve: Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir gently to combine. If you want it a little creamier, you can stir in an extra splash or two of milk until it is nice and saucy! The pasta will really soak up the cheese sauce.
- Serve: Enjoy the mac and cheese straight out of the pan, OR you can top the mac and cheese with an extra 2 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 ounces of gruyere and place under the broiler in your oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side.
Video
Notes
I love to top this recipe with my Herby Golden Breadcrumbs (page 236) out of my cookbook, The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook – ORDER HERE.
See the full post for tips, tricks, and easy ways to customize this mac and cheese recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4, without bread crumbs) | Calories: 684cal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 29.6g | Fat: 33.3g | Saturated Fat: 19.1g | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 9.4g