Easy
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Creamy, cheesy macaroni made in one pot with a simple cheese sauce.
The short version. Boil elbow macaroni until just tender, make a quick sauce with butter, flour and milk, melt in sharp cheddar off the heat, then stir the pasta back in.
Scaling is exact math. For a fraction of an egg, beat the egg and measure out that fraction.
Ingredients
Mac and cheese
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (about 8 ounces, shredded from a block)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dry mustard (optional)
Directions
- Cook the macaroni in well-salted boiling water until just tender, about 1 minute less than the package says. Drain it.
- In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the cheese a handful at a time until smooth, then the salt, pepper and mustard.
- Fold in the macaroni and serve right away.
Tips
- Shred the cheese yourself. Bagged shreds contain starch that keeps the sauce from going smooth.
- Add the cheese off the heat so it melts instead of turning grainy.
Technique guides
Questions
Why is my cheese sauce grainy?
The sauce was too hot when the cheese went in, or pre-shredded cheese was used. Take the pot off the heat first and shred cheese from a block.
Cooking involves heat and sharp tools. Kids cook with an adult. Times and temperatures are guides, so use your own judgment and a thermometer, and watch for allergens.