Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese
This creamy stove top mac and cheese is rich, cheesy, and perfect for beginners! No oven required—just a smooth, homemade cheese sauce and tender noodles. Comfort food done right in about 25 minutes.
Equipment
- Large saucepan or Dutch oven
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Cheese grater (if shredding from a block)
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles uncooked
- ½ cup 1 stick butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gouda cheese or another cheese of your choice
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add a few generous pinches of salt. Add the macaroni and cook until just tender (al dente). Drain and set aside.
- In a separate large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk together to form a thick paste. Cook this mixture (the roux) for 1 full minute, whisking constantly.
- Slowly pour in 1 cup of the milk while whisking. The mixture will thicken quickly—keep whisking until smooth. Repeat with the second and third cups, whisking after each until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the onion powder, white pepper, and salt. Stir to combine. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded cheeses a handful at a time, whisking until fully melted before adding more. Continue until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Turn off the heat. Stir the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until all noodles are well coated.
- Serve immediately. If the sauce thickens as it sits, stir in a splash of warm milk or cream to loosen it up.
Notes
For best flavor and texture, use whole milk. To reheat leftovers, add a splash of milk or cream and warm gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring until creamy again. Feel free to swap cheeses—sharp cheddar, gouda, Monterey Jack, or fontina all work well!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!