Creamy Mac and Cheese
Easy CREAMY homemade mac and cheese ~ sure to get rave reviews! STOVETOP or BAKED with a crispy top options
Servings: 4
Calories:
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups milk whole milk used; can sub 2%
- 2 cups cheddar cheese freshly grated combination/sharp cheddar + white cheddar used
- 2 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + more for pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Topping for Baked Mac and Cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Grate the cheese and gather all ingredients.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package calls for then drain.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan then whisk in the flour until smooth and cook 1 minute.
- Gradually add the milk, salt and pepper then bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat then add the cheeses and stir until the sauce is smooth. Add the drained macaroni and gently stir to coat then eat right away (see below for Baked Mac and Cheese).
Baked Mac and Cheese
- Microwave 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl, then blend in 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs. After blending the pasta with the cheese sauce, spoon it into a baking dish then top with the buttery breadcrumbs and broil 2-4 minutes until golden, watching closely so the breadcrumbs don’t burn.