Sharing the Best Mac and Cheese recipe today! My easy homemade mack and cheese is incredibly creamy, cheesy, and delicious comfort dish that you will fall in love with. Even the mac and cheese sauce is made from scratch!
If you love mac and cheese recipes like we do, try our Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe too!
The BEST Mac and Cheese Recipe
There’s nothing like homemade mac and cheese, am I right? What makes the perfect mac and cheese in your opinion? Good ol’ Kraft right out of the box? Homemade thick and cheesy on the stovetop? Baked with a crispy topping and lots of ingredients inside?
I think it’s a bit different for everyone, but let me tell you about my perfect mac and cheese. I like a thick and creamy perfectly flavorful cheese sauce like my picture above shows. If that sounds good to you, then you will LOVE this recipe too 🙂
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What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the perfect mac and cheese recipe! See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.
- Small Dry Pasta– Elbow pasta is most common for classic mac and cheese, but you can use any small pasta of your choice.
- Salted Butter– Salted butter gives a little extra flavor. In general, I use salted butter for most of my cooking and baking.
- Kosher Salt– Kosher salt is a course salt that works great for cooking.
- Black Pepper– Use fresh cracked black pepper for best results.
- All-Purpose Flour– The flour in the recipe is used to prepare the roux.
- 2% milk– You want to use a higher fat milk when making mac and cheese. 2% or higher is preferred.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese of your choice. I use mild for my family.
How to Make Mac and Cheese
- Cook Pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. I recommend cooking the pasta a minute less than the directions. Drain and set aside for a few minutes.
- Prepare Roux. To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux gets slightly darker. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in cheese until melted.
- Add Pasta To Cheese Sauce and Simmer. Transfer cooked pasta to large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine. This is a thick and creamy sauce. To thin the sauce, add a few tablespoons of milk at a time until at desired consistency.
How To Make Homemade Roux for a Creamy Sauce
To make a simple and flavorful roux, start by melting a stick of butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the salt and pepper. A very important step is to continue stirring for a good 2-3 minutes until roux turns a bit darker in color. It becomes richer and even more fabulous.
Slowly whisk in the milk until mixture is thick and creamy. This step will take a couple minutes over medium heat.
Stir in cheese until creamy and cheese is melted through. I prefer a finely shredded mild cheddar. It melts quickly and has a perfect “cheddar” flavor.
Can I Use Other Cheeses?
Yes, use your favorite cheeses such as freshly shredded gruyere, smoked cheddar, mozzarella and even provolone.
Cooking on the Stovetop
Add cooked pasta back to cheese sauce stirring to combine. If needed, add splashes of milk to thin sauce. Add additional salt and pepper as needed.
Can I Bake this Recipe?
At this point of stovetop mac and cheese, you can choose to transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, top with more cheese and other toppings of choice, bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes for a baked mac and cheese. This is another fantastic option. Adding buttered bread crumbs and bacon is another winning option before baking to add a nice crunch. Try adding cooked beef or chicken for more dinner options too.
Serving Suggestions
Serve mac and cheese as a main dish with a side salad or as an appetizer with your favorite protein. It’s also great on your Holiday dinner menus!
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-heat as needed. Note, sauce thickens once chilled. Add splashes of milk to thin as needed.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat this mac and cheese, place desired amount into a bowl, losely covered with plastic wrap. Microwave for 60-90 seconds, until hot. Add a splash or two of milk to loosen sauce, stirring to combine.
Try More Delicious Pasta Recipes!
How to Make the Perfect Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Stove or Dutch Oven
- saucepan
- whisk
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound dry small pasta I used elbow
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2-2 1/2 cups milk I use 2%
- 2 cups finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. I recommend cooking the pasta a minute less than the directions. Drain and set aside for a few minutes.
- To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux gets slightly darker. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in cheese until melted.
- Transfer cooked pasta to large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine. This is a thick and creamy sauce. To thin the sauce, add a few tablespoons of milk at a time until at desired consistency.
Video
Nutrition
Pin Perfect Mac and Cheese
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
Turned out so well. The whole family loved this recipe and how creamy and cheesy it was!
This is now my go-to mac and cheese recipe. I made this last night and it was super good! I will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it.
This is perfect I’ll add spinach and it will be white cheese instead for Valentine’s Day
Am I correct seeing it calls for 5 cups of milk?
You are not correct. It calls for between 2 and 2.5 cups of milk.
It looks So yummy and Creamy!
I just tried with white cheddar and it turned out pretty good. I can’t to try it again by maybe with a different cheese to see how it will turn out.
Sodium Citrate I think is the chemical name, but it is in a lot of the food we eat like club soda and American cheese. If you add it to your sauce it will make it much smoother. If you don’t want to do that, add 2-3 slices of American and watch how much smoother your sauce becomes. It is amazing.
This is so yummy, I added a can of diced tomatoes and added some different kinds of cheese that I had and it is amazing, a real keeper, thank you! The tomatoes helped with the thickness of the roux.
This is so yummy, I added a can of diced tomatoes and added some different kinds of cheese that I had and it is amazing, a real keeper, thank you!
Undercook the pasta by two minutes, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup extra cold milk and then pour off half the sauce in a freezer-safe container to freeze. Stir the sauce in the pasta and the put in a microwave-safe dish and refrigerate, plastic wrap, cling film or Press and Seal pushed against the surface. Heat up the covered left-overs very gradually in the microwave – 30 seconds at 40% power at a time or so and then stir. If you try to microwave at high, the sauce will break.
This is SUCH a quick and easy mac & cheese recipe, I love it! I sometimes like to add spinach and call it “Green Mac” 🙂
Looks delicious!! Everytime I make a cheese sauce it doesnt turn out,the cheese doesnt properly melt so it separates from the sauce. What am I doing wrong? I use butter, flour, milk, medium cheddar cheese(from the block). Sometimes I add 1/2 c chicken broth. But every single time I have a yucky sauce!! Someone help me!!!
Are you using pre-shredded cheese? Maybe that’s why. Pre-shredded comes with a coating that stops it from melting properly.
I’ve never had an issue with pre-shredded cheese not melting and separating. I use it all the time
Let the roux cool a little before adding the cheese. Too hot and the fats will separate from the solids. Usually, anyway.
In my experience when the roux breaks it’s from the heat being to high while mixing ingredients
I used closer to 3 1/2 -4 cups cheese, cuz cheese!, but otherwise this turned out very well. Thanks
This receipe is very easy to make and right on point. I have now used it twice cutting the measurements in half and prefer my macaroni and cheese this way and so does my husband. Thank you
This recipe was simple and delicious! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Can you make this the day before and reheat it the next day?
I make mine almost the same as you; I use Imperial cold pack cheddar for the roux and and add shredded cheese if needed. Yum yum.
This recipie would be much nicer and easier to read with out being printed on the red squares. Makes it much harder to read.
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Just tried this recipe and omg its my absolute favorite!! Super creamy!! I will definitely make this again 🙂
So glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Super delish!!! Made this tonight with crab meat and Ritz crackers for the top. Tossed in the oven till golden brown!!! Can’t wait to dig in!!! Thank you!!!
Hello ! It’s look so good ! But do you think I can use cream to replace the butter?
If you like this, try this recipe!! Very similar but a bit healthier and just as amazing. Possibly even better!!
http://eugeniekitchen.com/mac-and-cheese/
I made this today.. It was good… however next time I think I will use less butter and also no so much flour..
This was too thick!!! I would probably recommend 1/4 cup of flour instead since my whole family said it was too thick as well. Otherwise it was a good and easy recipe to follow! 🙂
This was too thick!!! I would probably recommend 1/4 cup of flour instead since my whole family said it was too thick as well. Otherwise it was a good and easy recipe! 🙂
This is similar to a recipe I have used for many years and is the grandkids favorite. I just use a little variation on the amount of ingredients. It works well as long as you do not let the sauce boil. I, too, use brick cheese and not pre-shredded cheese. So much better than the boxed stuff. We often mix frozen peas (rinsed) into the finished mac and cheese. I also like it because it uses “regular” ingredients and makes up in a hurry. No trips to the store for special/expensive ingredients.
Yes!
Tried it, did not come out right, too thick and gross. Followed your instructions to the T.
How many cups of pasta is needed? I don’t have a kitchen scale 🙂
I’ve made this type of mac and cheese for years!! I have changed it up some. I use seasoned flour instead of regular. Really makes it a lot better tasting!! Plus I bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and a little brown.
this sounds delicious! But how much is a stick of butter?
Typically 8 Tablespoons
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Thank you!!!!!!!!! Went one step further and put mac cheese in casserole dish topped with 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar and baked until melted. Perfection. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This is similar to the recipe I use (from the back of the Prince elbows box!), but then I put it in a casserole, top with half a sleeve of crushed Ritz Crackers and bake for about 30 minutes. SO yummy! Oh, and sometimes I add BACON, too, because, well, it’s bacon!
I have to say, it was the picture of your mac and cheese and all its ooey gooey creamyness that made me click on it in Pintrest. I will definately be trying this later this week.