Best Mac And Cheese Recipe: Creamy, Baked & Easy
If you’re hunting for the best mac and cheese recipe, this is it: ultra-creamy on the stovetop with a bubbly, golden option for the oven.
You’ll make a silky cheese sauce that clings to every curve of the pasta—comfort food that tastes restaurant-worthy and cooks on a weeknight timeline.
Why This Method Wins
Bake Like a Pro – Discover Delicious and Easy Baking Recipes!
Classic flavor, modern ease. We build a simple roux, whisk in warm milk for a lump-free béchamel, then melt in a trio of cheeses for depth and pull.
It’s the backbone of any great mac and cheese recipe and keeps the sauce smooth, never grainy.
This approach is scalable for family dinners or holidays, and it’s flexible: keep it stovetop-creamy or finish under the broiler for crisp edges. Either way, it checks every box for a crowd-pleasing pan of pasta.
If you need an easy mac and cheese recipe that doesn’t taste “easy,” this one balances speed with technique so beginners and seasoned cooks land perfect results.
Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
Pasta: Elbows are classic, but shells, cavatappi, or small rigatoni hold sauce beautifully. Salt the water generously for maximum flavor from the start.
Butter + Flour: The roux thickens without heaviness. Cook until blond and nutty to avoid raw flour notes, the foundation of any mac and cheese recipe easy that still tastes chef-level.
Dairy: Whole milk gives creaminess without masking cheese flavor. Swap half the milk for evaporated milk if you want extra body without using cream.
Cheese Blend: Sharp cheddar for tang, Gruyère for melt and nuttiness, and mozzarella for stretch. Shred your own for the smoothest sauce.
Step-By-Step: Stovetop Creaminess
1) Boil the pasta to just shy of al dente. Reserve a cup of starchy water and drain.
2) In a wide pot, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook 1–2 minutes. Stream in warm milk, whisking until glossy and thick. Season with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of mustard powder.
3) Off heat, stir in cheeses by handfuls. Add pasta and a splash of reserved water if needed to loosen. This is your easy homemade mac and cheese recipe baseline—silky, shiny, and ready to eat.
Bubbly, Golden Top (Baked Version)
Prefer a casserole finish? Spoon the mac into a buttered dish, top with more cheddar and buttered panko, and bake at 200°C/400°F for 12–15 minutes until edges sizzle. Rest 5 minutes so the sauce sets into luscious layers.
For holiday tables, this delivers that nostalgic bake while staying creamy beneath the crust. It’s the crowd-pleasing path for the Best Baked Mac And Cheese without fuss.
When you want a title-ready pan, follow the Homemade Mac And Cheese Recipe Baked variation above—simple steps, big payoff, zero dry noodles.
Flavor Boosts & Add-Ins
Stir in crispy bacon, roasted broccoli florets, or a swirl of hot honey for sweet heat. A dash of hot sauce in the béchamel brightens the cheese; paprika or cayenne adds warmth without overpowering.
Love extra tang? Fold in a spoonful of cream cheese or a sprinkle of Parmesan for salty depth. These small tweaks make your bowl taste like the best homemade mac and cheese recipe tailored to you.
Make-Ahead, Reheat & Storage
Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge at 180°C/350°F until hot, adding 2–3 tablespoons milk to keep things luxurious.
Leftovers rewarm gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk. The sauce will relax back to creamy—an advantage of this mac and cheese easy recipe over flour-heavy versions.
Freeze baked portions for up to a month; thaw overnight and reheat covered so the top doesn’t over-brown.
Troubleshooting Like a Pro
Grainy sauce? Cheese overheated. Remove from heat before adding, and melt gradually. Pre-shredded blends with anti-caking agents can cause grit—shred your own.
Too thick? Whisk in warm milk or pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time. The sauce should gently coat a spoon and flow slowly.
Greasy pool? Too much heat or high-fat cheese. Keep the béchamel barely steaming when you stir in the cheese, then fold, don’t beat.
Exact Recipe (Stovetop Base)
Serves 6 — 12 oz (340 g) elbows; 4 Tbsp butter; 4 Tbsp flour; 3 cups warm whole milk; 8 oz sharp cheddar, 4 oz Gruyère, 2 oz low-moisture mozzarella (all freshly shredded); 1 tsp Dijon or mustard powder; 1/4 tsp white pepper; salt to taste.
Cook pasta; make roux; whisk in milk to thicken; season; off heat, melt in cheese; fold in pasta; adjust with pasta water; serve immediately or proceed to the baked finish below.
For a printable shortcut, the flow above doubles as your go-to mac and cheese recipe easy blueprint—memorize it once, cook it forever.
Exact Recipe (Baked Finish)
Transfer stovetop mac to a buttered 9×13 dish; top with 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup buttered panko (mix 2 Tbsp melted butter with crumbs). Bake 12–15 minutes at 200°C/400°F until golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
This is the showpiece take for any best mac and cheese recipe claim: crisp lid, creamy center, and edges you’ll fight over.
Shareable and dependable, it’s an easy mac and cheese recipe that scales from cozy nights to potlucks without surprises.
FAQ: Fit It to Your Kitchen
Can I make it lighter? Use 2% milk and reduce cheese by 2–3 oz; season assertively to keep flavor high. The technique still lands a silky sauce.
Gluten-free? Swap equal parts rice flour for the roux and use GF pasta. The texture remains spot-on when you keep heat moderate.
Which cheeses melt best? Cheddar, Gruyère, fontina, and Monterey Jack. Add a touch of American for extra smoothness if you like diner-style creaminess.
Your Next Bowl Awaits
Whether you want the fastest stovetop dinner or the Best Baked Mac And Cheese centerpiece, this formula delivers. It doubles as a homemade mac and cheese recipe easy enough for Tuesday and special enough for Sunday.
Save this page, and come back whenever you need an easy homemade mac and cheese recipe that never fails—comfort in a casserole or comfort right from the pot.
Hungry for more? Explore our pasta, sauces, and cozy classics next; your weeknight rotation just got deliciously simpler.
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