Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe
This easy mac and cheese recipe is creamy, cheesy, and perfectly comforting. It comes together fast with just a few simple ingredients, making it a go-to dish everyone loves.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 682kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta elbows or shells
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ¾ cup sweet onion finely diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 5 cups shredded cheese 3 cups sharp white cheddar, 1 cup regular cheddar and 1 cup gouda
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente in heavily salted water. Drain the cooked pasta, pour into a large bowl and stir in 1 Tablespoon of butter. Set pasta aside. (This can also be done while you make the cheese sauce).
- In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the remaining 7 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat with the onion. Cook until very soft, about 5-7 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour to form a thick pasta. Cook and whisk for 1 minute—this is key to cook out the flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer to thicken, about 3-5 minutes, whisking occasionally. To test, dip a spoon in the mixture, you should be able to swipe with your finger on the back and it remain. Stir in the salt, white pepper, dried mustard, and dried parsley. Then, whisk in the cheese until just about smooth. Remove from the heat, whisking until all cheese is melted.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring until all pasta is coated. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: To freeze, prepare the macaroni and cheese through completion. Spoon in to greased 9×13-inch freezer-friendly dish. Allow to cool completely before covering tightly to freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator and reheat as desired. You can skip thawing and bake frozen, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until warm throughout.
- Milk & Cream: The blend of whole milk and heavy cream is strongly recommended for the creamiest sauce.
- Cheese: Use a combination of white cheddar, sharp cheddar and gouda for the best flavor. Grate it off the block as pre-shredded cheese is drier.
Nutrition
Calories: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1374IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 481mg | Iron: 1mg
