The Best Mac ‘n Cheese – Two-in-One Recipe

Are you an extra creamy stovetop mac or a hearty casserole mac kind of person? Me? I’m an all mac kind of person and that’s why this is the best mac ‘n cheese recipe and my go to every time life requires mac ‘n cheese, which of course, is often. This recipe is all you need for the creamiest stovetop or heartiest casserole mac. It also scales up or down really well. If you’re just feeding two or you need to feed twenty-two, you’ve got one recipe that does it all! We’ll revisit this recipe again over the course of this blog to show off the true versatility.

Give Honey, I’m Hungry a tag on our social accounts when you whip up a batch of this mac ‘n cheese. I cannot wait to see if you’re team creamy mac or team hearty mac!

Keys to success – the best mac

• Before you start to cook, find and prep all of your ingredients and necessary equipment. When I list ingredients in a recipe, the ingredient will show how it should be prepped to be ready to use in the recipe. This recipe has, cooked, chopped bacon, go ahead a cook and chop the bacon before starting the rest of the recipe.
• Dairy doesn’t appreciate getting too hot and strongly dislikes big changes in temperature. Kind of like me in the Summer months. The key to getting the silkiest, creamiest sauce without any grittiness is to make sure the ingredients added to the sauce are added slowly and completely before stirring/whisking stops and, if possible, warmed to be closer in temperature before being added together. I’ve added reminders in the notes section of the recipe.
• It doesn’t seem like much, but the mustard powder and white pepper make a difference, don’t skip! I promise, future recipes will use both, so you won’t have stale spices in your spice drawer if you stick around Honey, I’m Hungry.

Helpful hints, tips, and tricks:

• My go-to cheese combination is 50/50 sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Could you go with all sharp cheddar? Yes! Could you get fancy and use fontina and gruyere? Absolutely, yes!
• I love to make the cheese sauce in a 3.5 quart enameled dutch oven to keep dishes to a minimum. From stove, to oven, to table, an enameled dutch oven does it all and keeps the dishes to a minimum. Just make sure to put a trivet under it at the table and warn your guests it’s hot!
• Stovetop mac can be kept warm on the stove over low heat for 30 minutes when covered and as long as you take the time to give it a stir occasionally.
• Casserole mac is best served straight out of the oven. You can prep up to the stove top stage, allow to cool, cover in plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap onto the surface of the mac to keep a skin from forming and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake. Remove the plastic wrap, add the cheese and breadcrumb topping and add 5ish minutes to the baking time.

The BEST Mac ‘n Cheese

Alden Elizabeth

The base mac 'n cheese recipe I start with every time I'm making mac. It's already two recipes in one!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course dinner, friendsgiving, main dish, potluck, side dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 651 kcal

Equipment

• Cheese grater or food processor with grating attachment
• Whisk
• Medium sauce pan
• Large sauce pan OR 3.5 quart dutch oven
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Casserole dish

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups warmed milk 2% or whole, not skim
• 1 lbs hand grated cheese, I usually use 50/50 sharp cheddar and pepper jack You won't want to use pre-shredded cheese, the anti-clumping compound added will mess with the sauce
• 2 cups macaroni noodles
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1½ cups cooked, chopped bacon optional

Topping for baked version

• ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Instructions

 

• In a medium saucepan start water boiling for macaroni noodles.
• In a large saucepan or 3.5 qt. dutch oven melt butter until it starts to bubble.
• Whisk flour into butter a little at a time until a roux is formed.
  
• Cook the roux over medium – low heat whisking frequently until the color starts to darken just a little and it smells less like butter and flour and more toasty
• Whisk the white pepper and mustard powder into the roux until roux is homogenous
• While constantly whisking, slowly add the warmed milk to the flour (if you forgot to warm the milk, no worries, using a microwave safe vessel give it 1-2 30 second rounds in the microwave until it feels warm, do not allow it to boil) and let the mixture cook without boiling until it starts to thicken. It should be thick enough that when you dip a wood spoon in it the mixture coats the back of the spoon.
  
• Your water should be boiling now, if so add the macaroni noodles if not, wait for it to boil and add the noodles. Cook for 2 minutes less than package instructions. Once noodles are cooked, drain noodles and set aside.
• When the sauce is thickened, turn the heat off and slowly add all of the shredded cheese, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until smooth before adding the next 1/2 cup of cheese.
  
• Stir in cooked macaroni, taste and add salt and/or pepper if necessary, and the bacon if you haven't already eaten it all.
  
• If you prefer a super creamy mac best eaten with a spoon your mac is ready, enjoy!
• If you prefer a hearty, casserole style mac best eaten with a fork follow the next three steps.
• If your sauce pan isn't oven safe, transfer the mac to a greased, oven safe casserole dish.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe bowl, then add the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and stir together with a fork. It will take a little bit to get it all evenly combined, but it will happen.
• Sprinkle topping over top of the mac evenly.
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes in the oven until the top is toasty and the edges of the mac are bubbling.
  

Notes

Things to remember:

1. Warming the milk will help prevent a grainy texture to the sauce, don’t skip this step!
2. It’s key to never stop whisking or stirring until a new addition (milk, cheese, mac noodles, etc.) is completely combined.
3. Don’t not let the sauce come up to a boil. If you get a bubble, don’t freak out, just keep stirring and manage your heat settings.
4. Using a dutch oven or other oven safe vessel to make the cheese sauce will save you a dish if you choose to bake your mac. 

Nutrition

Calories: 651kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 888mgPotassium: 294mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1221IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 733mgIron: 1mg

Keyword casserole, cheesy, double recipe, easy, roux, stovetop, topping

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