To quote Chrissy Teigan: This is MY mac and cheese, dammit. This homemade mac and cheese recipe is one I’ve been making for years. My mom taught me the basics and I’ve practiced and kept making it for years. I’ve made countless variations, but this is the basic mac and cheese recipe I use anytime I make it.
You start the recipe with a roux, which is a mixture of fat and flour, in this case, the fat is butter. Technically, you make a blonde roux for this recipe. It thickens the sauce and you really only cook out the raw flavor of the flour. Other roux, like for gravies, can be cooked longer to create a brown color and a deeper flavor.
For the basic recipe, I use mild and sharp cheddar cheese. But I’ve also switched it up using fontina, swiss, gruyere and more! Trust me when I say that once you have the basics down, you can truly make this your own.
Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb. elbow macaroni (3/4 of a box)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 and 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions:
Start by cooking your pasta according to the box directions in heavily salted water. Drain and set aside.
While your pasta cooks, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons flour and cook 2-3 minutes on medium heat until bubbly and thick, but not darker in color.
Slowly pour in your milk while stirring and turn your heat up to medium-high. Stir constantly until your sauce has thickened then turn the heat down to low.
Stir in your cheese and your spices and mix until creamy and smooth. Taste it and make sure YOU like it. Add more salt, more pepper, more cheese, whatever you feel like it needs to make it your own.
Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. And that’s it! Serve alongside some chicken or steak or just eat it straight out of the pan, I never judge!
To make baked mac and cheese, you could add another half cup of milk to your final product and then our it into a buttered baking dish. Top with buttered breadcrumbs, French’s Crispy Fried Onions (my topping of choice!) or parmesan cheese, and bake it at 350-degrees for 7-10 minutes until your topping is brown and crispy.
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Directions
