• About
  • Home
  • Recipes
Our Food Before Us
  • Home
  • About
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Soup
    • One Pot
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
  • Dessert
    • Cookies
    • Cake
    • Pie
    • Ice Cream
  • Side Dish
  • Snacks
  • Drinks
Dinner, Pasta, Side Dish  /  June 29, 2020

Creamy Stove-top Macaroni and Cheese

by Nicole
Creamy Stove-top Macaroni and Cheese
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This unassuming creamy stove-top macaroni and cheese is just so darn good! It’s super creamy and there’s a slight bite from the mustard and garlic powder. The whole thing can be thrown together in under 30 minutes and is great as a side dish or mix in some grilled chicken and broccoli to make it a standalone dish.  The secret weapon? Condensed cheddar cheese soup.

Macaroni and cheese on a dark plate on a wood table

There are two mac and cheese camps in my household: super stringy cheese pull or a creamy cheese sauce. I tend to lean towards the later for completely selfish reasons. Growing up, macaroni and cheese was not something we had on a regular basis. Woe to me…I know! **internet collectively rolls its eyes** When we did have it, it was either that infamous blue box with cheese powder or one from the frozen food section. For the record, I am not complaining as both options were equally delicious.

All this to say that this recipe brings me right back to my childhood and remains the ultimate comfort dish.

melted butter and flour in a pot being stirred
Tips:
  • This recipe calls for a roux, which is typically equal parts fat and flour that, when combined, help thicken a sauce. Since we are also using the condensed soup, the roux will need to be thinner than normal.
  • Feel free to use whatever pasta you have on hand. I love making this using cavatappi, but elbow or medium shells work just fine.
Milk being poured into a pot on top of a wood table
  • This recipe makes a lot of cheese sauce. How much of that sauce I use depends heavily on the type of pasta that I use and if I’m adding in any extras.
cheese being stirred into a pot on top of a wood table
  • Feel free to swap out the cheeses based off of your preferences. Gouda and Swiss are great options. For a more mild tasting sauce, you can opt for Monterey Jack. Steer clear of fresh cheeses such as Mozzarella or Feta. Although they are delicious, this isn’t the recipe for them.
cooked macaroni in a white bowl and cheese sauce being poured on top
  • Be sure to reserve some of water you cooked the pasta in. The extra starch in the water ensures that the sauce will stick to the pasta.
macaroni and cheese on top of a grey plate on top of a wood table with a blue napkin and silver fork

This creamy stove-top macaroni and cheese is truly one of my favorites and I hope you’ll love it too. Let me know what you think! Enjoy 🙂

Macaroni and cheese with pepper on a grey plate

Creamy Stove-top Macaroni and Cheese

This unassuming macaroni and cheese is just so darn good!The whole thing can be thrown together in under 30 minutes and is a great as a side dish or mix in some grilled chicken and broccoli for a standalone dish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
  • 1.5 Quart Saucepan
  • Liquid Measuring Cup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lbs pasta
  • ½ cup reserved cooking water from pasta
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 10.5 oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup
  • 2 slices american cheese
  • 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup colby jack cheese shredded
  • ½ tsp dry mustard powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water from the pasta for later.
  • Melt the butter in a 1.5 quart saucepan over medium heat. Once completely melted, add flour and stir to create a roux. Continue to cook over medium heat until the flour has a slightly nutty smell.
  • Add milk and heavy cream. Stir consistently in one direction until it just comes to a boil.
  • Add condensed cheddar cheese soup and stir until smooth.
  • Turn the burner off and add the american, white cheddar, sharp cheddar, and colby jack cheese to the sauce. Stir until all the cheese has melted and there is one homogeneous sauce.
  • Season the cheese sauce with mustard powder, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to taste.
  • Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta in increments until desired level of creaminess. Add the reserved cooking water if the mixture starts to thicken too much. Serve immediately.

Tags

  • creamy and cheesy pasta
  • dinner ideas
  • dinner recipes
  • mac and cheese
  • side dish recipes
  • the best mac and cheese

Post navigation

Easy 3 Bean Poblano Chili
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Search

Recent Posts

  • Beer Can Chicken
  • Simple Dutch Baby with Fresh Strawberries
  • Maple Bourbon Milkshake
  • Cast Iron Smash Burgers
  • Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream

Recent Comments

  • Cheryl on Movie Night Puppy Chow
  • Samantha on Cookie Butter Loaf
  • Nicole on Garlic Rosemary Pan Chicken
  • Deedy Rademacher on Garlic Rosemary Pan Chicken
  • Nicole on Braised Pork Chile Verde

Archives

  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020

Categories

  • Appetizers
  • Beef
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Cake
  • Chicken
  • Cookies
  • Dessert
  • Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Ice Cream
  • One Pot
  • Other
  • Pasta
  • Pie
  • Pork
  • Sauces
  • Side Dish
  • Slow Cooker Recipes
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Vegetables

Search by Tags

  • alcoholic beverage
  • bread for dinner
  • breakfast recipe
  • cake
  • Chicken
  • chicken and biscuits
  • Christmas cookies
  • comfort food
  • cookie recipe
  • cookies
  • cookies and coffee
  • cookies and tea
  • crockpot cooking
  • cuban food
  • dessert
  • dessert idea
  • dessert recipes
  • dinner recipe
  • dinner recipes
  • dinner rolls
  • dutch oven cooking
  • homemade biscuits
  • how to make cake
  • how to make cookies
  • how to make pie
  • how to make soup
  • ice cream recipe
  • milk and cookies
  • pasta
  • pasta for dinner
  • pasta recipe
  • perfect side dish
  • Pork tacos
  • recipes
  • salsa verde
  • side dish
  • side dish recipes
  • soup
  • strawberry dessert recipes
  • Tacos
  • thanksgiving
  • thanksgiving dishes
  • valentines day treats
  • whats for dinner
  • winter food

Recent Comments

  • Cheryl on Movie Night Puppy Chow
  • Samantha on Cookie Butter Loaf
  • Nicole on Garlic Rosemary Pan Chicken
  • Deedy Rademacher on Garlic Rosemary Pan Chicken
  • Nicole on Braised Pork Chile Verde

Pages

  • About
  • Home
  • Recipes

Categories

  • Appetizers
  • Beef
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Cake
  • Chicken
  • Cookies
  • Dessert
  • Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Ice Cream
  • One Pot
  • Other
  • Pasta
  • Pie
  • Pork
  • Sauces
  • Side Dish
  • Slow Cooker Recipes
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Vegetables

Recent Posts

  • Beer Can Chicken
  • Simple Dutch Baby with Fresh Strawberries
  • Maple Bourbon Milkshake
  • Cast Iron Smash Burgers
  • Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream

Archives

  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • Elara by LyraThemes
  • Made by LyraThemes.com

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy