I grew up with a bowl of warm macaroni and cheese as my small safety blanket. Now I make it in one pot on the stove and the pasta comes out tender and coated in a velvet sauce. This mac and cheese recipe skips fuss and keeps the good stuff. We melt butter, whisk flour, pour milk, and fold in sharp cheddar that loves to stretch. I shot quick notes from my kitchen while my kid asked for a second scoop. If you like to learn by watching, you can peek at mac and cheese recipe videos. You can also try a home made mac and cheese recipe twist with steamed broccoli for a mild crunch. Got a rush kind of day. Reach for a fast mac and cheese recipe and cook it on the stove. This is a friendly stove top mac and cheese recipe. If you cook gluten free, you can follow the same method for a gf mac and cheese recipe. I am Nancy from Nancy Cooks and I keep things simple and kind. You stir, you taste, you smile. That is the plan and it works most nights.
Table of Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Easy Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese Recipe
- 3 Ingredients for Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
- 4 How to Make Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
- 5 Tips for Making Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
- 6 Making Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
- 7 Storing Leftover Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
- 8 Try these Main Course recipes next
- 9 Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
- 10 Nutrition
1 Key Takeaways
I am Nancy from Nancy Cooks and I keep supper calm and kind. This creamy bowl brings simple joy and fast comfort. A small pot works. A whisk works. Sharp cheddar melts like a charm. A smooth sauce hugs tender elbows. You get steady results and warm smiles.
You can cook this on the stove with little fuss. The base uses butter flour and milk. Cheese joins near the end and turns glossy. The pasta slides in and keeps shape. Your spoon lifts a soft pull with each scoop. Kids cheer. Grown ups nod. That is a win.
Want a gentle twist. Steam small broccoli florets and fold them in. Want speed. Keep pasta water nearby and adjust the sauce on the fly. This mac and cheese recipe feels friendly and steady. It fits weeknights and it fits small gatherings without stress.
2 Easy Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese Recipe
Two words that guide me in my kitchen calm and close. A mac and cheese recipe lives by those same words. I start the pot. I salt the water. I set cheddar on the board and grab the grater. We move with a small rhythm and keep the tools near. This mac and cheese recipe keeps a short path and fast steps.
I write from my stove as steam curls up from the pot. The pasta cooks to a soft bite. The roux bubbles and smells toasty. Milk goes in with a light hand. The sauce thickens to a coat that shines. A home made mac and cheese recipe like this works on busy nights and quiet ones.
Want a fast track. Try a stove top mac and cheese recipe plan and keep the heat steady. For a quick watch you can peek at mac and cheese recipe videos that match these steps. I share the same clear moves on Nancy Cooks so you can follow with ease and feel good as you stir.
3 Ingredients for Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
Elbow macaroni A small tube with a curve that holds sauce in each bite and keeps a tender chew after the boil.
Kosher salt A clean taste that seasons the water and lifts the pasta from flat to full without effort.
Unsalted butter A mellow base that melts smooth and helps flour cook to a light nut scent in the pan.
All purpose flour A fine powder that joins butter and builds a roux that thickens milk into a soft coat.
Whole milk A rich body that turns the roux into a sauce that clings without grit and stays silky.
Sharp cheddar Freshly shredded cheese that melts clean and gives the sauce a bold yet friendly bite.
Parmesan A small handful that adds a nut note and a light finish that keeps the taste bright.
Cream cheese Small cubes that soften the texture and add a gentle tang for balance.
Black pepper A few turns that wake the sauce with a warm edge without crowding the cheese.
Garlic powder A mild lift that blends fast and stays smooth in the sauce.
Broccoli florets Small steamed pieces that bring color and a soft crunch for a broccoli mac and cheese recipe riff.
4 How to Make Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
Step one boil pasta Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil then season the water with a spoon of kosher salt. Add the macaroni and cook to a tender bite then drain and set aside.
Step two build roux Melt butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour. Cook the paste for two minutes until it smells toasty and looks smooth.
Step three add milk Whisk in milk in small pours. Keep the whisk moving so the sauce stays lump free. Watch as it thickens to a light cream.
Step four season Sprinkle in salt pepper and garlic powder. Taste the base so you know the balance before cheese goes in.
Step five add cheese Lower the heat. Stir in cheddar parmesan and the cream cheese. The sauce turns glossy and smooth.
Step six marry pasta and sauce Fold the drained pasta into the pan. Stir until every elbow wears a coat of cheese. Loosen with a spoon of warm milk if the sauce feels tight.
Step seven finish Fold in the broccoli if you want that gentle crunch. Serve warm and watch the smiles grow with each spoonful of this fast mac and cheese recipe.
5 Tips for Making Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
Grate cheese at home and skip bagged shreds. Fresh shreds melt smooth and keep the sauce from feeling dry. Keep heat medium so the sauce stays kind and does not split.
Salt the pasta water with a steady hand. The noodles taste better from the inside out. Save a small cup of pasta water. A splash can fix a sauce that feels too tight.
Use a wide pan for the sauce. A larger surface lets milk thicken in a gentle way. Stir with relaxed strokes and keep the whisk near. A stove top mac and cheese recipe loves simple tools and calm moves.
6 Making Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese Ahead of Time
I prep parts when life runs full. I grate cheddar and measure flour and stash both in small tubs. I steam broccoli and chill it on a tray so the green stays bright. These small tasks cut the later work to almost nothing.
Cook the pasta a touch shy of tender and toss it with a small spoon of oil so it does not stick. Chill it flat on a sheet. Mix the sauce fresh when you need it then fold in the pasta and warm through. A home made mac and cheese recipe shines with this plan.
You can even cool the finished pot and hold it for a short time. Reheat over low heat and stir in a splash of milk until the sauce wakes up again. A mac and cheese recipe like this travels well to a friend who needs dinner help.
7 Storing Leftover Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
Spoon leftovers into a tight container and chill within an hour. The pasta keeps well for three days and heats up with a little milk. Stir as it warms so the sauce turns smooth again.
For small portions use a skillet over low heat. Add a spoon of milk and move the spoon in slow circles. The cheese loosens and the shine returns. A short rest before serving helps the sauce settle.
For the freezer cool the dish and pack it flat. Thaw in the fridge then reheat on the stove. A fast stir brings it back. Short keywords show up here macaroni cheddar and stovetop so you can find this note again when the rush hits.
8 Try these Main Course recipes next
9 Homemade Stovetop Mac And Cheese
Mac And Cheese Recipe Creamy Stovetop Comfort From Nancy Cooks
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- one pound elbow macaroni
- water for boiling
- one tablespoon kosher salt for the pot
For the Cheese Sauce
- four tablespoons unsalted butter
- four tablespoons all purpose flour
- four cups whole milk
- one teaspoon kosher salt
- half teaspoon ground black pepper
- half teaspoon garlic powder
- two and one half cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar
- half cup freshly grated parmesan
- half cup cream cheese cut into small cubes
Optional Mixins
- two cups small broccoli florets steamed
- one cup cooked crumbled bacon
- one teaspoon hot sauce
- half teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
For the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil then add salt.
- Add macaroni and cook until just tender then drain and keep warm.
For the Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour to make a smooth roux and cook two minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk a splash at a time until smooth then keep whisking as the sauce thickens to light cream.
- Season with salt pepper and garlic powder then lower the heat.
- Fold in cheddar parmesan and cream cheese and stir until smooth and glossy.
Finish And Serve
- Add drained pasta to the sauce then stir until every elbow wears a coat of cheese.
- Splash in a spoon of pasta water if the sauce looks tight.
- Stir in broccoli or other mixins if you like.
- Taste then add more salt or pepper if needed and serve warm.
10 Nutrition
Per large bowl about one and one half cups. Calories around five hundred forty. Protein about twenty two grams. Carbs close to fifty two grams. Fat near twenty eight grams with a creamy texture that still feels light. Sodium near seven hundred ten milligrams. Fiber about two grams. Add broccoli for more fiber and color and a happy crunch.
Leave a Comment