I’m all about SUPER creamy mac and cheese! I make this simple recipe whenever I’m craving comfort food. It’s rich, cheesy, and oh-so delicious!
Creamy Mac And Cheese
This old-fashioned mac & cheese is my family's favorite dinner; we love it creamy and rich. I use a mix of cheeses, heavy cream, and whole milk to make it SUPER creamy.
To make the best cheese sauce, I use equal parts of butter and flour to make a roux, which will thicken the cheese sauce; I also, make sure the sauce is smooth and lumps-free before mixing it with the cooked pasta.
This recipe is simple: cook the pasta, make the cheese sauce, and mix them together. You can serve it right away, or you can take an extra step like I do and bake it for just 15-20 minutes. I bake it just to get a crispy top.
You'll Need
Dried macaroni: I use elbow pasta. I also made this recipe with shells and cavatappi, and they were both good.
Cheese: I use sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese. I also don't prefer to buy pre-shredded cheese. Instead, I shred them myself. However, I highly recommend using high-quality cheese for better flavor.
Seasonings: Salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
For the roux: I use unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, heavy cream and whole milk.
Tip: if you don't want to use heavy cream, you can replace it with milk.
Find the quantities in the recipe card.
How To Make The Recipe
Step 1: Cook the pasta in boiled salted water according to the package instructions (I prefer to undercook for 1 minute because it will continue cooking in the oven) and then drain.
Step 2: In a large pot, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute or until light brown.
Step 3: While whisking, pour in the milk and heavy cream, and KEEP WHISKING until smooth and the sauce thickens.
Step 4: Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheddar and mozzarella cheese gradually (keep a handful to sprinkle on top) until melted. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
Step 5: Stir in the cooked pasta until mixed well with the sauce, then turn off the heat.
Step 6: Spoon the mixture into a 9x12-inch baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake in the oven at 350F (180C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden (DON'T OVERBAKE).
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Recipe
Creamy Mac And Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1 box dried elbow macaroni ,( 500g)
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese , grated
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk , warm
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiled salted water according to the package instructions (I prefer to undercook for 1 minute) and then drain.
- In a large pot, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute or until light brown.
- While whisking, pour in the milk and heavy cream and KEEP WHISKING until smooth and the sauce thickens.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheddar and mozzarella cheese (keep a handful to sprinkle on top) until melted. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Stir in the cooked pasta until mixed well with the sauce, then turn off the heat.
- Spoon the mixture into a 9x12-inch baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake in the oven at 350F (180C) for 20 minutes.
Mark says
This recipe turned out amazing. My wife and kids loved it and will repeat again for sure.