If there’s one recipe that all cooks need to have under their belt, it’s a classic Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe. Straight-up creamy, comforting, cheesy goodness! This classic stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe is made with a simple, budget-friendly roux-based cheese sauce and plenty of seasonings that will satisfy all of your cheesy pasta cravings. It’s amazingly delicious on its own, straight off the stovetop, and I included a list of fun add-ins and other ways you can make it your own.
“I have tried so many Mac and cheese recipes and my kids haven’t liked a single one. I gave this one a try tonight and they all came back for seconds. We will definitely be adding it to our recipe book.”
Jillian
For this extra cheesy homemade mac and cheese recipe, I used slightly more roux, lots of seasonings, and added about 30% more cheese than I generally do to my simple stovetop macaroni and cheese recipes. The thicker sauce and extra cheese made this recipe so lusciously creamy and cheesy that I couldn’t stop sneaking forkfuls between photographs. AND the best part is that it even stays smooth and creamy when reheated in the microwave. Mac and cheese heaven! 🙌 , We also have instructions for baked mac and cheese in the recipe card if you want to give that a try!
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Gather all your ingredients.
Cook pasta: Boil 8 oz. of macaroni according to the box directions (boil for 7-8 minutes, or just until tender). Drain the macaroni in a colander and set aside.
Start the cheese sauce: You can start the cheese sauce either while the macaroni is boiling, or wait until it’s draining and just make it in the same pot to save on dishes. Add 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the pot.
Make a roux: Place the pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Whisk the butter and flour together as the mixture begins to get bubbly and frothy. Cook and whisk for about one minute after it becomes bubbly.
Slowly whisk 2 cups of milk into the butter and flour roux. Add a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking as the milk begins to heat (keep the pot over medium heat). Let each addition thicken before adding more milk.
Allow the milk to come up to a gentle simmer, whisking often, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Be patient and let it fully thicken before adding the cheese, or it won’t melt smoothly. Turn the burner off once thickened.
Season the sauce: Season the sauce with ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp paprika, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp hot sauce. Whisk to combine.
Add cheese: Begin adding 2½ cups shredded cheddar to the pot, one handful at a time, whisking until it is completely melted before adding more. If the sauce cools down too much to continue melting the cheese, you can put it over low heat briefly, but avoid allowing the sauce to simmer again. Overheating cheese sauces will cause them to break and become grainy and oily.
Taste and adjust: When all of the cheese is melted into the sauce, the cheese sauce is complete. You can give it a taste at this point and adjust the seasonings if you’d like. Remember, you want the sauce to be seasoned well because the flavor intensity will be diluted a bit once the macaroni is added.
Add pasta: Add the cooked and drained macaroni back to the pot and stir to combine with the cheese sauce. If your pasta appears to be drowning in cheese, don’t worry! It’ll be the perfect consistency soon as the macaroni absorbs the sauce and thickens up.
And that’s it! Don’t tell me you don’t want to dive right into that pot and swim around a bit. 😂
This classic stovetop mac and cheese recipe starts with a roux, which is a cooked mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter). The roux thickens the sauce and helps the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping up as it melts. While there are ways to make a cheese sauce without a roux, taking this extra step definitely creates the creamiest, dreamiest cheese sauce for this dish.
Here’s where the recipe can get really fun. In addition to changing the cheeses, you can switch up the herbs and spices, add in some veggies, or your favorite protein to make your own creation. Here are some other fun ingredients to add:
Mac and cheese makes a super easy dinner when you pair it with simple dishes you can pop in the oven or slow cooker. It goes well with meatloaf (or lentil loaf for a veggie option) and roasted broccoli rounds things out without adding much work. It’s also delicious with anything BBQ, like my shredded BBQ chicken. If you’re cooking for the holidays, it also pairs well with roast turkey breast!
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It’ll get a bit thicker the longer it’s stored because the pasta will absorb more of the creamy sauce, but it’s still delicious! I usually reheat it in the microwave until heated through.
Our Mac and Cheese recipe was originally published 12/6/21. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 11/24/25.
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