Easy stove-top mac and cheese is mac and cheese made simple. This creamy mac and cheese dish uses two variations of cheese and only costs $12 dollars to make.
However, if you already have milk, butter, and flour at home. This meal can be made for $8 dollars!
If you’d like to use Gruyere cheese as one of the cheeses this dish will be $15 dollars to make assuming you have none of the ingredients like flour, milk, or butter at home.
However if you do have butter, milk, and flour at home this meal with the fancy Gruyere cheese will cost $11 dollars to make.
Make this a complete meal by serving this cheesy, mac and cheese with vegetables on sale and whatever fruit is on sale at the time.
Normally carrots are pretty inexpensive along with my favorite! Broccoli, I love to roast carrots and broccoli and add to this stove-top mac and cheese recipe.
This easy dinner idea is a full course meal with Baked Brown Sugar Apples
And, of course, who can forget about Blueberry Crisp with Frozen Blueberries and Baked Apple Cobbler
Tips for Making Easy Stove-Top Mac & Cheese
- Use block cheese. Block cheese has no added chemicals typically found in most shredded cheese brands and you get more cheese. Block cheese also melts better and doesn’t clump up.
- Make a roux. Make a roux to thicken cheese sauce. All you do is melt butter, add flour and milk. Stir and let bubble. Viola! Roux will be done and ready for shredded cheese and noodles to be added.
- Bring milk to room temperature. Bringing milk to room temperature ensures that mac and cheese keeps its smooth texture.
- Bring cheese to room temperature. Bring cheese to room temperature to make sure cheese won’t clump up when added to roux.
- Try these mac & cheese variations. Try Jalapeno Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe for a spicy, hot, kick. Or TikTok Mac & Cheese Recipe (no boil) for a easy no boil, oven baked mac and cheese.
Ingredients
This easy stove-top mac and cheese is made with two variations of cheese and is made in 20 minutes! Serve with roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- Elbow Noodles
- White American Block Cheese
- Swiss American Block Cheese
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Ground Mustard
- Onion Powder
- Salt & Pepper
How do you Make Stove-Top Mac and Cheese not Grainy?
To make sure stove-top mac and cheese is never grainy. Make a roux, use butter grated cheese, and make sure to cook on medium low heat. Do not cook on high!
How to Make Easy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Boil shell noodles. Boil shell noodles until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Allow milk to reach room temperature. Allow milk to reach room temperature. Allowing milk to reach room temp ensures that mac and cheese stays velvety smooth!
Grate the block cheese. Grate the block cheese with a cheese grater and set shredded cheese aside. Allow cheese to reach room temperature as well. Room temperature cheese melts smoothly.
Make a roux. Make a roux by melting butter in a stockpot on medium heat. Add equal parts flour to melted butter. Stir in one and a half cups milk to remove any lumps and stir until smooth. Add seasonings and mix.
Add in shredded cheese. Stir in cheese and mix until melted. Stir in remaining one cup milk and mix until smooth.
Add noodles. Add noodles and stir until noodles evenly absorb sauce. Enjoy! Serve with roasted vegetables, and fruit for a full course meal.
Types of Cheese that Taste Good in Mac and Cheese
I can’t think of a cheese that wouldn’t taste good in mac and cheese.
When making a tasty mac and cheese definitely use block cheese. It melts better and you skip added chemicals. Block cheese is also cheaper when compared to shredded cheese.
My favorites to use in mac and cheese recipes are gouda, smoked gouda, white cheddar, White american cheddar, and pepper jack cheese for some heat!
And of course… cheddar cheese and Velveeta cheese are the top ranked cheeses to use in mac and cheese and have been for ages!
Here is a list of good cheeses for mac and cheese.
- Gouda
- Smoked Gouda
- Gruyere
- Brie
- White cheddar
- Swiss
- Cream Cheese
- Velveeta
- Cheddar
- Sharp Cheddar
- Harviti Cheese
- White American Cheddar
- Muenster
- Parmesan
- Fontina
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Pepper Jack Cheese
How long does Stove-Top Mac and Cheese last?
If stored in an airtight container stove-top mac and cheese will last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Always check the smells of food to ensure that mac and cheese doesn’t sour.
Another fun fact about ensuring that mac and cheese remains fresh is to always look at the date of the cheese and milk that was used in the stove-top mac and cheese recipe.
As long as milk or cheese doesn’t expire before the 3-5 days after being cooked. Stove-top mac and cheese should remain fresh.
Easy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Easy Stove-Top Mac and cheese is a meal made in 20 minutes! Serve with roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 16 oz shell noodles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk (reserve 1 cup and stir in with cheese)
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese,block
- 1 cup Swiss cheddar cheese, block or Gruyere cheese block
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 teaspoons ground mustard
Instructions
- Boil noodles until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Melt butter on medium heat, stir in flour, blend until combined. Add in 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir mixture until smooth.
- Stir roux and milk mixture on medium heat until mixture bubbles. Add seasonings and stir until combined.
- Add grated cheese, and 1 cup milk. Stir until smooth.
- Add cooked noodles, blend and enjoy!
Notes
Cook noodles until al dente
Use block cheese and grate with a cheese grater.
Allow cheese and milk to reach room temperature.
Swiss cheese is a close comparison in taste to Gruyere cheese.