This stovetop mac and cheese is a one pot dish of tender macaroni simmered in an ultra creamy sauce with two types of cheese. The best macaroni and cheese recipe of all time!
After you try this homemade one pot mac and cheese, you’ll never turn to the boxed version again. Serve your mac and cheese with roasted broccoli or glazed carrots for a complete meal.
There’s nothing better than homemade mac and cheese, and there are so many different ways to prepare it. I have a really great slow cooker mac and cheese that the family loves, but when we want dinner in a hurry, I turn to this stovetop mac and cheese recipe.
Mac and cheese ingredients
The ingredients in this recipe include butter, flour, water, milk, macaroni, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, pepper, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese and parsley.
How do you make stovetop mac and cheese?
Start by whisking flour and butter together to make a thickener. Add water and milk to the pot, then stir in uncooked pasta and a variety of spices. Let the pasta simmer until it’s tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add two types of cheese, then stir until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately, with a sprinkle of parsley for extra color and flavor.
Tips for the perfect dish
- You can use any type of short pasta, just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. If you use a larger pasta such as penne, you may need to add more liquid to the pot.
- Skip the bags of pre-shredded cheese and grate your own. The prepared shredded cheeses often contain preservatives and anti caking agents and do not melt smoothly.
- This is a thick and cheesy mac! If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- The dish will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Cheddar cheese is my favorite choice for macaroni and cheese. It’s flavorful, melts great and gives the mac and cheese its traditional orange color. That being said, make sure you’re using a regular mild, medium or sharp cheddar cheese and not a cheddar cheese that’s extra sharp or aged. The aged cheeses can separate when melted and you won’t get a smooth and silky sauce. I often add in small amounts of other types of cheese for extra flavor, like parmesan, jack cheese or mozzarella. For this recipe, I’ve added some mozzarella because I love the creamy flavor it adds to this dish.
I am a purist, and I love my mac and cheese simply with the noodles and cheese sauce, with a little parsley for garnish. But there are countless ways to dress up your macaroni and cheese. Some suggestions include bacon, grilled chicken, chives, broccoli, hot sauce or jalapenos.
Spices are a great way to accentuate the flavor of the cheese sauce. I typically add salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika to my macaroni and cheese. You could also use regular paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic salt, or chili powder.
I typically serve this stovetop mac and cheese as a side dish, but my kids often eat it as a main course! Here are some entree and side dish suggestions to go with your mac and cheese.
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Brown Sugar Pork Chops
- Baked Lemon Chicken
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as mine does!
Stovetop Mac and Cheese Video
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups water
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1 pound elbow macaroni uncooked
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour, then whisk until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the water and whisk until smooth and just thickened.
- Add the milk and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the macaroni, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and pepper, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is done.
- Turn the heat to low, then stir in the cheeses. Keep stirring until the sauce is smooth. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Skip the bags of pre-shredded cheese and grate your own. The prepared shredded cheeses often contain preservatives and anti caking agents and do not melt smoothly.
- This is a thick and cheesy mac! If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
We love mac n cheese and if my youngest could eat it everyday he would. I have not tried making my own mac n cheese. I am going to try making this for my family too.
I need to make this!! My kids LOVE Mac n cheese! I swear, they could eat it all the time!
I love homemade mac and cheese! This looks delicious!
Mac n Cheese is one of my favorite comfort dishes! I prefer it the way you showed vs packaged and powder completely
I love mac and cheese!! The creamier the better!
I love mac and cheese and the easier the better!! This is amazing – Pinned. I would be honored if you shared this at our What’s for Dinner link party!
This looks crazy good. I think I could eat the whole pan myself. I love that it is homemade, as all mac and cheese should be!
This recipe looks amazing. My family loves having mac and cheese. This is a recipe that we will make sure to make soon. I know we’re going to love it.
I truly love this and I can’t wait to try it. Looks so good and easy to make.
Wow and wow! My husband really loves mac and cheese and this will be a great time for me to make this recipe for him. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
MAc n cheese is a classic that we love to enjoy still in my home. When I was a kid it was my go to and now it is for my daughter. Love it!
I could seriously eat that entire pan of mac & cheese, it just looks beyond creamy and tasty, love all those simple yet great spices you added
Wow! This looks so creamy and delicious! My 8 year old would love it.
I haven’t had some good homemade mac and cheese in a while. I’d love to make a huge batch of this for the whole family, and save the leftovers. I work long shifts and like to have a meal prepared for when I get home.
I love a good bowl of mac n cheese. It’s our favorite go to and now we have a new recipe idea to try. Thanks for sharing a new way to make mac n cheese for my family!
Ooooooh! My kids absolutely love mac & cheese and I always make it from scratch because of all the warnings about the boxed stuff, so I’m definitely trying this! Thanks 🙂
OMG THAT MAC AND CHEESE LOOKS SO SO SO SO SO FRIGGIN DELICIOUS!!
This recipe looks divine! I love the addition of paprika. I woudn’t have thought of that. And suggesting jalapenos…genius. I have to try it!
This looks delicious! My boys love Mac N Cheese! I’d love to try your version sometime! I’m sure it will be a big hit in our house!
I LOVE stove top macaroni and cheese. This would taste amazing with bacon and broccoli!!! 🙂