Super easy, this Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese comes together in minutes and makes for a delicious main dish or side with dinner. Forget the boxed stuff and make your own mac and cheese from scratch!
Hey everyone! How’s the year treating you so far? Sticking with those goals? I’ve been continuing to read more, though not as much as I’d like. I’ve been so dang tired. I blame it on the weather/time of year. Cold, dark days never gets my motor running. You know what does though? CHEESE! If you’ve been following Girl Heart Food for a little while, you may know how cheese obsessed I am. I could never give it up, just like –
- swearing on occasion (the latest season of Grace & Frankie reaffirms that for me, lol)
- wine on Friday after work
- good chocolate (hey, if I’m going to have the calories, better make it good, right?)
- popcorn popped on the stove
- real butter
- cream
- did I mention cheese 😉 ?
Speaking of cheese, I enjoy ’em all. And those funky, stinky ones? Oh yeah, baby! In my opinion, there’s a place for all cheese….
And it’s in my mouth! Ha!
Seriously, though, I was super happy to come across a truffle cheddar from the UK the other day. It’s funky, but not too funky and really adds something special to this creamy stovetop mac and cheese recipe. Kinda takes it to another level and makes it extra special. How lovely would this be for date night with some vino? Pretty spot on, if you ask me!
How Do You Make Mac and Cheese on the Stove?
- Cook pasta per package instructions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, cook shallot and garlic.
- Melt butter and add flour.
- Slowly stir in milk and cream, about 1/2 cup at a time until mixture thickened.
- Add shredded cheese in batches, incorporating each batch before adding more.
- Mix cheesy sauce with cooked pasta. Portion and enjoy!
What’s the Best Cheese For Macaroni and Cheese? Can I Use Another Variety?
I always love to use cheddar for mac and cheese and in this case I used a delicious truffle cheddar. Don’t like truffle cheddar or don’t have on hand? No worries? Use your favourite sharp cheddar.
Tips for Making this Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe
- The sauce thickens best (quickest) when the milk is not super cold from the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for a few minutes or warm a little in a sauce pan.
- Slowly add the milk to the roux, giving it a chance to thicken. Don’t add all the milk the one time.
- Add the shredded cheese in batches, stirring each batch in until dissolved. Don’t boil or overcook cheese. As soon as the mixture is smooth, mix with cooked pasta.
- Enjoy right away! That’s when it’s the creamiest (and, also, why wait?!)
Can you Freeze Mac and Cheese? How Do You Freeze Mac and Cheese?
You can totally freeze mac and cheese! As this cools, it will naturally firm up. I love to portion into individual freezer friendly dishes, ensuring covered. Thaw in fridge.
Can you Reheat Mac and Cheese? How to Reheat Mac and Cheese?
Yes! Totally! Leftovers of this creamy stovetop mac and cheese reheat like a dream!! Of course, the mac will solidify as it cools (because of the cheese in there), but will loosen up once reheated. Trust the process.
Whether you’re enjoying this mac and cheese the next day or warming up a thawed piece, simply add mac to a non stick pan on medium heat along with a little stock or milk (preferred). The amount of liquid you add will vary depending on how much leftovers you are reheating. I always find it’s better to add a little liquid at a time (start with about 1/4 cup or so and add more as needed) until the pasta is creamy and warmed through. You don’t want to add too much so that it’s a liquid mess and the cheesy creaminess is gone….feel me?
Variations for this Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Use a tsp or so of onion powder instead of shallot (simply stir in with the milk).
- Use 1/2 tsp or so of garlic powder instead of garlic.
- Try regular sharp cheddar instead of truffle cheddar.
- Delicious spice add-ins are mustard powder, cayenne or smoked paprika (smoked paprika works best with regular cheddar).
- I garnished with a little parsley for a pop of colour. However, chives would work lovely too.
- Want to make this even more substantial? Add in some crisped pancetta, bacon or prosciutto.
- Mix it up! Try another variety of small pasta, like penne or rotini.
Other Easy Comfort Food Recipes You May Enjoy
Hope you love this easy stovetop mac n cheese as much as we do!
Until next time take care and chit chat again soon 🙂
P.S. If you think this ultra creamy stovetop mac and cheese recipe will make your belly happy too, please hit that Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO
Truffle Cheddar Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups macaroni noodles
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot -minced or 1/4 cup minced white onion.
- 2 cloves garlic -minced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter -cut into cubes for easier melting
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup milk -Full fat or 2%
- 1/4 cup heavy cream -or milk
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 ounces truffle cheddar -shredded, about 2 cups
Instructions
- Cook pasta per package instruction. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy bottomed pot. Add shallot and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes.
- Add butter to pot and melt. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Mix milk with cream and slowly stir into butter/flour mixture (about 1/2 cup at a time). Cook until thickened slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
- On low heat stir in cheese. Add cheese in batches, stirring until each batch is incorporated. Next, stir in cooked pasta. Portion and enjoy! NOTE: I like to add a little more cracked black pepper on top of my mac, but that's optional.
Notes
- The sauce thickens best (quickest) when the milk is not super cold from the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for a few minutes or warm a little in a sauce pan.
- Slowly add the milk to the roux, giving it a chance to thicken. Don't add all the milk the one time.
- Add the shredded cheese in batches, stirring each batch in until dissolved. Don't boil or overcook cheese. As soon as the mixture is smooth, mix with cooked pasta.
- Enjoy right away! That's when it's the creamiest.
- Use a tsp or so of onion powder instead of shallot (simply stir in with the milk).
- Use 1/2 tsp or so of garlic powder instead of garlic.
- Try regular sharp cheddar instead of truffle cheddar.
- Delicious spice add-ins are mustard powder, cayenne or smoked paprika (smoked paprika works best with regular cheddar).
- I garnished with a little parsley for a pop of colour. However, chives would work lovely too.
- Want to make this even more substantial? Add in some crisped pancetta, bacon or prosciutto.
- Mix it up! Try another variety of small pasta, like penne or rotini.
