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Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Truffle Cheddar

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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!

An overhead shot of a bowl of creamy stovetop mac and cheese.

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!

Ingredients for the best stovetop mac and cheese.

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.

An overhead shot of a bowl of shredded truffle cheddar cheese.

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?!)

An overhead shot of a pot of simple stovetop mac and cheese.

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.

A close up overhead shot of a bowl of truffle cheddar mac and cheese garnished with parsley.

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?

An overhead shot of bowl of easy stovetop mac n cheese with a fork in it.

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.

A forkful of ultra creamy stovetop mac n cheese.

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

An overhead shot of two bowls of creamy stovetop mac and cheese alongside some shredded cheese and wine.
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5 from 12 votes

Truffle Cheddar Stovetop Mac and Cheese

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!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword easy mac and cheese recipe, stovetop mac and cheese
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Dawn Coombs

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

Tips:
  • 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.
Variations:
  • 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.
Tried this recipe? That's awesome!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood!

Photo collage of creamy stovetop mac and cheese with text title.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dana

    March 5, 2019 at 4:19 am


    OMG this looks so amazing and creamy! I love homemade mac and cheese but haven’t made it in eons. And I’ve only baked it before…I love the idea of homemade stove top mac and cheese. Simply Brilliant! This sounds incredible and you now have me craving mac and cheese like crazy right now haha Maybe I’ll make it for breakfast tomorrow 😀 . I’m a cheese fanatic too, and the more the merrier. YUM!

    Reply

  4. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

    February 8, 2019 at 9:23 pm


    I’m all about homemade mac n cheese! And the cheesier the better!!! Your version looks so yummy and cheesy. I have never put my mac and cheese in the freezer. Glad to know the next time I have leftovers, I can pop it in small portions into the freezer and then pull out for lunch!

    Reply

  5. Valentina

    February 8, 2019 at 4:56 pm


    If I could place an order for this right now I would. I live in LA where it’s sunny most of the time, and beautiful. This week however, has been one of our coldest ever! I’m dusting off jackets, and living in my UGG boots. So this is exactly the type of recipe I need to warm up. Right now! I love cheddar too, and Gruyere is right up there along with it.

    Reply

  7. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking

    February 8, 2019 at 11:54 am


    This looks so rich and creamy! I used to make mac and cheese all the time for my hubby, but haven’t in ages! This stove top version will have to go on the list. I’m sure he will love it. And truffle cheddar sounds fantastic. I’ve never heard of it but now I’m so curious! Happy weekend Dawn!

    Reply

  8. Haylie Abele

    February 8, 2019 at 11:09 am


    I’ve never had truffle cheddar but GOODNESS! NOW I NEED SOME! Lol. But really, this looks so extra creamy! I love stovetop mac and cheese – so easy and always a million times better than the boxed stuff!

    Reply

  9. Kelly | Foodtasia

    February 8, 2019 at 5:48 am


    Dawn, this mac and cheese looks so dreamy! It’s so creamy! And that truffle cheddar sounds amazing! Winter is such a lovely time to enjoy a big bowl of mac and cheese – the ultimate comfort food. The bleakness and cold make the indoors all the more cozy and inviting. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!

    Reply

  10. Katherine | Love In My Oven

    February 8, 2019 at 12:33 am

    Dawn, we have a lot of the same vices! Cheese is definitely up there, too. This looks SOOO creamy and delicious, and couldn’t have come at a better time! It’s so cold, all I want is the cozy stuff. I just know the whole family would love this too!!

    Reply

  11. Stephanie

    February 7, 2019 at 4:26 pm


    This looks so yummy and I’m basically cheese obsessed as well.. never without some. And this mac and cheese looks so creamy. Need to try it with truffle cheese.

    Reply

  13. [email protected]

    February 7, 2019 at 10:47 am


    I guess we’re both feeling the pasta this week! 😉 This looks so yummy and decadent! And I’m with you – give me all the cheese! Is there any better snack than popcorn popped on the stove with melted butter and salt? Oh – now I need some!! Have a great weekend, dear! PS) I’m on Episode 6 of G & F….so good!!!! XOXO

    Reply

  15. David @ Spiced

    February 7, 2019 at 9:51 am

    Cheese totally gets my motor running, too, Dawn! We always keep a drawer full of delicious cheeses in our house. I’ve had truffle cheese before, and it’s one of those things that’s odd at first…but then leaves you wanting more. And more. And more. What a fun idea to use truffle cheese in a mac and cheese recipe! I’m pretty sure I could stick my face into this pot and be a happy camper right about now. 🙂

    Reply

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