Macaroni and Cheese 🧀🍝
A classic comfort food, macaroni and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and satisfying. It can be baked for a golden crust or made stovetop for a quick, creamy version.
🧾 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
Pasta & Cheese Sauce:
- 8 oz (about 2 cups) elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and gouda)
- 2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp mustard powder (optional, for extra flavor)
Optional Topping (for baked version):
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp melted butter
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook pasta
- Boil macaroni according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
2. Make the cheese sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Stir in flour to make a roux, cooking 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add salt, pepper, mustard powder, and cheese. Stir until cheese melts and sauce is creamy.
3. Combine pasta and sauce
- Mix cooked macaroni with cheese sauce until evenly coated.
4. Optional: Bake for a golden top
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Pour macaroni and cheese into a greased baking dish.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
5. Serve
- Serve hot as a side dish or a main course.
🌟 Tips
- For extra creaminess, add cream cheese or a little heavy cream to the sauce.
- Mix in extras like bacon, sautéed onions, or steamed broccoli for variety.
- Use sharp cheddar for a more flavorful, tangy cheese sauce.
If you want, I can give a “super creamy, stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe” that doesn’t need baking and comes out rich and gooey in 15 minutes 😋
Do you want me to do that?
