Macaroni and cheese is a creamy, cheesy comfort food that’s easy to make and goes great with dishes like ham, chicken, or BBQ. 🧀🍝
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional: ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta
- Boil macaroni in salted water according to package directions.
- Drain and set aside.
2. Make the cheese sauce
- In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
- Stir in flour and cook about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in milk until smooth.
3. Add the cheese
- Stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Stir until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
4. Combine
- Mix the cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce.
5. Serve
- Serve creamy as is, or put in a baking dish with extra cheese and bake 15–20 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for baked macaroni and cheese.
Optional Add-Ins
- Cooked bacon bits
- Ground beef
- Diced ham
- Breadcrumb topping for a crispy crust
If you’d like, I can also show you the famous Southern baked macaroni and cheese that’s extra cheesy and made for holiday dinners. 🧀🍽️
