THE Mac and Cheese
Nov 29, 2022
Once upon a time, there was a girl who just wanted creamy, cheesy mac and cheese. Not full of spices or fancy things, just plain ol’ gooey mac and cheese.
So I developed this recipe and now I share it with you, friends. Because you all deserve this bit of comforting yum in your life.
You are so welcome.
This is the original picture that made THE Mac go viral!
This one is the one I make to go along with Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders or Hammy Sammies or Beef Roast Sandwiches. How about Loaded Roast Beef and Bleu Sliders? You should probably check them out! Heck, this would make a PBJ look great. We love to add chunks of ham and make it a full meal. Add some bacon or crab if it floats your boat! Pulled pork with onions and barbecue sauce? Oh good heavens!
The possibilities are endless.
Our favorite combinations are a Havarti (2 c.) – Cheddar (4 c.) blend with bacon, or smoked Gouda/Cheddar with ham. Also, we’ve grown quite fond of next-day-leftovers* pressed flat and fried in refined (no coconut flavor) coconut oil. Crispy on the outside and hot and gooey on the inside. How can you resist?
This recipe has gone viral since I first posted it. If you’re visiting from Pinterest, please take a minutes and check my recipe index for hundreds of other great recipes!
And it’s EASY. The only bummer is the tired hand you’ll have from grating all of that cheese.
Boil your choice of pasta (it doesn’t matter the shape, just choose one that holds all the cheesy goodness) in water salted with a teaspoon or so of kosher salt until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, melt 1/2 c. (1 stick) of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in 1/2 c. flour
Add in 1/2 T. (Tablespoon) Kosher or Himalayan sea salt and 1/2 T. (Tablespoon) pepper.
(Originally, the recipe called for 1 T. each of Kosher salt and pepper, but since most readers were using table salt, the result was too salty. Please note that I have changed the numbers to reflect what works well as a general rule. Start less and add more as needed to taste. You can add it in, but you can’t take it out!)
Slowly pour in 4 cups of whole milk (don’t skimp here–in fact you can even use some cream) whisking as you go until smooth. Keep whisking until the sauce comes just to a very low boil — it will take several minutes. This is where it will thicken considerably. If you stop heating it too soon, it will not thicken correctly so whisk and heat until thickened just like in the picture at right. Remove from heat.
Grease a 9×13″ dish with butter and add the cooked pasta to the dish.
Over the top of the pasta sprinkle 6 cups freshly shredded Cheddar (I use white or sharp), or any mix of cheese you prefer. Just please skip bagged cheese. Because of additives, it melts differently. You will get the best result if you grate a block of cheese!
Pour the beautiful cream sauce over the top of the cheese and pasta and let it sit a couple minutes to begin to melt the cheese. Then, stir the whole beautiful cheesy goodness together and make the topping. In a small skillet, melt 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add in 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs. Stir constantly until golden brown. Sprinkle over the pasta and cheese.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.
Hot, cheesy perfection.
Serves 6-8 as a main dish or 10-12 as a side.
*I have received many questions regarding preparing THE Mac ahead of time. It is my recommendation to make this fresh before serving. Many people LOVE this cheesy goodness reheated, and love the leftovers as much as fresh out of the oven, But because it is a cheese sauce, it can tend to separate and does not lead to optimal results if you are making it for a get together. Of course, it is possible to make this ahead, put it in the fridge and then just add some time to your bake time, and it does taste AMAZING, but for optimal results, make it, bake it, and eat it. :o)
For Crock Pot tips, see the very bottom of this post!
- 1 lb. pasta of your choice
- ½ c. butter
- ½ c. flour
- 4 c. milk
- 6 c. freshly shredded sharp or white Cheddar
- ½ T. Kosher or sea salt
- ½ T. pepper
- 2 T. butter
- ½ c. panko bread crumbs
- Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in salt and pepper.
- Slowly pour in 4 c. milk whisking until smooth and heating to a low boil until thickened. Do not stop whisking and cooking until thick. Remove from heat.
- Grease a 9x13" baking dish and add the hot pasta to the dish. Over the top sprinkle 6 c. of freshly shredded cheese.
- Pour the thickened cream sauce over the hot pasta and cheese and let it sit until the cheese melts. Stir everything together.
- Melt 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add in panko bread crumbs, stirring constantly 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven 12-15 minutes.
Crock Pot results:
I have tested THE Mac in the crock pot and I got some decent results! For those of you who need to buy a couple hours if you’re bringing THE Mac to an event without an oven, I found a way to work it! Make all of the elements of THE Mac — make the pasta, grate the cheese, make the cream sauce and stir it all together. Also, make the panko topping, but set this aside to add to the top before serving.
Keep this in your crock pot on low for about two hours. After that, stir it, set the temp to warm and be prepared to serve it as soon as possible since the longer it sits on warm, the more the sauce bakes in and you lose the creaminess that makes this spectacular. It still tastes delicious, but the texture definitely changes to be more like a traditional baked mac and cheese.
Please note that all crock pots are different and one that has a bit of a higher temp may dry this recipe out quicker! Keep an eye on it and be prepared to turn it down or off if needed. Again, fresh is best, but I hope this provides you an alternative if you need it!
Two hours on low before stirring.
Ready to serve from the crock pot!
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Once upon a time, there was a girl who just wanted creamy, cheesy mac and cheese. Not full of spices or fancy things, just plain ol’ gooey mac and cheese. As such, The Mac & Cheese was born. Alison's recipe has become our claim to fame—standing strong as the Most Pinned Mac & Cheese Recipe on Pinterest.
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MOST PINNED MAC & CHEESE RECIPE ON PINTEREST
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Can you substitute the floor for anything if I wanted to make this gluten free with gluten free pasta?
Hello, Sarah. I have not had a reason to personally make this gluten free, but several folks have mentioned that they have successfully substituted GF flour and GF pasta and enjoyed it very much! 🙂
I made this last night for dinner and it was a huge hit!! Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Lindsey! That makes me the happiest! I love, love, LOVE to hear that one of my recipes made some folks happy. Thanks for taking the time to stop back by and say so. Hope you find lots more to love here on TWN. :o)
Finally back to review again, after the amazing coconut cheesecakes!
Omgoodness! So I made this for the second time tonight, both times half batches with probably 10-12oz of pasta because 8oz didn’t seem like enough… First time with 2c cheddar and 1c Havarti. Tonight… I used 1.5c cheddar and 1.5c Port Salut…?! It’s a soft cheese, so I pinched pieces instead of shredding. But my husband received it at work by mistake (he manages a smoothie place, so I’m still trying to figure that one out), so he brought it home! It’s apparently expensive, which makes me sad, because it was the BOMB diggity. Also added one slice of basic American cheese, just because I felt like it, but that’s probably irrelevant honestly.
For round three, I’ll definitely be searching for another soft cheese, because it really enhanced the melty cheesy goodness and took it to a whole ‘nother level!! Oh, and I still did the full amount (pluuuus some extra… don’t judge) of panko on top. Italian panko. Because I’m obsessed. Another fabulous winning recipe!!
Welcome back, Alyssa! Always find your reviews entertaining! :o) I’d never thought to use a beer cheese or wine cheese! I have some folks around here that would LOVE that (me, not so much). Thanks for trying it again and coming back to share your experience. I know lots of folks enjoy reading the comments for ideas. Can’t wait to see what else you try!
Actually Port Salut isn’t a wine flavored cheese I thought it was too until my daughter had to buy it for French Club, it is more like a triple cream brie – very yummy! It is expensive though!
Oooohhhh!! Nice! I have some family members who would love that, but this girl is NOT a brie fan. I love the info, and I’m sure many readers will take your advice! Thank you!!
Hi! We used this recipe in our BBQ Bash party this spring. We’re crafting a guide for our party to share with folks who buy the party box this summer. We’d love to include your recipe and credit you for it!
Hi, Trinity! Oh my goodness! I’m so flattered! Yes, please! I checked out your website! Such an awesome concept! Thank you for trying THE Mac and crediting! Have a super happy Wednesday! :o)
Hi there! I made this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago and I am obsessed!! I have been looking for a good homemade mac and cheese recipe for what feels like an eternity and so happy I came across yours! I am looking to make a comfort casserole/meal for a family in need and I would love for this to be it. I know you’ve said it doesn’t do as well when premade… but what about if I make it as usual, wait for the dish to cool and then freeze it for others to heat up? I saw most people saying it reheated well but wasn’t sure if it would still do well as a whole. Any thoughts/suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Hello, Melanie! I admire your generosity and desire to comfort a family with good food. :o)
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend freezing THE Mac. The cheese sauce will inevitably separate upon reheating.
I have one idea for you and it might be more than you had in mind. But what if you made each component: the pasta, the sauce, and shredded the cheese, and package them each separately and allow them to assemble, stir and bake? It’ll be super fresh and just the way you want it to turn out without them having to do too much work to have a delicious dinner. My only concern would be the sauce — it would be ideal if you could bring it to them warm. I sure hope you find a solution that satisfies. Thanks so much for making THE Mac and taking the time to stop back by. :o)
Hi there!
I have been searching for a good mac and cheese recipe forever and I tried this for the first time a couple weeks ago and I AM OBSESSED! Now, I’m looking to premake a casserole for a meal train for a family in need…. I know you’ve said it doesn’t do best when premade, but what about making/baking as usual, and then waiting for it to coo and freezing for someone to heat up? I read several comments where you said it usually reheats really well. Any thoughts or suggestions on this?
Thank you!
I’ve made this mac & cheese so many times and it’s true perfection! My husband & I are currently stationed in Germany and making this classic American dish for some German friends. I can’t wait! P.S…it’s possible I’ve made grilled mac & cheese on a crusty artisan bread with this as a next day meal xo
Hi, Melissa! So many smiles as I read your sweet words. I love that you have found a way to bring America’s favorite comfort food to yourself and your friends. Oh gosh. That grilled cheese (drool). :o) Have you tried THE Grilled Cheese? It’s yet another spin on grilled cheese I think you’ll love. Thanks for coming back to comment so well.
https://thatwhichnourishes.com/the-grilled-cheese/
Thank you Alison for the recipe.
OMGOSH was this a hit with my friends, they absolutely loved it and fought to take home mac and cheese (even my american friend was impressed with this recipe). It is definitely hard to find american mac and cheese in our restaurants. Mac and cheese in our restaurants don’t even compare to American mac and cheese its just not the same. We no longer have to search for mac and cheese in restaurants nor rely on packet mac and cheese. This recipe will fulfil and satisfy our American mac and cheese cravings. When i mention that i crave for mac and cheese, my friends go crazy and instantly invite themselves over. This is a recipe that will definitely be a staple in our household!
Hello, Kathleen! What a happy review you’ve left me! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know that my friends in Australia are loving and sharing THE Mac! These kind of words remind me why I do what I do and encourage me to continue! I’m grateful for all your compliments and those of your friends. :o) Hope you poke around my site and find some more treasures. All the best to you and yours…
Going to make this for the first time for my daughter’s birthday ! What is your choice of cheeses for a good creamy Mac and cheese?
Hi, Tracy! Any of the combos I mention in the recipe post will guarantee a creamy version of THE Mac. I promise. That’s one of folks’ favorite parts of this recipe — its creaminess.
For you, I’m going to recommend trying 4 cups of white Cheddar with 2 cups of Havarti. You’ll love it. :o) Thanks for trying my recipe. I hope it does right by you and your family.
What a hit! Made this awesome Mac and Cheese for Easter dinner at mother-in-law’s (MIL). Half was crab and the other half was plain. There was barely any left and this was a side dish! MIL and sister-in-law fought over the leftovers haha. I had to sneak a little for my toddler to eat as lunch today:) People went back for seconds and thirds. I’d made Mac and Cheese before but never got this type of response. I’ll definitely make this dish again and think not making it will get me thrown out of the family.
FWIW, I followed the recipe to the T except I used a combination of young white cheddar, 2 year white cheddar and Gruyere. Next time I’ll try Havarti with Cheddar. I’ll also cut down a little on the pepper — perhaps just a tad short of 1/2T. It wasn’t peppery tasting at all but my last bite resulted in a bit more peppercorn than I expected. It probably had to do with the peppercorn grinder I think than the amount of pepper so who knows maybe I’ll stick to the recommended 1/2T.
I made it easier on myself and used my food processor with the shredding disc. I haven’t used this food processor in years but just couldn’t fathom shredding 6 cups of cheddar so I dug up the machine and the shredding disc that I’d never used before lol. Had to google how to even operate the food processor with the shredding disc but it worked. It took only a few minutes to get through all the cheese. So glad I used technology! Save yourself from getting cheese elbow and use a food processor if you have one.
Thank you so much for this recipe Alison! I’m going to peruse your site to see what else I can make. The coconut pineapple rice looks delish!
Hello, Sophia!! I so wish I could tell you how much I loved your comment. So many good tips in there for other makers of THE Mac! My best friend also loves the food processor for her shredding. Is it weird that I’d rather hand shred than clean the cheese out of the blades? :o)
Thank you for all the kind compliments. I LOVE that you got to be the Easter dinner hero. That makes me so happy. I look forward to your future comments. Have a happy week. :o)