With some unexpected ingredients, you too can make deliciously tangy, ultra-smooth and Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.
A recipe for Creamy Macaroni and Cheese has been a long time coming. Over the years, I have made many many batches, but none as good as this batch right here! All the recipes I’ve tried in the past resulted in a dry and curdly looking batch, no matter what trick I tried. Shred your own cheese. Check. Still curdled. Cook over low heat. Check. Still curdled. Nothing worked! With each batch, I was sent on a hiatus from homemade macaroni and cheese before I tried again. And so began a reoccurring cycle of making, dissatisfied eating, and frustration.
Until now! I stumbled upon an article in the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine that made it all click! The article outlined a basic recipe for the cheese sauce, one of the ingredients being American cheese because it melts smoothly and evenly. Aha! Those words – smoothly and evenly – caught my attention. Perhaps it was the answer to all of my macaroni and cheese problems. In all of my trials, I have never tried American cheese.
Off to work I went and I was beyond thrilled that I was able to make a non-curdled, non-dried cheese sauce! AND be able to replicate it! Since that recent recipe, I have modified the basic recipe some, tweaking here and there and including techniques that I’ve heard along the way. The result is this ultra-smooth and Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.
In addition to the American cheese, which is largely contributes to the smooth melt, are two other cheeses – extra sharp cheddar cheese and Parmesan. In my opinion, extra sharp cheddar cheese is required. It gives the sauce a tangy zing like Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese, which I’m addicted to. And the Parmesan gives it a nutty undertone.
Other things that help make this macaroni and cheese smooth and creamy are using milk AND evaporated milk to make the roux. And, warming both before adding it to the butter and flour mixture helps with temperature control to prevent the flour from clumping.
If you’ve had trouble with producing Creamy Macaroni and Cheese in the past, I STRONGLY encourage you to give this recipe a try. It’s foolproof!
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces large elbow macaroni*
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed**
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk, warmed**
- 1 cup (4 ounces) American cheese, chopped***
- 2 cups (8 ounces) extra sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup (4 ounces) fresh Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Heat a large pot to boiling and cook the macaroni for the time instructed on the packaging minus 1 minute (ie. if the instructions say cook for 9 minutes, cook for 8 minutes). Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and drain.
- To the now empty pot, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and foaming. Add the flour and whisk until no clumps remain. Whisk in the mustard powder until combined.
- Stir in the two milks until combined. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low to simmer. Simmer until thickened.
- With the heat on low, add the American cheese, ½ cup at a time, and stir using an 8 figure motion until mostly melted before adding the next ½ cup. Repeat with the remaining cheeses.
- Pour the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir until fully coated. If the cheese sauce is too dry, add in the reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately.
Notes
Video by Katie from Made to be a Momma
GOOD GOD. I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS.
Your life will be forever changed :D
i have tried this recipe yesterday and it as so yummy and ,i made it too cheesy because my daughter loves cheese which cause t a bit heavy but over all it was delicious that makes my daughter happy …thanks for sharing
Thank you for your sweet comment, Albert. I’m so happy that your daughter was happy :) Although I’m not sure you could ever have too much cheese ;)
Is American cheese sold in blocks? I’ve seen recipes with velveeta so I want to make sure inbuy the right kind. Ha
I’ve never seen American cheese sold in blocks. The American cheese used in the recipe comes sliced and sold in the refrigerated section, like this one. I haven’t tested the recipe using Velveeta, but it would be interesting to see the difference!
I tried this with Velveeta, had a bowl and the rest of the pot ended up in the trash. Cheese became gummy, and the sharp cheddar overpowered it.
Sorry to hear that, Nick. When I listed American cheese, I actually meant the refrigerated, sliced kind, like Kraft Singles. I never tested the recipe with Velveeta. I hope you give it another chance :)
Patty I made your Mac & Cheese for supper tonight & I was a huge hit. My middle son has cilliac so I made it with gluten free pasta & gluten free flour for the thicking, it turned out perfect & it’s so easy to make, this will definitely be my new go to recipe for Mac & cheese. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your sweet comment, Lou-Ann :D I’m so glad that your entire family enjoyed it and that the slight modifications turned out well!
I want to try this with bacon in it too 😋
That would be irresistible!
How is this recipe for re-heating?
I would save the starch water and re-heat the mac ‘n’ cheese on the stove. Add enough of the starch water until the desired consistency is reached.
Hi! I plan on making this for the first time for Christmas, what cheese do you recommend in place of the sharp cheddar? My family and I do not like sharp cheddar at all.
If sharp cheddar is too strong, how about a less intense one, like mild cheddar? If that’s still not your cup of tea, monterey jack will work great too!
About how many slices of American cheese is in a cup?
6 slices if you’re using Kraft Singles :)
Looks like a great recipe but we are confused about the measurements – 1 Cup = 8 ounces –
But your recipe shows 1 cup as 4 ounces –
you say 2 cups cheddar – that would be 16 ounces – not 8 ounces –
Please confirm correct measurements – Thanks
Sure! 1 cup = 8 ounces refers to fluid ounces. When referring to solid ingredients, the number of ounces can change, depending on the density of each ingredient. When in doubt, weigh the ingredients out to the number of ounces indicated. Hope that helps!
That makes sense! Thanks
I made this today and I must admit, I had to modify it. I only wanted half the recipe. Since I halved the recipe, I didn’t want to waste the can of condensed milk, so I used just the condensed milk and not regular milk. (waste not, want not)
This recipe was wonderful! Thank you so much! It is very creamy and flavorful!
I bet it was so scrumptious! :)
Family says this is the best Mac & Cheese I’ve made, and my son went so far as to say it was the best he’s ever tasted. Now, I must confess I modified the recipe a wee bit .. partly from necessity and also because I knew they’d like a more layered flavor. Giving 5 stars though because it was excellent even before my modifications. The combo of cheddar and American cheese is what gives it a wonderful creaminess!
I didn’t have evaporated milk, so used all whole milk. I didn’t have quite enough parmesan so added extra cheddar, fried onions and diced bacon which I added to the sauce along with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and a touch of Maple Bacon seasoning. Finally, I sprinkled some Tex Mex (cheddar and mozza shreds) on top and put it under the broiler til melted and golden. Amazing if I do say myself LOL!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Your version sounds amazing!
First time I was able to make an un-curdled Mac and cheese! Thank you!
That makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad it was a success :)
made this for the 2nd time and the first time was awesome, this time I changed a couple things, I added 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and salt. I love this recipe, the greatest creamiest most delicious ever, thanks
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Dave! The addition of the cream cheese and cayenne sounds like they would add a great tang and kick :)
Mine is a question not a comment if I making this what is the best way to reheat it as to not dry it out?
I would recommend heating it on the stove. Once it’s warmed enough to stir, continuously stir to prevent burn spots and add the reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Hope you enjoy!
Place a wet paper Towel over a bowl of it and microwave. Keeps the noodles from drying out.
Pro Tip: Buy yourself some sodium citrate powder. 1 tsp + 1/4 cup milk + low heat on stovetop will turn literally any 8oz. block of cheese into a delicious puddle of goodness. It’s how processed cheese is made.
Sounds divine! Thanks for the tip!
Wondering can I make this and put in slowcooker to keep warm for a party?
Yes! I did exactly that for a party I went to last year. Just make sure to bring along some extra reserved pasta water.
I made this for the second time today… It’s so good!!! I’m not a fan of parmesan in mac and cheese, so I have substituted with Havarti both times and it’s perfect. It melts well and adds a buttery, tangy taste and an extra bit of creaminess.
I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipe! Using Havarti – what a great variation! I’ve only ever put it on sandwiches :) I’m going to have to give your version a try!
Hi, I am going to try this for my Thanksgiving meal. What is “reserved pasta water” for the reheating of the leftovers? Why can’t I use fresh tap water?
Reserved pasta water is the undrained water left over from cooking the macaroni. It’s preferred over tap water because it contains the starch from the pasta, which helps thicken the sauce while also adding creaminess and richness.
I made this for my boys for their Christmas dinner. I’ve been searching for years to find a recipe my oldest, VERY picky son would like and this one finally hit the spot!! He LOVED it! We all did. This is a great dupe recipe for The Cheesecake Factory kids Macaroni and Cheese which is the only other kind my son will eat (aside from the blue box). Thank you so much!! Best gift I could’ve gotten today was his seal of approval. I’m so happy with this recipe!
Wish I skipped the Parmesan cheese! It was the pre-shredded stuff so it gave it a funny aftertaste. The fresh cheese would’ve been much better. I’m going to put an egg and bake it. Hopefully that’ll mask that weird flavor I’m tasting!
I tried this recipe today for the first time. I followed the directions perfectly. I will be honest . It looked amazing,smooth and creamy. I did not care for the taste of this recipe though. It had a very strong after taste. so i let my wife try it. She though it needed salt ,and i would def. agree. so we salted it. Did not change the taste at all. Im not saying this is a bad recipe, just not for me.