Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
A silky stovetop mac and cheese made with a thick butter-and-flour sauce, sharp cheddar, and a touch of mustard for depth. The sauce is made while the pasta water heats, so everything finishes together in about 35 minutes with no oven required.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 21 min
- Wait
- 2 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Makes
- About 8 cups (6 generous side-dish servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Read the whole recipe first: the sauce is made while the pasta water heats, and the pasta goes in only once the sauce has thickened, so the two finish together.
- Grate the cheddar yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch that can make the sauce grainy. Measure all ingredients before you turn on the heat.
- The salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton kosher salt or fine salt, use about half the volume.
- Plan for the pot of water to take 10–15 minutes to boil. Start it first, and have a timer ready for the pasta.
Heat the pasta water
- Fill the large pot with 4 quarts (4 L) of water, add the 2 tablespoons (18 g) Diamond Crystal salt, cover, and set over high heat.
- It will take 10–15 minutes to reach a rolling boil, so keep going with the next steps while it heats.
- The water should taste noticeably salty, like mild seawater.
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Ready when: Water is at a full rolling boil (you will check this in the pasta step)
Tip: Covering the pot speeds up boiling. This is the main seasoning for the pasta itself.
Grate cheese, warm milk
- Coarsely grate the cheddar from the block into a bowl (about 3 cups).
- Pour the milk into the microwave-safe jug and microwave 1½–2 minutes until hot to the touch with small bubbles at the edge, but not boiling.
- Set both beside the stove.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully grated; milk is steaming and hot but not boiling
Tip: Hot milk blends into the roux far more smoothly than cold milk.
Make the roux
- Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute until it smells lightly nutty and looks like a smooth, pale paste.
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Ready when: Smooth paste, bubbling gently, pale blond (not browned)
Tip: Do not let the roux brown; it will darken the sauce and dull the cheese flavor.
Whisk in milk
- Pour in the hot milk about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, whisking constantly and fully smoothing each addition before adding the next.
- Whisk in the mustard powder, smoked paprika (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth with no flour lumps
Tip: Adding the milk gradually is the key to a lump-free sauce.
Thicken the sauce
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring often with a spatula and scraping the corners.
- Simmer 3–4 minutes until it is noticeably thick, coats the back of a spoon, and a finger drawn through leaves a clear line.
- The pasta water should be at a rolling boil by now; if not, turn off the sauce heat and wait for it.
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Ready when: Coats the back of a spoon; a finger swipe leaves a clean trail
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer; a hard boil can scorch the milk.
Start the macaroni
- Turn off the heat under the sauce and leave it in the pan.
- Add the macaroni to the boiling water, stir right away, and start a timer for 1 minute less than the package directions (usually 6–7 minutes).
- Stir occasionally.
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Ready when: Water returns to a boil within a minute or two of adding the pasta
Tip: Stir in the first minute so the pasta does not stick together or to the pot.
Melt in the cheese
- While the pasta boils, keep the sauce pan off the heat and add the cheddar one large handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next.
- Season with black pepper and taste, adding more salt if needed.
- Cover the pan to keep it warm.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy, smooth, and fully melted with no strings of cheese
Tip: Cheese added over high heat breaks and turns greasy, so keep the pan off the burner. If the sauce cools too much, set it over low heat for 30 seconds.
Drain, combine, rest
- When the macaroni is flexible with a slightly firm, chalky center when bitten, scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water, then drain well in the colander.
- Do not rinse.
- Immediately tip the hot pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat.
- If the sauce seems too thick, stir in reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Let stand off the heat for 2 minutes, then serve hot.
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Ready when: Sauce is creamy and loosely coats every piece of pasta
Tip: The sauce thickens as it cools, so aim for slightly looser than you want it at the table.
Good to know
Tips
- Grate cheese from a block; pre-shredded cheese often turns the sauce grainy.
- Always take the sauce off the heat before adding cheese to prevent it from separating.
- Time it so the pasta goes in once the sauce has thickened, and drain it straight into the sauce so it never sits and clumps.
- Finish with extra pepper, hot sauce, or toasted breadcrumbs for texture.
Make ahead
Make the cheese sauce up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate with plastic pressed onto the surface. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth, then cook the pasta fresh and fold it in. Fully assembled mac and cheese can also be made a day ahead and reheated as described in storage.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the sauce can turn grainy. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with 1–2 tablespoons of milk per serving, stirring often, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Substitutions
- sharp cheddar cheese → Half cheddar, half Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or fontina. Gives a nuttier or meltier result; use the same total weight.
- dried elbow macaroni → Cavatappi, shells, or small penne. Use the same weight and cook to 1 minute under package time.
- whole milk → 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk plus ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream. Makes the sauce richer.
- all-purpose flour → 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Use with gluten-free pasta for a fully gluten-free version.
