stovetop macaroni and cheese from scratch

Heck, we even skip draining the noodles.

It’s made with ingredients in the pantry but no longer from the blue box.

And while I love making a batch of my BEST baked homemade mac and cheese for special occasions when feeding a crowd (like Thanksgiving or Christmas), this easy stovetop macaroni and cheese is my go-to for a quick dinner, and here’s why: Now as an adult, it’s one of the most nostalgic dishes, right up there with my Mom’s spaghetti, sloppy Joes, and tuna noodle casserole, conjuring happy memories from my childhood. Like every kid, it was a favorite lunch and dinner growing up, especially if it had sliced hot dogs in it. No matter how old you are, you’re never too old for mac and cheese. It’s a classic your whole family will love.

Shred your own cheese! Although this adds an extra step, it’s totally worth it! Pre-shredded cheese packs have anti-caking agents in them (like potato starch), which aren’t great for creating a smooth sauce.This extra easy, ultra-creamy, super cheesy homemade mac and cheese is made on the stovetop in two simple steps and takes less than 15 minutes to make.

This will help prevent the sauce from becoming gritty.

Only stir small amounts of shredded cheese to the sauce at a time – and make sure the added cheese is fully melted and incorporated before stirring more cheese into the sauce.

Use evaporated milk! Evaporated milk contains protein micelles, which help to keep the cheese sauce silky smooth and creamy!.

The egg in this recipe really helps to thicken the sauce, so you want to make sure not to scramble it to too high heat.

Low heat is key for making the cheese sauce.

We also like adding a pinch of cumin and smoked paprika to the sauce for a slightly smoky and earthy flavor.

If you want to spice things up, add some extra ingredients to your cheese sauce! On occasion we like to add a couple dashes of hot sauce for a kick.

If you can’t find it or prefer to use another shape, go for it! There are so many amazing pasta shapes that would work perfectly for this stovetop mac and cheese! Some of our other favorites are: fusilli, rigatoni, elbow macaroni, and shells. Use a different shaped pasta! We love using the pipe rigate, because the ‘snail’ shaped pasta maximizes the amount of cheese sauce that fills each piece.

This is especially great to do with kids! Add some vegetables! We like to stir in wilted spinach (or kale), steamed broccoli florets, and peas to bulk the mac and cheese up a bit and to sneak some extra greens into our meal.Use other great melting cheeses to mix things up or based on preference! Some of our other favorites are: sharp cheddar cheese, fontina, gruyere, gouda, provolone, manchego, asiago, and havarti. We use a blend of white cheddar and Oaxaca cheeses because they’re both great melting cheeses with a nice flavor that isn’t too strong or overwhelming.

Stovetop macaroni and cheese from scratch