Classic Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Votes: 51

Time: 35 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 6

The easiest way to make American mac 'n' cheese is on the stovetop. This recipe yields a dish almost as creamy, gooey, and delicious as oven-baked mac 'n' cheese, but with less time and effort. Cook the cheese sauce in a saucepan, adding mustard powder and paprika for a deeper, savory flavor, along with three types of cheese: cheddar, American cheese, and cream cheese. This mixture not only gives the sauce a pleasant velvety texture but also adds a rich, creamy flavor. Once the sauce is ready, stir in the cooked macaroni (usually cones), and serve.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

220 g of pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1.5 cups whole milk
1.5 cups grated sharp yellow cheddar (about 100 g)
80 g thin slices American cheese, diced (about 1/2 cup)
60 g cream cheese, cut into small pieces

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: pasta, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, milk, mustard powder, paprika

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Bring a large, wide saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the horns and cook according to package directions. Set aside 0.5 cups of the pasta cooking water and discard the rest.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, mustard powder, and paprika; cook, stirring to distribute evenly, until the butter begins to darken, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and begins to simmer, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cheddar, American cheese, and cream cheese until melted.