How to Make Macaroni and Cheese

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: December 4, 2024

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Everybody loves macaroni and cheese: the classic and quintessential comfort food. There's a reason it's a common favorite among kids, grandparents and everyone in between -- it's simple, filling, delicious, and (of course) covered in cheese. As it turns out, you don't need to be a gourmet chef or a grandmother of twelve in order to make this tasty dish at home. And that doesn't necessarily mean resorting to the boxed Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. If you want to know how to make macaroni and cheese in a variety of ways, see Step 1 of your preferred method to get started.

Servings: 12-20

Ingredients

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

2 pounds dry elbows macaroni
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter or margarine (see tips for more details)
8 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
6 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

½ pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons powdered mustard
3 cups milk
½ cup finely diced yellow onion
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
1 teaspoon salt

For Toppings:

3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

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To make this tasty macaroni and cheese dish on the stove, you'll need dry elbow macaroni, salt, vegetable oil, butter, flour, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese.
The water should be at least 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) below the rim of the pot. Set the stove burner to medium-high for best results. Add a pinch of salt to the water. You need plenty of water in the pot to give the macaroni enough room to cook and expand. If you don't have enough water, the macaroni will get lumped together and won't cook nearly as well.

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Pour in the macaroni and stir it around to keep it from sticking. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, or until it's al dente -- that is, tender, but still chewy, and definitely not mushy. Try a piece with a fork (carefully) in order to see if it's ready before turning off the stove. Stir every 1-2 minutes to desired taste or until tender. Just make sure to check the instructions on the box of pasta you are using, because some types of pasta take longer to cook than others.
Once all the water has drained, return the macaroni to the pot and set it on an oven mitt or the stove top (just make sure the burner beneath it is turned off!) to let it cool.
When the butter has melted into the oil, add flour and mix it well with a whisk (a fork or slotted spoon will also work). Continue to gently stir this mixture for about three minutes, or until it's smooth and begins to turn light brown. This is the beginning of the sauce you will use over the cooked macaroni. You can also begin to make the sauce while the noodles are cooking to save time.
You can also use a fork or a slotted spoon. Let this mixture cook for a few minutes, stirring it frequently, until it reaches a low boil (bubbles reach the surface, but don't break immediately) and starts to thicken. Make sure you have fully incorporated the ingredients in the mixture.
Continue stirring until all the cheese has melted.
Carefully taste the sauce, putting it on a spoon and waiting for it to cool down a bit before you try it. Then, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, or any other spices you'd like to use until the sauce is perfectly delicious. Stir the sauce more to fully add the seasonings to it.
Gently stir until the macaroni is completely coated in sauce.
Enjoy this tasty dish on its own, with a healthy salad, or with a piece of chicken or another protein of your choice. You can also add some meat, such as chicken or pancetta, to the macaroni to add another layer to this delicious meal. Macaroni and cheese is pretty hearty, so you won't have to put too much else on your plate!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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Throw a pinch of salt in the water before you boil it. You should have plenty of water in the pot to give the pasta enough room to cook and expand.
Al dente pasta is cooked, but still firm. Read the instructions on the box of elbow macaroni to see how long it should be cooked. It should usually take around 8 minutes, but each type of pasta will vary so it's important to read the instructions.
First, melt the butter in the pot and then whisk in the flour and mustard, continuing to move it for about five minutes. You can begin to make this sauce while you're cooking the pasta noodles to save time. Make sure to keep stirring the sauce to keep out any lumps.
Simmer the mixture for about ten minutes. After you're done, remove the bay leaf -- it should have imparted its flavor already.
You'll use the rest of the cheese later. Add salt and pepper to the mixture to taste.
Now that you've made the sauce, you have to carefully fold the macaroni into the mixture.
Put the cheesy mixture in a 2-quart casserole dish. You can top the macaroni with the remaining cheese. This will give it an extra tasty flavor after it's baked.
Just melt the butter for the topping in a pan and add the panko bread crumbs to the mixture. Stir the mixture to incorporate the butter and the bread crumbs.
Now, pour the topping from the pan right onto the macaroni in the casserole dish. After that, it should be ready to go!
Your oven should be ready to go at this point. Just put in the macaroni and wait for your tasty meal to finish cooking. When it's ready, you can take it out of the oven and let it sit for five minutes before serving it.
Enjoy this tasty dish on its own or with a salad or a protein of your choice. And if you have any leftovers, the next time you want to eat it, you can just take it out of the fridge, put a bit of oil on a pan, and fry it up, making delicious fried macaroni and cheese!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

More Varieties of Macaroni and Cheese

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If you're at home with a box of macaroni and cheese but aren't sure what to do, read this article to find out how to quickly and easily make your own mac and cheese out of a box.
Add some protein to your mac and cheese in a creative way by reading the linked article.
Read this article if you want to learn how to make your macaroni and cheese extra creamy.
If you love this tasty sauce as well as the taste of baked macaroni, this dish is for you.

Community Q&A

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Question

What type of flour should I use?

Qamar

Top Answerer

All-purpose flour works best for macaroni and cheese.

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Question

Do I have to make the sauce?

Qamar

Top Answerer

Yes, as the sauce is what makes the macaroni cheesy.

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Is it okay to use a different variety of cheese?

Community Answer

Yes. Use any and as many varieties as you like. The more cheese, the better.

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Tips

Mac and cheese does not always have to be orange or yellow. You can also use white cheddar cheese.

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Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
For a more of an onion flavor, add a teaspoon of onion powder or garlic powder.

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In place of butter, margarine can work. Do note that it won't work as well as butter but it still can be used.

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Warnings

Stir the pasta continuously or else the pasta elbows will stick to the bottom of the pan, which may lead to burning.

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Avoid adding too much salt. The cheese already has added salt and pouring in more will give it an unpleasant taste.

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