American · mac and cheese
Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
A smooth cheddar sauce coats elbow macaroni in one pot, with no baking dish and no boxed mix.
Total time25 min
Hands-on20 min
Cleanuplow
Serves6
Cook
Make dinner
- 01
Boil the macaroni in salted water until just tender. Drain and set aside in the colander.
- 02
Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
- 03
Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
- 04
Remove from the heat. Stir in mustard, garlic powder, and cheddar by handfuls, then fold in the macaroni.
Make it work
Useful swaps
- Use Monterey Jack for half the cheddar for an extra-smooth sauce.
- Gluten-free elbows and a cup-for-cup flour blend work well.
Why this is a good weeknight call
It keeps the cleanup to one main pan. The ingredient list stays focused, and the recipe has a clear stopping point instead of extra optional projects.
