Simple Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

By: Amber Grangroth

I love homemade Mac and Cheese! It’s just one of those foods that makes you feel like a kid again, a total comfort food for a rainy day. It tastes so much better and is better for you than boxed Mac and Cheese!

Macaroni and cheese only has a handful of ingredients that you most likely have on hand. You can use whichever type of pasta you’d like. Tho, I wouldn’t choose long noodles such as spaghetti or fettuccine. My favorites to use are rotini or macaroni, but I just use whatever I have!

Also, use whatever types of cheese you have. I used only sharp Cheddar today, but you can do a mix of sharp cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, Monterey jack, pepper jack, parmesan, or asiago to name a few. Your end flavor will be different depending on what cheeses you use, but play around with it! Make it fun!

Freshly grated cheese will melt the best and become smooth and stringy. Pre-grated cheeses often have anti-caking agents in them which prevent them from melting nicely into the sauce.

You can also pour it in a pan and sprinkle extra cheese on top or even add BBQ Pulled Pork or chicken and your favorite BBQ sauce. You could layer sausage or mix in cooked ground beef or turkey to make a hamburger helper type of dish. Then bake it at 350°F for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Macaroni and Cheese layered with pulled pork BBQ sauce and extra cheese

Come along, let’s make macaroni and cheese!

Simple Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

1 lb noodles
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (feel free to use different kinds and to add extra!)
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Pour into a strainer and put the empty pot back on the stove.
2. Turn the heat to medium and to the empty pot. Add butter and melt. Pour in flour and mix until combined.
3. Add milk, salt, and pepper and whisk frequently until it comes to a boil. Turn off the heat.
4. Add the cheese to the milk mixture and whisk until the cheese is completely melted and mixed in.
5. Add the drained noodles back to the pot and mix until every noodle is coated in cheese goodness!

Options:
Add 1lb cooked ground beef at the end of step 4 for a Homemade Hamburger Helper

Pour macaroni and cheese into a 9×13 inch pan, layer pulled pork or pulled chicken, drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce and top with more cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20 min until bubbly.

Enjoy!

Simple Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb noodles
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese feel free to use different kinds and to add extra!
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Instructions
 

  • Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Pour into a strainer and put the empty pot back on the stove.
  • Turn the heat to medium and to the empty pot. Add butter and melt. Pour in flour and mix until combined.
  • Add milk, salt, and pepper and whisk frequently until it comes to a boil. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the cheese to the milk mixture and whisk until the cheese is completely melted and mixed in.
  • Add the drained noodles back to the pot and mix until every noodle is coated in cheese goodness!

Notes

Options:
Add 1lb cooked ground beef at the end of step 4 for a Homemade Hamburger Helper
Pour macaroni and cheese into a 9×13 inch pan, layer pulled pork or pulled chicken, drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce and top with more cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20 min until bubbly.