Ultra creamy, super easy mac and cheese made right in one pot on the stovetop!
This stuff is to die for! The noodles are coated in a perfectly silky, creamy, dreamy cheese sauce that I could eat by the spoonful on it's own.
The addition of a wonderful blend of seasonings is added to give this mac and cheese a complexity that pushed this sauce over the top! You may use just the salt, and leave out all the other spices and flavors if serving to kids, but they add a really wonderful flavor and dimension to the dish, so I highly recommend them!
- 12oz dried elbow macaroni or shells
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk OR half and half, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 oz (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 oz (1 cups) shredded Gruyere, Fontina, jack, white cheddar, or cheese of choice
Directions
Add pasta to a large pot of boiling, salted water, and cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
To make the sauce, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour, and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Whisk in half and half, and cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture starts to bubble and thicken. You will know the sauce is ready when the back of a wooden spoon is coated and you can leave a line with your finger without the sauce running. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard and nutmeg. Turn off heat and stir in cheese until melted. Mix together sauce and pasta and stir to coat. Serve warm.
