Homemade Mac and Cheese

This fool-proof Homemade Mac and Cheese is made with a 3-ingredient cheese sauce, no roux required. Spend 5 minutes or less making the sauce, then toss with hot noodles for the EASIEST stovetop mac and cheese ever!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings (1 cup each)

Calories 371kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni or other small pasta
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup milk or to taste (see note 1)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well. Do not overcook and do not rinse macaroni.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
Stir in evaporated milk, regular milk, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Fold in macaroni until uniformly combined and season to taste with salt. Do not skip this step or your mac and cheese may be bland. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Video

Notes

Milk: The recipe works without milk, but it gets thick as it sits and cools down. I like to add at least 1/4 c. milk to the sauce when stirring in the noodles, but you can add more or less as desired.
Yield: This recipe makes about 6 c.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of milk to an individual portion of mac and cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave in 30-second increments until heated through, stirring after each interval.

Nutrition