Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Published April 4, 2024
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Salt
4 cups milk, preferably whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound macaroni
1 pound cheese (all Cheddar or at least half Cheddar and a mix of American, Swiss, Gruyère, Monterey Jack or any other cheese), grated or pre-shredded
Freshly grated nutmeg and/or freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
71 grams carbs; 111 milligrams cholesterol; 784 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 769 milligrams sodium; 33 grams protein; 11 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the milk in the microwave or on the stovetop until just warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 3
While the milk heats, melt the butter in another large pot over medium-low heat. As soon as it melts, add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes, or until golden and smooth. (The smell of raw flour should have dissipated.)
- Step 4
Continue whisking while adding the warm milk ½ cup at a time, making sure the mixture stays smooth before adding the next. Once all the milk is added, let the sauce come to simmer, then simmer for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Step 5
While the sauce heats, add the macaroni to the boiling water, and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain the pasta well.
- Step 6
Add the cheese to the sauce, turn off the heat and stir until smooth. Add the macaroni and stir until well mixed. Taste and add more salt as needed and season with nutmeg and/or pepper if you’d like. The dish will thicken as it sits. Pre-shredded cheese will also make this thicker; thin with some or all of the reserved pasta water, if you’d like. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a few splashes of water.
Private Notes
Comments
I make full proof white sauce. Cook butter and flour together until raw taste gone. A couple of minutes. The all at once add all the milk. Cold. Right out of the refrigerator. Turn heat to medium and whisk until thick. It never gets lumps. Easiest method. Unorthodox but dependable
this is a perfect base, but the addition of smoked paprika and a generous squirt of yellow mustard elevates it.
This is basically the recipe my mother taught me about 60 years ago! My suggestion is to not use pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is treated with an anti-sticking agent which causes it to be gloppy when you make the cheese sauce. Hand shredded cheese is best. Another few hints: take the pan off the heat when you first add the milk and stir to avoid lumps. And don't skip the nutmeg, also ground white pepper as opposed to black pepper.
Made 100% according to instructions. The sauce to noodle ratio was WAY off. Overly cheesy… even for the teenager!
I agree with others that this turned out really bland. I followed the directions but it just was kind of grainy and blah. Maybe it was the type of cheese I used. it was so bland my kids wouldn't even eat it.
I scaled the recipe to 0.5, for 4 servings. worked out great! Texture just like a full batch.