Stovetop Mac and Cheese

StovetopEasyPrep 10 minCook 25 minServes 6

Creamy, sharp and unapologetically cheesy — a roux-based stovetop mac and cheese that beats the box in about 35 minutes.

Ingredients

16 oz elbow macaroni
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Monterey Jack cheese

Steps

Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente, then drain.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
Whisk in the warm milk a little at a time until smooth, then simmer 3-4 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon.
Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, salt, pepper and cheeses, a handful at a time, until melted and smooth.
Fold in the macaroni, taste for salt and serve immediately.

Serve with: roasted broccoli, a green salad or crispy bacon on top.

Take the sauce off the heat before adding cheese — boiling cheese sauce turns grainy and oily.

Find this recipe in the Pasta section on the RecipeDelish home page, where you can scale it, print a clean PDF, download the shopping list and use cook mode.

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