Macaroni and cheese is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish made with tender macaroni coated in a rich cheese sauce. It can be stovetop (extra creamy) or baked (golden and slightly crispy on top).
🧾 Ingredients
🍝 Pasta
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- Water + salt (for boiling)
🧀 Cheese sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2–3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar is classic)
- Salt & black pepper
- ½ tsp mustard powder (optional, boosts cheese flavor)
🧀 Optional topping (for baked version)
- Extra cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs + 1 tbsp melted butter
👩🍳 Method
1. Cook pasta
- Boil macaroni in salted water until just tender.
- Drain and set aside.
2. Make cheese sauce
- Melt butter in a pan.
- Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes (forms a roux).
- Slowly whisk in milk until smooth.
- Cook until slightly thickened.
- Add cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
- Season with salt, pepper, and mustard powder.
3. Combine
- Mix cooked macaroni into cheese sauce until fully coated.
4. (Optional) Bake
- Pour into a baking dish.
- Top with extra cheese or buttery breadcrumbs.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
🍽️ Serving ideas
- With fried chicken 🍗
- With grilled vegetables 🥦
- As a comfort main dish on its own
💡 Tips
- Use sharp cheddar for stronger flavor
- Don’t overcook pasta (it continues cooking in sauce)
- Add a splash of cream for extra richness
⚡ Quick 3-step version
- Cook macaroni
- Make cheese sauce
- Mix and bake (optional)
If you want, I can also show you a spicy jalapeño mac and cheese, a lobster mac and cheese upgrade, or a super creamy stovetop-only version.
