This creamy one-pot stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe is a delicious three-cheese macaroni and cheese perfect for an easy dinner recipe and great as a holiday side dish.
Our one-pot stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe is a quick and easy homemade mac and cheese perfect for a weeknight dinner or to serve as a side dish. Made with simple ingredients and a blend of three cheeses, this crowd-pleasing classic comfort food is a staple recipe in our kitchen.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Recipe
- Easy Dinner
- Kid-Friendly Meal
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Noodles - We love using cavatappi noodles for macaroni and cheese, but elbow noodles and shell noodles work great as well. Use gluten-free noodles to make gluten-free macaroni and cheese.
- Butter - Butter helps create a roux that thickens the cheese sauce.
- Flour - An unbleached all-purpose flour creates a roux with the butter to thicken the cheese sauce. You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Milk - Milk makes the cheese sauce creamy and smooth.
- Cheese - Cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Colby jack cheese give the recipe a depth of cheesy flavor. We recommend using freshly grated cheese as it melts better than store-bought grated cheese.
- Spices - Salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika add flavor to the macaroni and cheese.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven - A large pot or Dutch oven is perfect for boiling the noodles in.
- Cheese Grater - A cheese grater is necessary to shred cheese.
- Colander - A colander is needed to drain the noodles after boiling them.
How to Make Macaroni and Cheese
Step 1. Boil the noodles.
Step 2. Make the cheese sauce.
Step 3. Fold the noodles into the cheese sauce to serve.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes enough to serve 4-6 people for dinner but can also be served as a side dish. We like to top this macaroni and cheese with homemade meatballs or barbeque pulled beef.
If you like this recipe, you will love our other delicious & easy recipes.
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Sheet Pan Quesadilla
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Salsa Verde Pork Enchiladas
Expert Tips & Variations
- Shred your own cheese. When you shred the cheese at home, the cheese melts properly and creates a deliciously creamy sauce. We do not recommend using store-bought grated cheese for this recipe. Store-bought pre-shredded cheese is coated in starches to keep the cheese fresh for longer. The starches prevent the cheese from melting properly.
- Make it a meal. We love to top this recipe with a source of protein like meatballs or shredded beef and serve it with a side of vegetables to make a filling meal.
- Serve as a holiday side dish. Our homemade macaroni and cheese is a crowd-please perfect to serve as a part of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
How to Store Macaroni and Cheese
- Refrigerator - in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! You can make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the noodles and flour with gluten-free alternatives.
More Dinner Recipes
Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
This creamy one-pot homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is a delicious three-cheese macaroni and cheese perfect for an easy dinner recipe and great as a holiday side dish.
Ingredients
- 16oz box of noodles
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1.5 Tablespoons unbleached flour
- 3 cups milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water on the stovetop.
- Once the water is boiled, add the noodles and boil according to the package instructions.
- Drain the noodles and water into a colander.
- Place the pot back on the stovetop and turn the burner to low.
- Add the butter to the pot and allow it to melt.
- Add the flour and whisk the flour and butter together to make a roux.
- Slowly pour the milk into the pot and whisk to combine.
- Add the cream cheese, Colby jack cheese and cheddar cheese to the pot.
- Stir to melt the cheese into a creamy sauce.
- Add the spices to the sauce and stir to mix together.
- Pour the boiled noodles back into the pot and fold the noodles into the cheese sauce to coat the noodles.
- When the cheese and noodles are combined, scoop the macaroni and cheese into bowls to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 615Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 1008mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 28g
