Homemade mac and cheese is quick, easy, and the ultimate comfort food! This top-rated recipe calls for 4 cheeses, which creates the most delicious creamy cheese sauce. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this is a macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll find yourself turning to again and again! Use traditional cooked macaroni noodles or get fancy and use shells or shellbows!

I gave birth to our baby boy a little over two weeks ago… and I’ve been in a love bubble ever since! I’m taking the season off to soak up every second with our sweet little guy. But don’t fret; I perfected 65 NEW recipes for you while I was pregnant.

The first recipe I’m sharing is one near and dear to my heart: homemade mac and cheese, baby!!! When I was pregnant with Remi, all I wanted was carbs and cheese! So I made it my mission to create the worlds best mac and cheese recipe!

Why Homemade Macaroni and Cheese is the Ultimate Comfort Food:

• Made on the stovetop and ready in less than 30 minutes.
• Loved equally by children and adults! It’s truly the perfect comfort food.
• Makes a wonderful dinner or holiday side-dish (we make it every Christmas and Easter)
• Perfectly cooked macaroni noodles – follow my tips for al dente noodles!
• Freshly shredded cheese creates the most delicious creamy cheese sauce.
• A combination of 4 cheeses creates incredible flavor and texture!

Ingredients for Homemade Mac and Cheese

• Pasta: I used shells but cooked macaroni noodles work just as well! Make sure to cook your pasta al dente. No one wants mushy overcooked macaroni noodles!
• Butter: Unsalted butter works best but in a pinch salted butter works fine.
• All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the cheese sauce. You can substitute it with a 1 for 1 gluten free flour if needed.
• Whole Milk: Low-fat milk will technically work, but will create a less rich and creamy cheese sauce.
• Heavy Cream: Aka whipping cream, adds richness and creaminess to the creamy cheese sauce. Don’t replace with milk or half and half.
• Mustard: Regular dijon or country dijon/whole grain dijon all work great. I’d avoid using yellow mustard here.
• Spices: Salt and pepper, sugar, onion powder, cayenne, and garlic powder give the creamy cheese sauce a great kick of flavor!
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar, Gruyere, Fontina, and cream cheese create the most delicious creamy cheese sauce ever! I like extra sharp white cheddar but you can use a milder cheddar cheese if desired.
• Optional Mix-ins: Want to kick up the flavor and texture in this mac and cheese recipe? Feel free to stir in 1 cup of cooked bacon, broccoli, scallions, or even shrimp.

I know gruyere and fontina can be expensive and/or hard to find, so feel free to sub in monterey jack, gouda, or just more sharp cheddar! But making this as written and with the cheeses this recipe calls for will yield the absolute BEST results!

How to Make Mac and Cheese

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook macaroni for 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the noodles and set the cooked macaroni aside.
2. Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce: Make a roux by melting butter over medium-heat and whisking the flour and milk. It’s key to stir constantly! Cook until the sauce thickens, then add the seasonings, cream, and cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted.
3. Add the Pasta: Stir in the cooked macaroni noodles and mix well to combine. Remove the pan from heat and let it sit for 3 minutes or so. This will allow the cheese sauce to thicken up a bit!
4. Serve Warm: Scoop the warm mac and cheese into bowls and top with freshly grated black pepper, if desired! I fine 1 and 1/2 cups of mac and cheese per bowl is usually the perfect serving size. But you do you!

Pre-Shredded Cheese vs Fresh Grated Cheese

Shredding pounds and pounds of cheese can be a labor of love… but fresh grated cheese works best for mac and cheese! Fresh grated cheese will have the best flavor and texture, and will melt beautifully into the creamy cheese sauce.

Pre-shredded cheese often lacks flavor. And contains an anti-caking agent, which prevents it from melting fully into the creamy cheese sauce. So please use fresh grated cheese for best results in this homemade mac and cheese!

Al Dente Cooked Macaroni is Key!

The biggest mac and cheese no no? Overcooking your pasta… mushy cooked macaroni noodles is a major mac and cheese fail!

So instead of cooking your macaroni according to package instructions, only cook it for 7 minutes! This will yield al dente pasta that won’t get mushy when you add the cheese sauce. Even overcooking your pasta 1-2 minutes can make it soggy and unappealing, so really keep an eye here!

The Key to Creamy Cheese Sauce?

Stirring constantly: Seriously, you’ll want to be whisking and stirring at almost every step. Stirring constantly, and adding the ingredients slowly, is the secret to a silky smooth (not clumpy) cheese sauce everyone will love! And while this requires a little patience and elbow grease, it’s less than 15 minutes and totally worth it!

Can I Make this Into Baked Mac and Cheese?

Yes, you can turn this stovetop mac and cheese recipe into a baked mac and cheese recipe!

• Simply make as directed. Then preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F).
• Scrape the macaroni and cheese into a baking dish. Then top with some extra grated cheese (I like a combination of shredded cheddar and grated parmesan cheese). And 3/4 cup panko or regular bread crumbs.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve warm!

More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes:

• Creamy Alfredo Mac and Cheese with Spring Peas and Asparagus
• Elevated Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Gruyere (AKA the best baked mac and cheese ever)
• Sriracha Mac and Cheese