Homemade Mac and Cheese

Ditch the box! Mac and cheese is super easy to make from scratch!

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Cook Time 30

Total Time 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 309 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup macaroni (130 grams or 4.5 ounces)
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs flour
¾ cup milk
6 oz American cheese (Approximately 9 slices)

Instructions

Fill a 1½ quart saucepan approximately ⅔ full of water and bring to a rapid boil.
Add the macaroni, stir, and allow the water to come back to a boil.
When the water is at a boil, put the lid on tightly, shut off the burner, and wait 14 minutes. Do NOT remove the lid during this time!
When the 14 minutes is up, remove the lid and check your pasta for doneness. Drain it in a colander, stirring to get all the water out of the inside of the macaroni pieces.
Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter to make a roux.
Add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir rapidly to incorporate the flour into the melted butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for approximately a minute. (This mixture is your roux.)
Add the milk all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux and milk are thoroughly combined and the sauce is smooth and slightly creamy.
Add the cheese slices one at a time (or thereabouts), stirring to help them melt.
When all the cheese slices have been added and have melted, add the pasta and stir to combine.
Allow to cook for over medium-low heat for three to five minutes. Let stand approximately ten minutes before serving.

Notes

This recipe makes four main dish servings, or six side dish servings. The nutrition facts are for four main dish servings.

To bake this in the oven: Increase the milk to 1¼ cups, then transfer to a baking dish. Bake in a 350 °F (180 °C) over for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to stand ten minutes before serving.

For an additional kick, chop up four to five slices of pickled jalapeño and add them to the melted butter before you add the flour.

For bacon flavored mac and cheese, omit the butter. Instead, chop up three slices of smoky bacon and cook until the fat is rendered. (It should be approximately one tablespoon; if it is too much, remove some until you have about one tablespoon in the pan. Save the extra bacon fat for another purpose.) Add the flour and proceed as normal.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Amount per Serving

Calories

309

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

755

Potassium

179

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

534

Vitamin C

0.1

Calcium

504

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.