Best Easy Mac and Cheese Recipe

Shred sharp cheddar yourself—pre-shredded cheese ruins texture with anti-caking agents. Salt pasta water heavily, cook al dente, save starchy water for sauce thickness. Build roux with equal butter and flour by weight. Cook low and slow, whisk constantly. Add warm milk gradually. Melt cheese in small batches on low heat, never over 170°F. Blend cheddar with Gruyère and Parmesan. Top with buttered panko. Bake at 350°F until golden. Rest 5-10 minutes. Follow these steps for perfect mac and cheese.

Pick sharp cheddar and shred it yourself

Sharp cheddar delivers the best flavor

Sharp cheddar provides bold, tangy taste that won't disappear in creamy sauce. Aged 6-12 months, it melts smoothly while maintaining character. Mild cheddar tastes flat and requires more salt. Extra-sharp cheddar works but can separate if overheated. Pick mid-range sharp cheddar from the dairy case for consistent results.

Pre-shredded cheese ruins texture

Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose or potato starch to prevent clumping. This coating blocks smooth melting and creates gritty, oily sauce. Buy block cheese and shred it fresh. It takes two minutes with a box grater and guarantees silky sauce. Anti-caking agents also dull flavor. Freshly shredded cheese tastes brighter and melts into velvety sauce without lumps.

Build better flavor with blends

Mix cheeses for depth. Use sharp cheddar as base, add one creamy melter and one flavor booster. Single-cheese mac and cheese tastes one-dimensional. Three cheeses create complex, restaurant-quality flavor without extra work. The combination keeps each bite interesting.

Smart substitutions

White cheddar works identically to yellow. Gouda adds nutty richness. Monterey Jack melts exceptionally well. Pepper jack adds subtle heat. Velveeta or American cheese create ultra-creamy texture but sacrifice real cheese flavor—use sparingly, max 20% of total. Avoid mozzarella as main cheese—it gets stringy and chewy. Cream cheese adds tang in small amounts. Stick to cheeses that melt smoothly without becoming greasy.

Cook pasta al dente in salted water

Salt the water aggressively

Pasta water should taste like the ocean. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt per 4 quarts water. Under-salted pasta makes bland mac and cheese no matter how good your cheese sauce. Salt penetrates pasta during cooking. Don't rely on sauce alone for seasoning.

Time it right

Boil pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Aim for firm center with slight chew. Overcooked pasta turns mushy when baked. It continues cooking in hot cheese sauce and oven. Test pasta 2 minutes before minimum time. Drain immediately when ready. Set aside to cool slightly while making sauce.

Pick the right shape

Elbow macaroni works fine but better shapes exist. Cavatappi, shells, and medium shells trap more cheese sauce in ridges and hollows. Short pasta with texture holds creamy sauce better than smooth tubes. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti or linguine.

Save the pasta water

Before draining, scoop out 1 cup starchy cooking water. Add it to cheese sauce if too thick. Starch in the water helps sauce cling to pasta and maintains creamy texture. Water works better than plain milk for thinning. Reserve it even for stovetop versions.

• Use 4-6 quarts water per pound pasta
• Add salt after water boils
• Stir pasta first 30 seconds to prevent sticking
• Drain but don't rinse—starch helps sauce stick

Build a roux with butter and flour

The perfect butter-flour ratio

Use equal parts butter and flour by weight. For one pound pasta, melt 3 tablespoons butter (42g) and whisk in 3 tablespoons flour (24g). This ratio creates stable base that thickens 2 cups milk into proper sauce consistency. Too much flour makes paste, too little makes runny sauce. Measure accurately for best results. All-purpose flour works best—don't use self-rising or cake flour.

Cook it low and slow

Melt butter over medium-low heat until foamy but not brown. Add flour all at once. Whisk continuously for 2-3 minutes. Cook until mixture smells nutty and looks like wet sand. Don't rush—raw flour tastes chalky and ruins sauce. Don't brown it—dark roux overpowers delicate cheese flavor. Aim for pale golden color. Remove from heat if butter starts browning. Roux should bubble gently, not sizzle aggressively.

Whisk constantly to prevent lumps

Add flour to melted butter while whisking non-stop. Keep whisking while cooking roux. When adding milk, pour slowly in thin stream while whisking vigorously. Switch to whisk if you see lumps forming. Lumps happen when liquid hits hot roux too fast. Control the pour speed to maintain smooth texture. Use a balloon whisk for best results—it reaches corners of pot better than a spoon.

Roux mistakes that ruin sauce

• Adding flour to cold butter—creates greasy paste that never smooths out
• Not cooking long enough—raw flour taste ruins entire dish
• Turning heat too high—browns butter before flour cooks through
• Walking away while cooking—roux burns in seconds, can't be saved
• Adding milk too fast—creates unfixable lumps that even blending can't fix

Add milk slowly then melt cheese gradually

Warm the milk first

Cold milk shocks hot roux and creates lumps. Warm milk blends smoothly without temperature drop. Heat milk to just below simmer—hot but not boiling. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or warm in separate pot. Warm milk incorporates into roux three times faster than cold. Never add ice-cold milk straight from fridge. Room temperature works but warm works better.

Pour in thin streams while whisking

Add milk gradually, about ¼ cup at a time. Whisk furiously while pouring in steady, thin stream. Each addition should disappear into roux before adding next. This builds stable emulsion that won't break. Stop adding milk if you see lumps forming—whisk until smooth before continuing. Whole process takes 3-4 minutes. Don't rush. Rushing creates lumpy sauce that even straining can't fully fix.

Add cheese in small batches

Reduce heat to low or turn off completely. Add one handful shredded cheese at a time. Stir constantly until cheese fully melts and disappears into sauce. Wait 30 seconds between additions. Adding cheese all at once causes oil separation and grainy texture. Low heat prevents cheese proteins from tightening and squeezing out fat. Patience creates silky, smooth sauce.

Temperature control prevents broken sauce

• Keep heat at low after adding cheese—never boil
• Remove pot from heat if sauce gets too hot
• Cheese melts best between 150-170°F
• Over 180°F causes cheese to break and get greasy
• If sauce separates, add cold milk and whisk vigorously

Top with breadcrumbs and bake until golden

Make buttery breadcrumb topping

Mix 1 cup panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add ¼ cup grated Parmesan for extra flavor. Toss until crumbs look like wet sand. Panko creates crunchier topping than regular breadcrumbs. Don't skip the butter—dry breadcrumbs burn. For richer flavor, add crispy bacon bits or chopped fresh herbs like thyme. Sprinkle topping evenly over mac and cheese before baking.

Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer mac and cheese to buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread topping evenly over surface. Bake uncovered 20 minutes for stovetop versions, 30 minutes if starting cold from fridge. Cover with foil if top browns too fast. Bake until edges bubble and center reaches 165°F. Overbaking dries out sauce and makes it grainy. Shallow dishes cook faster than deep ones.

Know when it's ready

Look for deep golden brown topping. Edges should bubble vigorously. Center should jiggle slightly when shaken. Internal temperature must hit 165°F for food safety. If top isn't brown enough after 30 minutes, broil 2-3 minutes watching constantly. Remove when top looks like toasted bread—dark spots add flavor. Underbaked topping tastes like raw breadcrumbs.

Let it rest before serving

Remove from oven. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving. Resting allows sauce to set and thicken. Cutting too soon makes sauce run out and pool in dish. Resting also prevents burned mouths. The texture improves as it cools slightly. Cover loosely with foil if kitchen is drafty. Resting makes clean cuts and better presentation.

Skip baking for stovetop version

Not all mac and cheese needs baking. Stovetop versions skip breadcrumbs and serve immediately. This saves 20 minutes and keeps sauce extra creamy. If you want breadcrumb crunch without baking, toast crumbs in skillet with butter 3-4 minutes until golden. Sprinkle over plated mac and cheese. This gives same texture without oven time. Stovetop method works best for quick weeknight meals.