Craving a warm, comforting, and utterly delicious dish? Look no further than our ultimate guide to preparing the smoothest, creamiest macaroni and cheese you'll ever taste. From classic recipes to variations that introduce exciting new flavors, our comprehensive article offers a culinary journey that will satisfy your cravings and delight your taste buds. Embark on this cheesy adventure as we unveil the secrets to creating a macaroni and cheese dish that will leave you longing for more.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Macaroni and cheese is perfect supper food. It's a kids' favorite, and adults like it too. My recipe is simple and almost as quick as the boxed variety.
Provided by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in large soup kettle. Add salt and pasta. Using package directions as a guide, cook until al dente. Drain. To prevent sticking, drain and immediately pour onto a large lipped baking sheet and let cool while preparing sauce.
- Meanwhile, microwave the milk and chicken broth in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl until hot and steamy (not boiling). Melt butter in the empty pasta pot; whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard, Parmesan and pepper. Turn off heat, stir in cheddar until melted.
- Add drained pasta (and optional flavoring ingredients, see notes) to sauce, and stir until everything is well combined over low heat. Stir to heat through, and thin with a little water if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 529.1 calories, Carbohydrate 47.1 g, Cholesterol 82.3 mg, Fat 26.5 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 25.1 g, SaturatedFat 16.1 g, Sodium 1202.9 mg, Sugar 8.5 g
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is my absolute very favorite macaroni and cheese recipe and I have a large collection of m/c recipes. Adapted from Southern Living. I don't make this very often because I could literally eat the whole thing and lick the dish clean.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Cheese
Time 1h20m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a big skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Whisk the flour in gradually until the mixture is smooth.
- Cook and whisk continually for 2 minutes.
- Add in salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic; stir to combine.
- Gradually whisk in half-and-half and milk.
- Cook and whisk continually for 8-10 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
- Add in half of the sharp cheddar cheese; stir.
- Add in all of the extra-sharp cheddar cheese; stir until smooth.
- Take skillet off stove burner.
- Mix together the cooked macaroni and cheese mixture; transfer to a greased 13x9 inch casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with the remaining sharp cheddar cheese.
- Bake in a 350° oven for 20 minutes (may need to bake longer for a crispy top).
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is the ultimate creamy mac and cheese recipe. It's saucy, thick and very rich, with a wonderful cheddar flavor. Once you taste it, you'll be hooked. -Cindy Hartley, Chesapeake, Virginia
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 55m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in sour cream, Velveeta, Parmesan cheese, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth and cheese is melted. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. , Drain macaroni; toss with cheddar cheese. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Stir in cream sauce. , Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 653 calories, Fat 46g fat (30g saturated fat), Cholesterol 143mg cholesterol, Sodium 1141mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
SMOOTH & CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Make and share this Smooth & Creamy Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Food.com.
Provided by lilkittykt
Categories Cheese
Time 30m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, coat an 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray,
- cook the macaroni according to the package directions, omitting the salt; drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over high heat; add the flour, salt, and pepper,
- slowly whisk in the evaporated milk and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the macaroni and the cheese; mix well,
- then pour into the baking dish,
- bake for 20-22 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
EXTRA RICH-AND-CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Combine the evaporated milk, eggs, havarti, Colby jack, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the pasta and sour cream to the sauce; toss to coat, then let sit 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Add the reserved cooking water to loosen, if desired.
CREAMY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
This recipe, inspired by Stouffer's macaroni and cheese, delivers the best of all worlds: creamy, saucy comfort, with a consistency that's slightly more set than a stovetop version, thanks to a final bake in the oven. It stays voluptuous and molten as a result of a higher ratio of sauce to noodles, which are cooked completely so they don't soak up as much liquid. The Velveeta is necessary here, as it has sodium citrate, which prevents the sauce from separating in the oven. Elbow macaroni works fine, but cavatappi is an especially fun shape to eat with its telephone-cord bounciness.
Provided by Eric Kim
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat. Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes. At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose. Take the pot off the heat.
- To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese. Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
MAKEOVER CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
With its creamy consistency and two different cheeses, this entree captures the essence of comfort food. But here's the kicker: it's been slimmed down for you so you can enjoy it without over indulging. -Darcie Zerniak, Ontario, New York
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 55m
Yield 7 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Reduce heat; stir in the sour cream, process cheese, Parmesan, mustard and pepper until smooth. , Drain macaroni; stir in cheddar cheese. Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Add cream sauce and mix well. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with chives if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 394 calories, Fat 18g fat (11g saturated fat), Cholesterol 61mg cholesterol, Sodium 842mg sodium, Carbohydrate 37g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 23g protein.
CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
There are two schools of thought about macaroni and cheese: Some like it crusty and extra-cheesy (here's our recipe), while others prefer it smooth and creamy. But most people are delighted by any homemade macaroni and cheese. It is light years ahead of the boxed versions. This creamy version has one powerful advantage for the cook: There's no need to preboil the pasta. It cooks in the oven, absorbing the liquid from the dairy products.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories brunch, dinner, easy, lunch, weekday, casseroles, main course, side dish
Time 1h40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
- In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup grated Cheddar for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated Cheddar, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 427, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 22 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 496 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 1 gram
Tips:
- Use quality ingredients: Fresh, high-quality ingredients will make a big difference in the final flavor of your mac and cheese. Look for sharp cheddar cheese, fresh milk, and high-quality pasta.
- Cook the pasta al dente: This means cooking the pasta until it is just tender, but still has a slight bite to it. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy when you bake it.
- Make a roux: A roux is a mixture of melted butter and flour. It is used to thicken the cheese sauce and give it a smooth, creamy texture.
- Use a variety of cheeses: Using a variety of cheeses will give your mac and cheese a more complex flavor. Try using a combination of sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese.
- Don't overcook the cheese sauce: Once you have added the cheese to the roux, cook it over low heat until it is melted and smooth. Do not boil the cheese sauce, as this will cause it to curdle.
- Bake the mac and cheese until it is bubbly and golden brown: This will give the mac and cheese a crispy topping and help to set the cheese sauce.
Conclusion:
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of different ingredients and flavors. Whether you like your mac and cheese simple or complex, there is a recipe out there that will suit your taste. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give mac and cheese a try. You won't be disappointed!
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