American · medium

Stovetop Mac and Cheese (Real Cheese Sauce)

Name: Stovetop Mac and Cheese (Real Cheese Sauce)
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb Elbow Macaroni; 2 cups Sharp Cheddar, freshly shredded; 1 cup Gruyere or Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded; 2 cups Whole Milk; 3 tbsp Butter; 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour; 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard Powder; 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Macaroni in a cheese sauce made from a real roux with sharp cheddar and gruyere. Not orange powder. Not jar cheese. A proper béchamel-based sauce with enough sharpness that adults eat it too. Ready in 20 minutes, one pot, and better than anything from a box. This is the mac and cheese that becomes a family tradition.

25 min
Total: 4
Serves: $7.00
Est. cost: 580
Cal/serving

Stovetop Mac and Cheese (Real Cheese Sauce)

Dietary, as tagged

Kid-friendly
Vegetarian
Meatless

Parent noteSharp cheddar might be strong for very young kids; swap for mild cheddar if needed and skip gruyere. The mustard powder is not detectable but adds depth. Remove from heat before adding cheese; heat kills the emulsion. Contains gluten, dairy, and egg in pasta.

Chips reflect this recipe's curated tags, not an ingredient-by-ingredient allergen scan. The app tags every ingredient against the top-9 allergens and filters your family's weekly plan by severity — check labels if an allergy is severe.

Ingredients

Elbow Macaroni1 lb
Sharp Cheddar, freshly shredded2 cups
Gruyere or Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded1 cup
Whole Milk2 cups
Butter3 tbsp
All-Purpose Flour3 tbsp
Dry Mustard Powder1/2 tsp
Garlic Powder1/4 tsp

Method

01
Cook macaroni in salted boiling water per package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.
02
In the same pot over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
03
Gradually whisk in milk, about 1/4 cup at a time. Keep whisking constantly until smooth. Cook 4-5 minutes until thickened.
04
Reduce heat to low. Add mustard powder, garlic powder, and salt.
05
Remove from heat. Add cheddar and gruyere in two batches, stirring after each addition until fully melted.
06
Add drained pasta. Stir. If sauce is too thick, add pasta water a splash at a time.

580
Calories: 22g
Protein: 62g
Carbs: 26g
Fat