Description
A quick and easy creamy stovetop mac and cheese made with a blend of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe delivers rich, cheesy comfort food in about 25 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until the roux is smooth and starting to turn golden.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly to keep the sauce smooth. Add dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir frequently as the sauce thickens, about 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and grated Parmesan cheeses until melted and smooth.
- Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and fold gently until every piece is coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of warm milk to loosen.
- Serve immediately, optionally topped with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
Do not add cheese over high heat to avoid grainy sauce; remove pan from heat before adding cheese. Use freshly grated cheese for best melting. Save a splash of pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Room temperature milk works best. For extra creaminess, stir in cream cheese or sour cream at the end. Optional crispy topping: sprinkle breadcrumbs and broil for 2 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 20
Keywords: mac and cheese, stovetop mac and cheese, three cheese mac and cheese, quick dinner, comfort food, easy recipe, cheesy pasta