Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

By Jen Paleracio | February 7, 2023

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese is a comfort food every American loves. No holiday is complete without mac and cheese. This is a side dish that will always come to mind when family and friends get together. Creamy, delicious, and easy to make. It’s a mouthwatering and comforting dish that combines tender macaroni noodles with a creamy and flavorful cheese sauce. The delightful blend of texture and flavors creates a satisfying and indulgent experience that is hard to resist.

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese first image

why does everyone love macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that is loved by people of all ages. It’s easy to make and can be customized with a variety of ingredients to make it even more delicious. It also has a rich, creamy flavor that is hard to resist. So it’s no wonder why everyone loves it!

If you don’t know what to do with your leftover ham and rotisserie chicken I got a perfect recipe for you. My Pasta and Chicken Casserole is close to mac and cheese but I added more ingredients to use up my leftovers.

ingredients notes for my homemade macaroni and cheese

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese ingredients 1
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese ingredient 2

BECHAMEL:

  • Butter – I used unsalted butter, this way I can control how much salt to add to the sauce. 
  • Flour – I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour. The flour will help the sauce thickens.
  • Milk – Use whole milk, it’ll give your sauce a rich creamy flavor.
  • Sea salt – Got to season your sauce. 
  • Dijon Mustard – This is my secret ingredient. It contrasts the creaminess and gives it a nice spice
  • Sriracha – You can just use white ground pepper. Sriracha is optional. 
  • Egg yolks – The egg yolks will help thicken the sauce and also gives richness to the dish

ADD CHEESES AND BAKE:

  • Cheddar – I used mild cheddar cheese but feel free to use the sharp cheese
  • Monterey Jack – You can use Mozzarella instead if you like
  • Parmesan – I use a little bit of grated Parmesan cheese, which adds a more savory flavor
  • Breadcrumbs – I like Italian breadcrumbs because I like herbs but you can use regular breadcrumbs. 
  • More unsalted butter – Butter makes the top of your mac and cheese a bit crispy and golden brown

how to make homemade macaroni and cheese

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese instruction 1-4
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese instructions 5-8

MAKE THE WHITE SAUCE:

  1. Melt the butter. Place a stockpot on a stove over medium heat. Add the butter, and swirl the wooden spoon continuously until the butter is melted.
  2. Add the flour. Add the flour and continue stirring until the flour is dissolved. You’ll see the mixture turn foamy.
  3. Golden color. Don’t stop stirring, the mixture will be foamy. Continue stirring until the mixture turn slightly golden yellow (not brown).
  4. Slowly add the milk. Slowly add the milk and season with salt, Dijon mustard, and Sriracha. Continue stirring for 5-8 minutes or until it slightly thickens.
  5. Temper the egg yolks. Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of hot white sauce and add it to the egg yolks. Stir vigorously until smooth and light in color.
  6. Add the tempered egg yolks to the pot. Drop the tempered egg yolks into the stockpot and continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

  7. DO THE SPOON TEST FOR THE RIGHT CONSISTENCY:

    Take the spoon and dip it in the sauce, take it out, and hold it horizontally. Observe the sauce that is dripping off the spoon. If the sauce is thick enough, the sauce will drip the spoon in two or three drops. If the sauce is too thin the sauce will run off the spoon in a steady stream. Or what I normally do is quickly run my fingertip at the back of the spoon and if the line remains visible, the sauce is thick enough.

  8. Add the cheeses. Add cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, and Parmesan cheese, and taste season more with sea salt if desired. It’s an option to season with ground black pepper.

BAKE THE MAC AND CHEESE:

  1. Add the macaroni. The macaroni should be cooked before making the sauce (see package instructions). Turn the heat off and add the cooked pasta to the sauce, and stir until well coated.
  2. Bake. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pour the mac and cheese into a baking dish pan, and spread evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and place the cubed butter on top. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.

Here are some side dishes you might like:

just a side note:

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese pro tip image
  • Macaroni and Cheese is a great example of building flavors. A good place to start is making the white sauce called “bechamel”. If you’re conscious about calories, mac, and cheese is not the recommended food to eat. In order to get the creamy, luscious, savory, flavor, you have to use real cheese, milk, regular pasta, and other ingredients like eggs and meat. Nonetheless, you’re making it from scratch so it means it’s a lot better and you’re in control of the ingredients. So much better than the boxed mac and cheese you get from the store (lots of artificial flavorings). 
  • There are no set rules when it comes to what cheese to use. Most people like to add cheddar cheese. You’re in charge – so choose what you want. 
  • If you want to sprinkle some herbs right after baking, like parsley or chives, that works well too. 
  • Be patient when making your Bechamel, it takes time to thicken. If you want a good arm workout – just think “bechamel”. Here’s a basic recipe you might want to check out, Classic Bechamel Sauce. 

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Jen Paleracio
Creamy, delicious, and easy to make. Great side dish any time of the day!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Stockpot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Small bowl
  • Baking dish

Ingredients
  

FOR THE BECHAMEL

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • 2 egg yolks

FOR CHEESES AND PASTA

  • 2 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cups or 500g dried short pasta or macaroni, cook al dente or see package instructions
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions
 

FOR THE BECHAMEL

  • Melt the butter. Place a stockpot on a stovetop over medium heat. Add the butter, and swirl the wooden spoon continuously until the butter melts.
  • Add the flour and continue stirring until the flour is dissolved. You'll see the mixture turn foamy. Don't stop stirring, the mixture will turn slightly golden yellow (not brown). See NOTE #1
  • Then, slowly add the milk and season with salt, Dijon mustard, and Sriracha. Continue stirring for 5-8 minutes or until it is slightly thickened.
  • Temper the egg yolks. Place the egg yolks in a bowl, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the white sauce, and add it to the egg yolks. Beat them with a fork until well incorporated. See NOTE #2
  • Drop the tempered egg yolks into the stockpot and continue stirring for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
  • Do the spoon test to see if the bechamel reaches the right consistency. See NOTE #3
  • Add the cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, and Parmesan cheese, and stir until all the cheese blends smoothly with the sauce. Taste and see if you need to add more salt. It's optional to add black ground pepper. Turn off the heat and add the macaroni. Continue stirring until well combined.
  • Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pour the mac and cheese into the baking dish, and spread evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and place cubed butter on top. Baked for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Video

Notes

NOTE: #1 – First thing we do in making the “bechamel sauce” is to make a roux. Making roux is actually quite simple. All you need is equal parts of butter and flour. Start by melting the butter in a saucepan (or a pot where you’re making your mac and cheese) over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add an equal amount of all-purpose flour. Whisk the mixture together until it is smooth and begins to bubble. Then, continue to cook the roux for several minutes, stirring constantly. The longer you cook it, the darker the color and the more intense the flavor. Once it’s reached the desired color, you use it to thicken sauces gravies, and soups. 
NOTE #2 – When tempering egg yolks, the key is to add the hot liquid slowly while whisking vigorously. Start by heating up your liquid of choice (milk, cream, broth, etc.) until it comes to a simmer. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are light in color. Gradually add the hot liquid to the bowl of egg yolks, whisking continuously. This will slowly raise the temperature of the yolks and prevent them from curdling. Once all of the liquid has been added, you can then add the tempered egg yolks to the hot liquid in the pot and cook until thickened. 
NOTE #3 – Do the spoon test. Dip the spoon into the sauce, then take it out and hold it horizontally. Observe the sauce that is dripping off the spoon. If the sauce is thick enough, the sauce will drip off the spoon in two or three drops. if the sauce is too thin, the sauce will run off the spoon in a steady stream. Or immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your finger and if the sauce is thick enough the line will remain visible. If it doesn’t the sauce needs to be cooked longer. 
 
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Keyword Bechamel, Dijon mustard, egg yolks, mac and cheese, Monterey Jack, Parmesan cheese, white sauce

FAQ

SERVE WITH:

Since mac and cheese is a side dish, I like to serve it with roasted chicken or maybe with pot roast. I usually serve my pasta with some type of mixed greens or steamed veggies.

HOW TO STORE:

Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Or in the freezer for up to 2-4 months. I wouldn’t store mac and cheese for too long especially when it’s made with real ingredients. You can add bacon or your leftover ham when you reheat them.

HOW TO REHEAT:

Microwave: Place in a microwave safe container. And microwave on high for 1.30 minutes per one cup of mac and cheese.
Stovetop: Heat a non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the mac and cheese and carefully stir until well heated.

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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.

I’m a mom and a wife, and just like you, I love to cook too. Let’s make something delicious but let’s not make ourselves run around like a chicken without a head. The recipes I share are inspired by my grandma, and she was very aware of her time and money. I grew up in a household where home-cooked meals are part of our day-to-day life. Cooking is not a chore but a way of living and connecting with each other. I created these recipes to help everyday cooking simple and flavorful…

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