appetizers

bread

breakfast

crockpot

DESSERTS

freezer Foods

meals

pasta

sandwiches

sides

soups

tips + tricks

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC?

browse by ingredient: APPLES | BACON | BEEF | CHICKEN | CHOCOLATE | PORK

searching FOR more RECIPES? browse by: category | ingredient | view all

Once upon a time, there was a girl who just wanted creamy, cheesy mac and cheese.  Not full of spices or fancy things, just plain ol’ gooey mac and cheese.  

So I developed this recipe and now I share it with you, friends.  Because you all deserve this bit of comforting yum in your life.  

You are so welcome.

THE Mac and Cheese -- This recipe for THE mac and cheese has been featured on several top mac and cheese lists. It is the perfect base recipe for classic mac and cheese. | thatwhichnourishes.com

 

THE Mac and Cheese -- #1 Mac and Cheese on Pinterest! Classic, super cheesy mac goodness | thatwhichnourishes.com

This is the original picture that made THE Mac go viral!

This one is the one I make to go along with Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders or Hammy Sammies or Beef Roast Sandwiches.  How about Loaded Roast Beef and Bleu Sliders?  You should probably check them out!  Heck, this would make a PBJ look great.  We love to add chunks of ham and make it a full meal. Add some bacon or crab if it floats your boat! Pulled pork with onions and barbecue sauce?  Oh good heavens!

The possibilities are endless.

Our favorite combinations are a Havarti (2 c.) – Cheddar (4 c.) blend with bacon, or smoked Gouda/Cheddar with ham.  Also, we’ve grown quite fond of next-day-leftovers* pressed flat and fried in refined (no coconut flavor) coconut oil. Crispy on the outside and hot and gooey on the inside.  How can you resist?

This recipe has gone viral since I first posted it.  If you’re visiting from Pinterest, please take a minutes and check my recipe index for hundreds of other great recipes!

And it’s EASY.  The only bummer is the tired hand you’ll have from grating all of that cheese.

Boil your choice of pasta (it doesn’t matter the shape, just choose one that holds all the cheesy goodness) in water salted with a teaspoon or so of kosher salt until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, melt 1/2 c. (1 stick) of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Sprinkle in 1/2 c. flour, and whisk together for 2-3 minutes to let it cook.

Add in 1/2 T. (Tablespoon) Kosher or Himalayan sea salt and 1/2 T. (Tablespoon) pepper.

(Originally, the recipe called for 1 T. each of Kosher salt and pepper, but since most readers were using table salt, the result was too salty.  Please note that I have changed the numbers to reflect what works well as a general rule.  Start less and add more as needed to taste.  You can add it in, but you can’t take it out!)

THE Mac and Cheese -- This recipe for THE mac and cheese has been featured on several top mac and cheese lists. It is the perfect base recipe for classic mac and cheese. } thatwhichnourishes.comSlowly pour in 4 cups of whole milk (don’t skimp here–in fact you can even use some cream) whisking as you go until smooth.  Keep whisking until the sauce comes just to a very low boil — it will take several minutes.  This is where it will thicken considerably.  If you stop heating it too soon, it will not thicken correctly so whisk and heat until thickened just like in the picture at right.  Remove from heat.

Grease a 9×13″ dish with butter and add the cooked pasta to the dish.

Over the top of the pasta sprinkle 6 cups freshly shredded Cheddar (I use white or sharp), or any mix of cheese you prefer. Just please skip bagged cheese.  Because of additives, it melts differently.  You will get the best result if you grate a block of cheese!

THE Mac and Cheese -- This recipe for THE mac and cheese has been featured on several top mac and cheese lists. It is the perfect base recipe for classic mac and cheese. } thatwhichnourishes.com

Pour the beautiful cream sauce over the top of the cheese and pasta and let it sit a couple minutes to begin to melt the cheese.  Then, stir the whole beautiful cheesy goodness together and make the topping. In a small skillet, melt 2 T. butter over medium heat.  Add in 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs.  Stir constantly until golden brown.  Sprinkle over the pasta and cheese.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Hot, cheesy perfection.

Serves 6-8 as a main dish or 10-12 as a side.

THE Mac and Cheese -- This recipe for THE mac and cheese has been featured on several top mac and cheese lists. It is the perfect base recipe for classic mac and cheese. | thatwhichnourishes.com

*I have received many questions regarding preparing THE Mac ahead of time.  It is my recommendation to make this fresh before serving.  Many people LOVE this cheesy goodness reheated, and love the leftovers as much as fresh out of the oven,  But because it is a cheese sauce, it can tend to separate and does not lead to optimal results if you are making it for a get together.   Of course, it is possible to make this ahead, put it in the fridge and then just add some time to your bake time, and it does taste AMAZING, but for optimal results, make it, bake it, and eat it.  :o)

For Crock Pot tips, see the very bottom of this post!

THE Mac and Cheese -- This recipe for THE mac and cheese has been featured on several top mac and cheese lists. It is the perfect base recipe for classic mac and cheese. } thatwhichnourishes.com

 

THE Mac and Cheese
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
THE Mac and Cheese -- enough said
Alison:
Recipe type: Meals
Cuisine: American
Serves: 10-12 servings
Grocery List
  • 1 lb. pasta of your choice
  • ½ c. butter
  • ½ c. flour
  • 4 c. milk
  • 6 c. freshly shredded sharp or white Cheddar
  • ½ T. Kosher or sea salt
  • ½ T. pepper
  • 2 T. butter
  • ½ c. panko bread crumbs
Here's how...
  1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk and cook 2-3 minutes. Add in salt and pepper.
  3. Slowly pour in 4 c. milk whisking until smooth and heating to a low boil until thickened. Do not stop whisking and cooking until thick. Remove from heat.
  4. Grease a 9x13" baking dish and add the hot pasta to the dish. Over the top sprinkle 6 c. of freshly shredded cheese.
  5. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the hot pasta and cheese and let it sit until the cheese melts. Stir everything together.
  6. Melt 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add in panko bread crumbs, stirring constantly 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
  7. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese.
  8. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven 12-15 minutes.

Crock Pot results:

I have tested THE Mac in the crock pot and I got some decent results! For those of you who need to buy a couple hours if you’re bringing THE Mac to an event without an oven, I found a way to work it! Make all of the elements of THE Mac — make the pasta, grate the cheese, make the cream sauce and stir it all together. Also, make the panko topping, but set this aside to add to the top before serving.

Keep this in your crock pot on low for about two hours. After that, stir it, set the temp to warm and be prepared to serve it as soon as possible since the longer it sits on warm, the more the sauce bakes in and you lose the creaminess that makes this spectacular. It still tastes delicious, but the texture definitely changes to be more like a traditional baked mac and cheese.

Please note that all crock pots are different and one that has a bit of a higher temp may dry this recipe out quicker! Keep an eye on it and be prepared to turn it down or off if needed. Again, fresh is best, but I hope this provides you an alternative if you need it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. marissa says:

    Omg! This is A-MAZING!!! Made it for dinner tonight…I’m in love! Thank you!!!

  2. […] so I’m a sucker for fried chicken.  You’d think between THE Mac and Cheese and its popularity and my love for fried chicken, I’d be a southern girl.  Not so much, but […]

  3. Raychel C says:

    My favorite recipe is almost exactly like this, but I also add a pinch of ground mustard and minced onions at the beginning with the flour and it adds tons of flavor!

    • alison says:

      Hi, Raychel! That’s the beauty of a great basic recipe is the ability to add things you love and it doesn’t change the integrity of the dish. When I first started making mac and cheese recipes, they all had ground mustard, and it turns out my family really doesn’t like that flavor. As I developed my own recipe, I purposely left that out for that reason. But, I appreciate your comment so folks know they can should they choose to. Thanks so much for stopping by! :o)

  4. Jin says:

    This was fabulous! I had medium cheddar and white horseradish cheddar on hand so I added some sautéed onion and diced sausages. DELICIOUS. I kept sneaking in leftovers the whole day 🙂

    • alison says:

      Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…that sounds soooo good right now! Jin, you made me drool with that description. Now, to change the dinner plan or not? :o)
      Thanks for the idea and for trying my recipe. Have a happy day!

  5. Kris says:

    Okay, so I made this tonight and thought I TOTALLY messed it up…my cheese sauce was runny and I forgot to add the salt & pepper to the sauce, so I dumped it in before the breadcrumbs and restirred and crossed my fingers. 🙂 I’m happy to report it turned out great!! I used 4 cups extra sharp white cheddar and 2 cups Havarti, and only 1/2 tbsp of pepper. Yum!! Will stir the cheese sauce longer next time to try to get it thicker, although it did thicken upon standing after baking! Thanks so much for posting this awesome recipe that even *I* cannot mess up! 🙂

    • alison says:

      Hey, Kris! Way to hang in there and see it through! The sauce tends to scare folks into thinking that it won’t bake into cheesy goodness the way they want it to, but somehow, even with the short bake time, it works out just perfectly! And great cheese choices, by the way! Those are my favorites for sure! Now, if you want to taste about the best thing ever, use up those leftovers by heating up a non-stick skillet, add some butter or refined coconut oil and fry up the Mac in one layer, pressing it down as it heats up, give it a flip to get the other side golden brown, and VOILA! Best thing ever! :o) Thanks so much for the lovely compliments and stopping back by!

  6. Meaghan says:

    Hi!
    Would love to try this out, could I cut the recipe exactly in half for a smaller crowd? Or are certain things not ok to reduce? So excited to make this!

    • alison says:

      Hi, Meaghan!
      Welcome to our blog! Absolutely, you can cut the recipe in half. I can’t think of one problem you should run into. Just bake it in an 8×8 or so sized dish. I hope you stop back to tell us you loved it, and I hope you find some other things you like here as well! :o)

  7. Tammy Smith says:

    You are the best !!! This recipie will be passed down my family generations :-)….Can wait to try more of your yummy ideas !!!

    • alison says:

      Woohoo!! The best, huh? Well, I don’t know about that, but I sure like you’re thinking, Tammy! :o) I’m so glad your kids’ kids will be eating my Mac and Cheese! Try some of our other recipes for your family! They are definitely family recipes that I think you’ll all enjoy. Many thanks for your sweet words. Have a super happy day!

  8. Kim says:

    Gorgeous recipe! Every bit of it…….pure deliciousness. An absolute keeper!

    • alison says:

      I absolutely loved this comment, Kim.
      Your wording made me smile many times. It is, indeed, gorgeous food. Don’t ya feel sorry for folks who miss out on this kind of thing? :o)

  9. Cara says:

    I wish that I could have enjoyed this more – was so overpowered by the salt! Will definitely be trying again with maybe just a teaspoon or two!

    • alison says:

      Hi, Cara! I’m so sorry the salt was too much for you. As always, seasonings are very much a personal taste kind of thing. I am glad you’ll try it again adjusted to your liking. Thanks for stopping by! :o)

  10. Jessica says:

    This was delicious!! Made it for Superbowl Sunday and was a hit. Next time, I would maybe add bacon and play around with different cheeses (I used 1/2 sharp cheddar, 1/2 white cheddar). Thanks for the great recipe! I wrote about it on my blog, feel free to check it out! http://businessandbangles.blogspot.com/2015/02/food-hangover-day-aka-superbowl-monday.html

    • alison says:

      Hey, Jessica!
      Thanks for stopping by and trying my food and taking the time to say you enjoyed it! I did check out your blog — enjoyed it and appreciate the link back. Hope you keep loving some Mac and Cheese and trying new flavor combinations. I think I’ll make some today with some habanero Jack and cheddar!

1 9 10 11 12 13 55

Hungry?

Browse hundreds of our delicious recipes...there's something here for everyone! 

appetizers

bread

breakfast

crockpot

DESSERTS

freezer Foods

meals

pasta

sandwiches

sides

soups

tips + tricks

As Seen In

Mac & Cheese

The

Once upon a time, there was a girl who just wanted creamy, cheesy mac and cheese. Not full of spices or fancy things, just plain ol’ gooey mac and cheese. As such,  The Mac & Cheese was born.  Alison's recipe has become our claim to fame—standing strong as the Most Pinned Mac & Cheese Recipe on Pinterest. 

THE
MOST PINNED MAC & CHEESE RECIPE ON PINTEREST

CHECK IT OUT

© 2016 That Which Nourishes.com