Chef Jake Thompson - Comfort Food Specialist
👨‍🍳 Comfort Food Chef

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Culinary Arts Graduate ⏰ 18+ Years Experience 🍽️ BBQ & Grill Master

❤️ My Recipe Story

"This 5-ingredient mac and cheese recipe was born from necessity one evening when I needed to make something quick and satisfying with minimal ingredients. After perfecting the ratios and technique, it's become my most requested recipe - proving that sometimes the simplest foods are the most loved."

Jake specializes in elevated comfort food that brings bold flavors to classic dishes. He's spent years perfecting techniques that maximize flavor while maintaining the hearty, satisfying nature of traditional American cuisine.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Creamy stovetop mac and cheese in a bowl with a wooden spoon, showing the velvety texture and golden color of the cheese sauce coating each pasta piece

The Secret to Creamy Mac and Cheese

The key to perfect stovetop mac and cheese lies in the technique of creating a smooth, velvety cheese sauce. Starting with a proper roux—equal parts butter and flour—creates the base that ensures your sauce won't break or become grainy.

Temperature control is crucial when adding cheese to your sauce. Always remove the pot from heat before stirring in the cheese to prevent the proteins from seizing, which results in a gritty texture. The residual heat from the sauce will be enough to melt the cheese while maintaining its creamy consistency.

💡 Professional Tip

Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded varieties. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can prevent proper melting and lead to a grainy sauce texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! While sharp cheddar provides the classic flavor, you can experiment with combinations like cheddar and Monterey Jack, Gruyère, or even a bit of cream cheese for extra creaminess.

Try adding steamed broccoli florets, peas, or roasted cauliflower. You can also use whole grain pasta for added fiber, or stir in some diced cooked chicken for extra protein.

Simply add a splash more milk and stir until you reach your desired consistency. Add just a little at a time to avoid making it too thin.

This recipe is best made fresh, but you can prepare it up to 2 days ahead. When reheating, add a splash of milk and warm gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently to restore creaminess.

Yes, you can skip the roux and instead use evaporated milk and eggs to create a creamy sauce, or try using cream cheese as your thickening agent instead of flour.

While elbow macaroni is traditional, any short pasta with ridges or cavities works well as they capture more sauce. Try shells, cavatappi, rotini, or even farfalle.

The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and when you run your finger through it, the line should hold without the sauce running back together immediately.

Yes, substitute plant-based butter, unsweetened almond or oat milk, and dairy-free cheese. Nutritional yeast can also add a cheesy flavor. Note that the texture may differ slightly from the original.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Grainy Sauce

Problem: Cheese sauce has a gritty or grainy texture

Solution: Always remove the pot from heat before adding cheese, and ensure cheese is at room temperature. Add it gradually and stir constantly until fully melted.

✅

Sauce Too Thin

Problem: Cheese sauce doesn't thicken properly

Solution: Cook the flour and butter mixture (roux) for at least 1 minute before adding milk. Ensure sauce comes to a simmer to activate the thickening power of the flour.

✅

Clumpy Roux

Problem: Flour and butter mixture forms lumps

Prevention: Use medium heat and whisk continuously when making the roux. Add milk gradually while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

✅

Sauce Breaks

Problem: Sauce separates and becomes oily

Recovery: Heat was likely too high. Remove from heat immediately, add a splash of cold milk, and whisk vigorously to re-emulsify the sauce.

✅

Bland Flavor

Problem: Mac and cheese lacks flavor despite following the recipe

Prevention: Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for more flavor impact. Add a pinch of garlic powder, mustard powder, or a dash of hot sauce to enhance flavor without changing the recipe significantly.

✅

Flavor Balance Issues

Too Sweet: Add a dash of hot sauce or pinch of cayenne pepper

Too Salty: Balance with a splash of cream or extra cheese that hasn't been salted

Bland: Add 1/2 tsp mustard powder or 1 tsp of Dijon mustard and extra black pepper

Ingredients for 5-ingredient mac and cheese laid out on a countertop: elbow macaroni, block of cheddar cheese, butter, flour, and milk

Choosing Quality Ingredients

With only five ingredients, quality matters immensely in this simple recipe. The star ingredient is the cheese - opt for a good quality sharp or extra-sharp cheddar that's been freshly grated from a block for the best melting properties and flavor.

The type of milk you use will affect the richness of your finished dish. Whole milk creates the creamiest result, but 2% works well too. Avoid skim milk as it lacks the necessary fat content to produce a truly rich and satisfying sauce.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Cheese Selection: Yellow cheddar has a bolder flavor than white cheddar, but either works beautifully. For depth of flavor, consider using a mixture of sharp cheddar and a small amount of aged Gruyère.
  • Butter Quality: European-style butter with higher butterfat content creates a richer roux base for your sauce. Unsalted butter allows better control of the final seasoning.
  • Pasta Choice: Traditional elbow macaroni works perfectly, but any short pasta with ridges or hollows that can trap sauce will elevate your dish.
Wooden spoon stirring a pot of creamy mac and cheese sauce, showing the smooth, velvety texture as cheese melts into the thickened milk mixture

Mastering the One-Pot Technique

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the one-pot approach. By cooking the pasta first and then using the same pot for the sauce, you not only save on cleanup but also benefit from the starch left behind by the pasta, which helps the sauce cling better to each piece.

Timing is everything when making the cheese sauce. The milk mixture should be hot but not boiling when you add the cheese. If the mixture is too hot, the cheese proteins will seize and separate; if too cool, the cheese won't melt properly and incorporate into a smooth sauce.

The Perfect Roux

Cook the butter and flour mixture until it smells slightly nutty and turns a light golden color. This brief cooking eliminates the raw flour taste while creating the perfect base for your cheese sauce.

5-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Prep 5 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4 servings
Level Easy

📋 Ingredients

For the Pasta

  • 55g unsalted butter
    Creates the base for the sauce
  • 30g all-purpose flour
    Thickens the sauce
  • 480ml whole milk
    Creates creamy base
  • 340g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
    Freshly grated melts best
  • 1/2 tsp salt
    Enhances cheese flavor
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    Adds subtle spice
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
    Adds depth of flavor

For the Cheese Sauce

  • 340g elbow macaroni
    Classic shape for sauce coating

Instructions

  1. Cook Pasta

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

  2. Make Roux

    In the same pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute until smooth and lightly golden.

  3. Create Sauce Base

    Gradually whisk in milk, ensuring no lumps form. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3-5 minutes.

  4. Add Cheese

    Remove pot from heat and stir in shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

  5. Combine and Serve

    Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until well coated. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage

Leftover mac and cheese can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of milk and warm gently over low heat, stirring frequently to restore creaminess.

Serving Suggestions

Serve alongside a simple green salad or roasted vegetables for a complete meal. For added texture contrast, sprinkle with toasted panko breadcrumbs or crispy bacon bits.

Variations

For a flavor boost, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a dash of hot sauce to the cheese sauce. For a protein-packed meal, stir in cooked diced chicken, ham, or crispy bacon bits.