Easy Macaroni and Cheese on the Stove Top

This easy macaroni and cheese on the stove top is simple to make with only six ingredients, and it comes together in less than thirty minutes.

Does comfort food get any better than a yummy heaping helping of ooey, gooey macaroni and cheese?! Yes, my friends, to me macaroni and cheese is The Ultimate Comfort Food.

I personally like my macaroni and cheese any time of year. But it seems to be very popular to the masses in the fall and winter months.

I occasionally make the boxed version of macaroni and cheese for my son. But with just a teensy, tiny bit more effort you can have this: made-from-scratch, easy macaroni and cheese on the stove top. And I can just about guarantee that I would choose this every time!

Did I mention I make this on the stovetop? Yes, really. Although you could totally bake it if you want to, it is not necessary at all.

Now, as far as lightening this dish up, I don’t do a whole lot. Flavor is of The Utmost Importance to me and my family. If you go too crazy with the healthy stuff, it won’t taste as good. (<- I’m looking at YOU, fat free cheese. Bleh!)

And if my husband and son detect that it is healthy-fied in any way, they won’t touch it. So have I hammered home that it MUST taste awesome?!

I do love that it is made with real cheese, real milk and no crazy hard-to-pronounce ingredients.

I do use a roux to make the sauce, instead of using heavy cream. Don’t let the fancy word scare you off. It is basically just melted butter, thickened with flour and milk. You can use any milk. I used 1% because that is what I had in my house. So double high fives for no heavy cream in this recipe!

You could use whole wheat or whole grain pasta. I just could not find any at my store on this particular trip. I knew I wanted large elbow macaroni. To me this shape just grabs on to the cheese better. I love how it holds cheese so that you get LOTS of cheesy goodness in every single bite.

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.

• Digital food scale – for measuring out the cheese
• Whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Large sauce pan – I use this to cook the pasta and make the sauce
• Strainer to drain the pasta

Easy Macaroni and Cheese on the Stove Top Recipe

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Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

This easy macaroni and cheese on the stove top is simple to make with only six ingredients, and it comes together in less than thirty minutes.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword stovetop macaroni and cheese

Prep Time 7 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 262 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked large elbow macaroni
• 1 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1.5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 62 grams cheddar cheese shredded or cut into small cubes, measured on a food scale
• 62 grams Fontina cheese shredded or cut into small cubes, measured on a food scale
• salt and pepper to taste ( I used about 1/4 teaspoon salt and just a dash of black pepper)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside
2. Melt the butter over low heat.
3. Add flour to the butter, stir to combine and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes
4. Add milk, increase the heat to medium, and use a whisk to combine and break up any lumps.
5. Bring to a slow boil/simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until thickened (about 3 minutes), whisking frequently.
6. Whisk in the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and smooth, about 2 to 3 more minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add the cooked pasta, and stir until combined and heated through, about 2 minutes.
9. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Nutrition Facts

Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 262 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 29mg 10%

Sodium 166mg 7%

Potassium 160mg 5%

Total Carbohydrates 31g 10%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 3g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 6.7%

Calcium 18.8%

Iron 3.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.