Stovetop Mac and Cheese is the creamiest, dreamiest version of an all-American favorite! No one can resist a savory combination of a creamy cheddar cheese base blended with macaroni noodles, and it couldn’t be easier made on the stovetop.
Serve this creamy homemade mac and cheese with a fresh tossed salad, some garlic bread, and roasted broccoli for the perfect rounded meal!
How to Make Stove Top Mac and Cheese
This stovetop mac and cheese is the creamiest version! The secret to this recipe is that the pasta is boiled in milk (which means only one pot for easy clean up). It’s as easy as 1,2,3!
- Combine milk, garlic powder, butter, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add in the macaroni noodles and reduce the heat to low (adding liquid as needed). Cook until the noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until melted.
The final result is a smooth and hearty easy family entrée that everyone will love and want seconds of!
Troubleshooting
This recipe is really easy to make but here are a few tips to make sure it comes out creamy.
When the macaroni is done cooking in the milk, you do not want it dry. You may need to add more milk/water to the pot while it is cooking. The macaroni noodles should be as moist as the photo on the top right below BEFORE you add in the cheese. Once you add the cheese, remove it from the stove and stir until the cheese has melted.
Keep in mind, pre-shredded cheese often has additives to keep it from clumping. These additives can cause it to be grainy instead of creamy.
What Goes with Mac and Cheese?
Everything goes with stovetop mac and cheese! A salad with a bright balsamic vinaigrette or a crusty loaf with Homemade Garlic Butter can round out this meal.
Fresh fruit salad or a tangy gelatin dessert goes well with this rich macaroni. When you serve this creamy stovetop mac and cheese, almost anything goes.
Add ins: You can get creative with this recipe. Add in bacon, jalapenos, canned tuna, peas, even topping mac and cheese with fresh pico de gallo!
Got Leftovers?
Mac and Cheese leftovers can last 4-5 days in the fridge. Reheat on low on the stove top (or in them microwave) and add a splash of milk to keep it creamy.
Can You Freeze Mac and Cheese? The best creamy mac and cheese recipes are served just as they’re made, including this one. This recipe doesn’t freeze well.
More Mac and Cheese Love
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – me personal favorite recipe
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese – perfect for potlucks!
- Cheesy Beef & Macaroni Casserole – so hearty
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – a family favorite
- Baked Mac and Cheese – so good
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2 ½-3 cups milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine a pinch of salt, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, butter and water. Bring to a boil.
- Add in macaroni noodles, reduce heat to low.
- Continue to simmer stirring frequently until noodles are cooked (about 20 minutes).
- Watch to make sure the liquid doesn’t completely evaporate. You can add extra milk ¼ cup at a time if the liquid is low.
- Once the pasta is cooked, ensure the noodles are not dry. They should be as moist as the photo above before adding cheese. Stir in cream cheese until melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Cover for 3 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Recipe slightly adapted from Plain Chicken.
REPIN this Easy Stovetop Recipe
Absolutely fantastic!! Finally a homemade Mac and Cheese recipe that my picky children will eat! Especially my 14 year old boy who lives with autism
Thank you
So glad your family has enjoyed the recipe Shawne!
Has to be the nicest mac n cheese i’ve made. Been trying to master it for years. Added bacon bits and dried onions on top- lovely!! Thanks!
Those sounds like delicious additions Heledd!
This is my go-to mac & cheese recipe! Works great every time. Thanks so much for the tip about adding extra milk at the end – it makes ALL the difference!
I am so glad you have enjoyed this recipe Juliet!
This was great. Added tomatoes and onions, this is my mom’s touch, due to the extra liquid added more cheese
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So glad you loved it Carolyn, tomatoes and onions would be a great addition to this recipe.
The recipe worked great. Yes I had to add more liquid, but loved the result. . Thank you!!! I hate making roux.
You’re welcome, glad you love this mac and cheese :)
Made this tonight and we all loved it…I would like to take it for Thanksgiving for my kids but would need to have it in a crockpot…any thoughts as to how I could cook it in the crockpot???
Dairy doesn’t always hold up well in the slow cooker. I have a Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe here that is always loved by everyone!
This is hands down the best Mac n Cheese I made and possibly had. Rich, creamy and oh so delicious. Thanks!
So glad you loved it Aaron!
Can i use almond milk??
I haven’t tried it with almond milk, so I can’t say for sure how it would work.
We have a brown slimy looking layer of something in the pot. It’s coming from the bottom. Gross-what is it?
I suspect that you burned your milk Jackie.
I will never use a roux again! Great recipe EXCEPT….I used a whole box of corkscrew Mac and it needed way more than 3 cups of liquid. Next time, I will do 2 3/4 cups of milk and 1 cup of chicken broth. I also added more grated cheese after I mixed the cheese in and I browned it in the oven for about 10 minutes. Yum Yum!
I’m so glad you loved it Elle!! Yummy idea to give it a quick brown, thanks for sharing!
His recipe is delish and easy!! I made it with a twist, Trader Joe’s unexpected cheddar and wow!!!
Hello Holly,
This is a good recipe. I followed the instructions and it came out exactly as you described it. I just need to keep an eye on the pot and keep stiring to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pot nor the milk envaporates. I added different spices such as dry mustard and cayenne pepper for the kick. It was delcicous. I will use this recipe again.
Thank You!
It came out good but I was disappointed at the lack of taste it was very bland, but all in all it’s a good recipe
What kind of cheese did you use? I find a sharper cheddar adds more cheese flavor.
There are troubleshooting notes on the site that may help you find out what went wrong. I hope they help!
Two observations:
1) I think the reason some readers find it bland is because there is no salt. Pasta is typically cooked in rather heavily salted water. I would add some salt to the initial milk mixture.
2) I believe that perhaps the reason you have better results when adding a bit of extra milk after cooking the pasta is because that extra milk cools the pasta down before adding the cheese. Just a thought.
All that being said, the technique works well.
Thank you for the suggestions!
I plan on making this tonight. I noticed there is no salt in the recipe…my culinary mind tells me there should be for the pasta to have flavor. What is the reason for no salt?
You can always add salt and pepper to taste. There is no reason to not add the salt.
Do you think you could also use mozzarella cheese?
I think it will be a little stringy with mozzarella, but in my opinion, you can’t go wrong with any cheese!
This is a lovely approach! I made it with extra sauce, and tossed 3 of the kids little lunch packs of cheddar bunnies in with the cooked pasta. Then three little lunch packs of cheddar bunnies crumbled on the top. Then baked it in a deep dish @ 300 for 30 minutes. Perfect! And I used stale lunch snacks and milk close to due date…thrifty joy!
What a great use to enjoy your expiring bunnies! :)
Made this for thanksgiving and absolutely loved it! Used white cheddar and pepper jack cheese and everyone raved about it. Very delicious and I don’t think I’ll ever make another Mac n cheese recipie! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you loved it Sophie!
This looks amazing and exactly what my daughters and I are looking for, however, they are wanting the browned top of baked macaroni.. do you think if I were to make this then spread in a pan and add shredded cheese on top, it would hold up in the oven while being browned?
I haven’t tried this one in the oven. I do have two other mac and cheese recipes that can be baked in the oven:
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese-casserole/
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/ultra-cream-mac-n-cheese-in-the-slow-cooker/
I hope that helps.
I seasoned & toasted some Panko breadcrumbs with a Tbsp. of oil in a frying pan on the stovetop, and sprinkled them over the top of the Mac & Cheese. Don’t bake it.