This Velveeta Mac and Cheese is rich and delicious!
Elbow macaroni is smothered in a quick homemade cheese sauce with both cheddar cheese for flavor and Velveeta for a rich creamy texture.
You’ll Love This Velveeta Mac & Cheese Because…
- Velveeta adds cheesy goodness and creaminess to a traditional cheese sauce.
- The sauce is easy to make and has a double dose of cheese for a creamy texture and bold flavor.
- Skip the baking and mix it on the stovetop if you’re in a hurry.
How to Make Velveeta Mac and Cheese
- Make the sauce: Make the sauce according to the recipe below.
- Add cheese: Whisk in the Velveeta cheese and sharp cheddar cheese until smooth.
- Add pasta: Stir in cooked macaroni noodles.
- Bake: Transfer to a casserole dish, add the topping, and bake.
This baked Velveeta mac and cheese is a full meal or the perfect side dish. You can serve it with garlic bread and a Caesar salad if you’d like.
Variations and Additions
- Seasoning: I prefer keeping the seasonings simple. However, you can add additional seasonings to taste, such as garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Meat: Bacon bits or ham, ground beef, or shredded chicken/turkey.
- Veggies: Peas, carrots or broccoli, diced or Rotel style tomatoes, black olives or sliced jalapeños.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Velveeta mac and cheese is easy to store, freeze, and reheat.
- To Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Store in an airtight container or freezer back for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Pop leftovers in the microwave or heat up on the stovetop, adding a little bit of milk as needed.
More Quick Mac & Cheese? Yes, Please!
While this Velveeta mac and cheese is at the top of our list, we love mac and cheese in any form!
Did you make this Velveeta Mac and Cheese? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Velveeta Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni measured dry, approx. 8 ounces
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces Velveeta cubed
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese about 2 ounces
Topping
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon melted salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make the topping, combine breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, and melted butter. Set aside.
- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbows al dente (firm) according to package instructions. Drain well, do not rinse.
- Meanwhile, in a separate medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mustard powder, and onion powder and cook for 1 minute while whisking.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Once the milk is added, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat while whisking. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cubed Velveeta cheese until melted and creamy.
- Remove from heat and add ½ cup cheddar cheese and the drained pasta. Stir well to combine.
- Transfer the macaroni mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the topping.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and the topping is golden brown. Do not overcook.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Sharp cheddar can be replaced with other varieties of shredded cheese, such as Swiss or Parmesan.
- Preshredded cheese can be used in this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish
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tried this recipe only added cream cheese. There was not a bite left.
the whole family enjoyed this!
I have found that a splash of Apple Cider vinegar brings out a fresh taste in this creamy cheesy dish, I love my Velveeta mac and cheese , making it regularly !
I no longer boil pasta for baked dishes. I soak it in warm salted water for 45 minutes, a tip I learned from Sara Moulton. My pasta dishes are never overcooked & keeps the kitchen a bit cooler during the summer.
This sauce is OUT OF THIS WORLD PERFECT!!!
I absolutely LOVED eating Velveeta Shells & Cheese when I was a kid, but it always had a metallically kind of aftertaste to it Some of you might remember. THIS RECIPE ELIMINATES THAT!!!
If you’re like me, when you put your noodles in to boil, add another 1/2 cup or so of noodles, but don’t add them to the sauce. I just like more noodles than sauce; the rest of the family is the exact opposite. This recipe was perfect for everyone!!
Hello Crystal. Wow so happy that you enjoyed the recipe and that you could tweak it so the whole family enjoys it. Have a great rest of your day!
10/10 I make this probably once a week for myself and my fiancée and he doesn’t even like Mac n Cheese and he loves this recipe! I love making it and it tastes so delicious. Thank you!!
I made big points with my grandson!
This recipe was delicious!! I substituted Ritz crackers for the Panko, and it worked out great!
Can I make this the night before for a tailgate? If so, would you change anything about the recipe?
This recipe is best baked just before serving but can be made up to 48 hours ahead!
Delicious and easy! My family loved it.
tasty and easy last minute to serve as side with smoked sausage and salad! Thank you for the recipe!
Made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Spice it up with a can of Rotel. Also, I cook the macaroni in a mixture of half water and half whole milk. Dry mustard is a must with this recipe (I also use it in potato salad).
Rave reviews from the family!
Excellent
DELICIOUS! I added garlic powder, salt and pepper and in place of the dry mustard (I didn’t have any on hand) I used a tablespoon of yellow mustard. One of the easiest mac and cheese recipes I’ve ever made. The flavor in this mac and cheese with the velveeta is by far one of the best I’ve had!
I made it exactly how the recipe says and it was delicious!
Great recipe. Will add Gruyere cheese next time.
The flavor was great but I wish I had added at least 1/2 cup more milk. It wasn’t quite creamy enough. Easy to prepare.
I doubled the batch and found it a little dry? Any suggestions as to how to make it not as dry? (Besides covering with foil while baking) And could I use heavy cream to replace the milk?
I haven’t had problems with this recipe being dry. Did you measure 2 cups of macaroni with a measuring cup? Did you use elbow macaroni?
If you’re finding it dry you could either increase the amount of sauce or decrease the bake time. Over-baking can also cause it to dry out. And yes, you can replace milk with cream if you want a richer casserole!