Creamiest Mac and Cheese

Boxed or frozen mac and cheese dishes don't even begin to compare to this comforting, from-scratch version that's easy, affordable, and ultra-creamy! Cheddar and cream cheese add a sharp and slightly tangy flavor to the rich sauce which coats perfectly cooked pasta. It's a great base recipe that can be tweaked to your taste by switching up the cheeses or adding some cooked veggies. Serve as a meatless main course with a green salad or as a side dish with roasted or grilled meats.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 505 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)
• cooking spray
• 2 (8 ounce) packages sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 3 ½ cups whole milk, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 3

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and 2 ½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 4

Shred Cheddar cheese by hand or in a food processor; set aside.

Step 5

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard powder, then 3 ½ cups milk. Whisk occasionally until mixture comes to a simmer, then let simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 6

Add cream cheese and cook, stirring often, until thick, creamy, and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Step 7

Stir in 2 cups shredded Cheddar. Turn off the heat and let cheese melt. Stir in cooked macaroni. Add up to ¼ cup milk if you feel like the mixture is too thick.

Step 8

Layer ½ of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 ½ cups Cheddar. Spread remaining pasta mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining Cheddar.