This is a simple, classic, and oh-so-tasty macaroni and cheese. Almost as easy as opening the box, but a hundred times better. This easiest macaroni and cheese recipe is comfort food in a casserole dish.
This is going to be my first run attempt at a macaroni and cheese recipe in our series. It will also be the easiest macaroni and cheese recipe we will use. On this first try, I am going to follow the recipe I just know and have made for a while. I will make an additional recipe in a few weeks when I have finished my deep dive into macaroni and cheese. The hope is that I (and maybe we) come out of the experience with a better macaroni dish and perhaps learn a bit of science and culinary history along the way. This recipe, however, has always served me well and is the bomb diggity bomb.
Baked or Skillet macaroni cheese for our easiest macaroni and cheese recipe?
I have to be honest that my favorite kind of macaroni and cheese is the kind that is made straight in the pan with no baking. Possibly it is a remnant of the nostalgia I have for macaroni and cheese. It certainly would be an easier recipe to just cook this dish in the pan, but we are going to bring it a step further.
The reasoning is that there are many people who prefer a baked macaroni and cheese, and I get it. It adds additional cheese to the plate and it is hard to go wrong with that. Additionally, it adds an element of crispiness and crust that you just don’t get with pan cooked macaroni and cheese. So, for our easiest macaroni and cheese recipe, we are going full monty on the baking.
You are a fancy cook now
By following this recipe, you are basically making one of the 5 French mother sauces, bechamel sauce. Yeah, it sounds fancy, doesn’t it? It really isn’t all that fancy, but knowing how to make a bechamel sauce (along with the other mother sauces) can give you a lot of power in the kitchen outside of our easiest macaroni and cheese recipe. Enjoy the food!
Easiest Macaroni and cheese
PrintThe easiest macaroni and cheese recipe
This easy, homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is sure to delight. All you need is a few ingredients you probably have at home and a little bit of time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 Hour
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry macaroni
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Cook macaroni as directed on package
- While macaroni is cooking, in large saucepan melt butter on low
- When butter is fully melted, slowly start sprinkling flour in the pan and continuously mix. The idea is that the mixture of flour and butter will form almost a paste.
- Pour in just a little of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on repeating until all milk is blended in.
- Turn heat to medium-high and continuously stir. We want to get the sauce just to boiling and thicken.
- When the sauce starts to heat up, you will notice it start to thicken. Just continue to stir and once boiling, continue stirring for one minute.
- Remove from direct heat and slowly add 2 cups of the cheese to the bechamel while stirring.
- Once this is a smooth sauce, add cheese sauce and drained macaroni to a baking dish and mix together.
- Add remaining 2 cups of cheese to top of macaroni and cheese
- Put the dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until top layer of cheese is golden brown.
- Serve!
23 Comments
Jenna
October 16, 2017 at 11:06 amOh boy now I can make this at home!
Ashima
October 18, 2017 at 12:41 pmMac & Cheese is high on demand in my home when all the nephews and niece come visiting during the vacations! This easy recipe is great! Thanks for sharing
Ben
October 18, 2017 at 1:18 pmThanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry!
Veena Azmanov
October 19, 2017 at 2:11 pmI love Mac and Cheese for exactly this reason. It’s so easy to make and the kids love it!! Its always a winner with them. This looks so good.
Lois. O
October 20, 2017 at 7:11 amThis is an easy Mac and Cheese recipe! It would be perfect for the middle of the week potluck that my office has and not one has time to cook for. I am sure this will wow everyone
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
October 21, 2017 at 7:25 amMac n cheese in all forms is always the best comfort food! Even better when it’s a super easy recipe!
Jenni LeBaron
October 21, 2017 at 10:04 amI love a good mac & cheese, and this one looks like it’s very simple to create! Yum!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
October 21, 2017 at 2:18 pmNothing is more comforting than a huge bowl of mac and cheese. Whether it’s baked or rich and creamy right from the pan it is so doggone good. I do like your use of sharp cheddar cheese — it gives it an extra kick. Great recipe.
Shannon
October 21, 2017 at 10:49 pmYou can never go wrong with Mac ‘N Cheese! It’s pure comfort food for the heart and soul.
Denise Wright
October 22, 2017 at 7:39 amMac n cheese is something that I have a hard time making but crave. I love that you made this in the skillet. I have never tried it that way and can’t wait to give it a shot. It looks so ooey gooey and cheesy!
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto
October 22, 2017 at 7:39 amBechamel sauce is a great one to know how to make! SO much flavor in it! I’m all about mac n cheese in the pan too!
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade
October 22, 2017 at 3:27 pmI LOVE mac & cheese. I could seriously eat it every day! And there’s nothing quite like baked mac & cheese for a little more luxurious dish. This looks delicious
Ben
October 23, 2017 at 7:58 amI tell you what… I have been eating a lot of mac and cheese lately. At least 3-lbs-on-the-scale worth.
Amanda
October 23, 2017 at 7:43 amI love a good, creamy macaroni and cheese, especially with a cheddar bechamel. Cold weather comfort food at its best! Might have to make this for dinner tonight now that I have a craving!
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October 23, 2017 at 10:02 am[…] far, as I do not think that breadcrumbs are an essential part of a traditional macaroni and cheese. My traditional macaroni and cheese recipe is heavy enough that it just does not need more. I do respect, however, that so many people do like […]
Donna
October 23, 2017 at 9:48 pmI love how easy this mac and cheese recipe is, and the sauce sounds divine! I am totally a baked mac and cheese fan 🙂
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November 6, 2017 at 11:00 am[…] have really been diving deep into the world of macaroni and cheese. We have made a traditional mac and cheese, looked at the history of the product, and made a gouda themed mac. The next few posts will be […]
Danielle Wolter
November 5, 2018 at 5:41 amThis looks so gooey and cheesy I just can’t stop looking at it! I love making a mac and cheese with bechamel. For the longest time, I struggled with making it, it was always lumpy. Until I discovered bechamel. Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Lizzie
November 5, 2018 at 5:46 amI looove macaroni cheese, and usually eat it straight from the pan like you. I tend to do a fatless white sauce out of laziness though – heat up the milk, then stir in a cornflour and milk paste when it’s boiling vigorously.
Kate Hackworthy
November 5, 2018 at 6:19 amOh yes! Ooozy gooey cheesey mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food.
★★★★★
Nicole Tingwall
November 5, 2018 at 6:27 amI could eat mac and cheese for every meal! Love that this recipe is so simple!
Annie @ Annie's Noms
November 5, 2018 at 6:31 amThis looks like pure heaven! I love homemade mac and cheese and love how easy this is!! I also love that it’s baked, the best mac and cheese recipes are baked!
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February 24, 2019 at 4:19 pm[…] exploration of the history of mac and cheese, we have been making various recipes that include a traditional recipe and a gouda and pear […]