If you are looking forward to preparing a tasty side dish to treat you or some of the visitors coming to your home, you are strongly encouraged to take a look at stovetop mac and cheese. You can consider these three best Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe as a real indulgence, which would impress your taste buds. You will love to enjoy this side dish along with a simple salad.
There are a few methods available for you to prepare stovetop mac and cheese. We will provide you with information about 3 of the best recipes out of them. You can simply go ahead and start working on any of these recipes.
Recipe 1 – Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This Stovetop Mac and Cheese recipe will be one of the most detailed recipes for preparing stovetop mac and cheese. When you make this recipe, you can enjoy stovetop mac and cheese not just as a side dish, but as a main dish. That’s because we are going to add a lot of ingredients and prepare them.
You will need around 10 minutes for the preparation of the recipe. In addition to that, you should allow 20 minutes for cooking. This recipe can deliver about 365 calories.
Servings
This recipe will be able to serve six individuals. Depending on the number of people, you can pick the right number of ingredients and move forward with the recipe.
Ingredients
Let’s take a look at the ingredients that you need to get for the recipe 1.
- Two tablespoons of butter
- 1 ½ cups of elbow macaroni
- Two tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- Two ounces of cream cheese (it’s better if you can cut them into cubes)
- ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
- ½ cup of grated Colby cheese
- One cup of grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup of half and half
- ¾ cups of whole milk
Did you try Mac and Cheese without Milk?
Directions
- You should first take a large pot. The pot should contain slightly salted water.
- Now you can add pasta into the pot and cook. You can follow the directions as mentioned in the package of pasta to cook it. You need to pick the cooking time based on it. Usually, you should prepare your pasta in between 10 minutes to 12 minutes. You need to be mindful not to overcook it. Then you can keep the cooked pasta aside and start working on the sauce.
- You should not take another skillet or a saucepan. Here, you need to melt butter and add a bit of flour. After doing that, you should cook it on medium heat for around one minute. You should heat until the flour becomes brown.
- Now you can add half and half and milk. Along with that, you can add a bit of salt and pepper as well.
- Then you need to proceed with cooking until it starts to bubble. You will be able to see the bubbles coming out after a period of around 5 minutes to 7 minutes.
- Now you should add mustard and stir the mixture well. Along with that, you can add the Colby cheese pieces as well.
- You should continue stirring until you see that cheese melts are melted.
- You can now add pasta into the saucepan and toss.
- After a couple of minutes, you need to add cream cheese and continue to stir. You need to do this until all the pieces of cheese cubes melt and deliver a smooth sauce.
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Nutritional Values
- 365 kCal
- 31g of carbohydrates
- 14g of protein
- 20g of fat
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Recipe 2 – Stovetop Mac and Cheese
If you are planning to serve Stovetop mac and cheese as a main dish, this is the right recipe available to go ahead with. You can simply prepare this recipe in the comfort of your home as well. It can help you to end up with tender macaroni, along with super creamy cheese sauce. Therefore, you might even call this as the best mac and cheese recipe available out there to try as well. You will only have to spend around 10 minutes for the preparation. The cooking time of the recipe would be approximately 15 minutes.
Servings
We will be picking the ingredients of this recipe accordingly so that it can serve four people. If your party size is large or less, you can add or reduce the number of ingredients, therefore. This can help you to end up with the best possible results.
Read More:Read More: Mac And Cheese Festivals, Mac and Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
Below mentioned are the ingredients that you must purchase to proceed with making this recipe at your home. You can simply follow the list of ingredients, and you will notice that you can get them at your home as well.
- Two cups of water
- Two tablespoons of flour
- Two tablespoons of butter
- One pound of elbow macaroni
- 3 ½ cups of milk
- Two cups of water
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon of onion powder
- One tablespoon of chopped parsley
- One cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- Four cups of cheddar cheese
- Two tablespoons of butter
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Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe Directions
- Take a large pot and place butter in this pot and melt butter inside it. You can apply medium heat to melt butter. Then you will be able to go ahead and add flour. You should combine the mixture properly for around 30 seconds.
- Now you can add water and then whisk the solution until you end up with a smooth and thickened solution.
- You can now add milk and continue to whisk the solution.
- Add macaroni, along with onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika. You can also add a bit of pepper. Now you can bring the total mixture to a simmer.
- You should continue cooking for around 10 minutes. While you do it, you should occasionally stir as well. You should continue with this process until the pasta cooks appropriately.
- Now you can turn the heat to low. Along with that, you can continue to stir cheese. You should keep on stirring sauce until it becomes smooth. Then you can sprinkle parsley to the mixture and then serve.
Tips
Depending on your preferences, you can add some additional spices into this recipe as well. These spices are in a position to boost the overall taste offered to the users at the end of the day. One of the best spices that go with this recipe is ground black pepper. Along with that, you can also think about adding smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder based on your preferences. You will be able to use cayenne pepper, regular paprika, and crushed red pepper as well.
Nutritional values
- 478kCal
- 50g of carbohydrates
- 28g of protein
- 21g fat
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Recipe 3 – Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe will be more of a beginner-friendly recipe. If you are trying to make stovetop mac and cheese for the very first time, you should go ahead with this recipe. It can help you to get things done with ease with the minimum experience that you have as well.
Servings
This recipe will also be suitable for four people. You can determine the exact number of ingredients that you are going to select based on the specific needs. However, these ingredients would Mbe recommended to serve four individuals.
Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe Ingredients
The following are the ingredients that you should get to move forward with the recipe.
- 1 cup of fresh parmesan
- Salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon of dry mustard powder
- Three cups of grated cheddar cheese
- One cup of heavy cream
- Three cups of nonfat milk
- ½ cup of flour
- ½ cup of butter
- One pound of small pasta
Directions
- You need to boil around 4 to 6 quarts of water in a large pot. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt. Along with that, add uncooked pasta as well. It will help if you prepare pasta according to the directions written in the package.
- After you finish cooking pasta, drain it into a bigger colander. Upon doing that, you can keep it aside.
- Add butter to the pot and heat that over a medium temperature until butter starts to melt.
- Stir in flour to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes as well. While you are doing it, you should keep on often stirring until they turn into golden brown color. Meantime, add milk and cream to the microwave inside a safe glass bowl. Along with that, you can heat for around two minutes. Or else, you can also think about heating milk in a separate saucepan on the stove. You need to make sure that you are not heating milk until it reaches the boiling temperature.
- Pour cream and milk mixture into the flour mixture. Along with that, you can keep on stirring. This is where you will notice that the combination is becoming simmer while it thickens. Continue to do this until the sauce becomes thick.
- Add a bit of salt and pepper to the mixture and stir. This can help you to enhance the overall taste of the mix. Along with that, you can also add a bit of dry mustard, depending on your preferences.
- Now decrease the heat and add your cheese. Upon adding cheese, continue to stir as well until cheese melts properly.
- Stir your pasta into the cheese sauce. Along with that, you can divide into different bowls. You can then continue to serve it hot.
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Tips
While preparing this recipe, you would wonder whether you can freeze mac and cheese. Yes, you will be able to go ahead and freeze cheese and mac. They freeze quite well as well. Before you freeze, you are encouraged to allow the mac to cool down completely. Then you can portion it into an appropriate container or a freezer bag. You need to provide lots of air as much as possible. If you can follow these steps, you can freeze this for at least six months.
Take it out of the freezer and heat up at any given time and just need to heat it in a saucepan or a stovetop. You can do this while applying a medium heat. You will also be able to use a microwave oven and heat it as well.
Nutritional Values of Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- 700kCal
- 27g of protein
- 54g of carbohydrates
- 20g of fat
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Secret To The Best Stovetop Mac and Cheese?
If you want to make the best stovetop mac and cheese, do not overcook it. Always cook a minute less than told on the instructions on the pack.
When you bake the dish inside the oven, it cooks the pasta or macaroni. Thus, it can get overcooked. Therefore, when you undercook it for only a minute when boiling, it helps.
Also, you can use half-milk and half cream.
How To Avoid Mac and Cheese From Drying Out?
When you want to cook the best stovetop mac and cheese, you cannot let it dry out. The best way to do this is to use a chafing dish to store mac and cheese.
It not only keeps it warm but moist also. Hot air cannot break free from it and the pasta remains hot. Also, you can splash some milk to keep the mac with cheese moist. Using an air-tight container to store it also helps.
Can I Add Too Much Cheese In Mac And Cheese?
Whenever we are trying to cook the stovetop mac and cheese, we grate too much cheese. It is normal because the grated cheese seems less in quantity.
However, you can use only the required amount. There is no need to overload mac with cheese. You can also save the remaining cheese for later use.
What Are The Best Seasonings For Stovetop Mac and Cheese?
There are spices that you can use to bake the stovetop mac and cheese. These are the basic spices like red pepper, chili, onion, oregano, and garlic powder.
The garlic powder, oregano, and basil leaves can add a rich Italian flavor to the mac and cheese recipe. If you prefer Indian taste, use red chili powder and dry red chili seeds.
Can I Cook Stovetop Mac and Cheese The Night Before?
The best stovetop mac and cheese can be cooked a night before. Keep it covered inside the refrigerator. Also, when you get it out of the hot oven, let it cool completely.
Final Words
Now you are aware of 3 of the best Stovetop Mac and Cheese recipe available out there to go ahead and produce mac and cheese. You can simply proceed with these recipes and complete the recipe preparations. Then you will be provided with one of the most outstanding dishes that you can enjoy. It is even possible for you to serve your guests with these recipes and make sure that they are impressed.
For example, you can invite your friends to dinner at home and serve the dishes. Since these dishes taste great, you will be able to serve them without keeping a doubt or a second thought in mind. On the other hand, you are going to serve them as both main dishes as well as side dishes. If you are serving them as side-dishes, you should complement with appropriate main dishes.
