Inside: This homemade macaroni and cheese recipe has the most creamy sauce ever and is so easy to make.
Macaroni and cheese is a classic recipe that people of all ages love. Of course, many people think of the box mix, but I prefer to make it myself from scratch. Doing that allows you to get a smooth sauce and to use different types of cheeses depending on what you are feeling like in the moment.
I have to admit that in Mexico, macaroni and cheese isn’t really something that you find very often, but here in the United States there are so many varieties and it is a perfect side dish to take to family events and other activities. You can even serve it as a main dish and I doubt anyone would complain!
Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and there are so many great recipes for it. I hope that next time you are craving mac and cheese, you give this recipe a shot and that it becomes one of your favorites!
What kind of cheese should you use to make macaroni and cheese?
This recipe will make enough to serve the whole family and uses a combination of mild cheddar cheese, manchego cheese, and American cheese. Of course, if you don’t have any of those on hand, you can replace them with a different cheeses, like colby jack, sharp cheddar cheese or more. If you want a white sauce, you can use parmesan cheeses and sharp white cheddar or another type of white cheese that melts well.
Regardless of the specific type of cheese you use, if you want to have a creamy cheese sauce, you will need to use one that melts easily.
How do you make macaroni and cheese?
Macaroni and cheese is easy to make. Of course, you can just boil the noodles and add the cheese suace, but I like to add some extra flavor to the noodles first. To do so, I start with the following ingredients:
- 1 large bag of elbox macaroni
- 1/4 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- Salt to taste
Prepare the elbow macaroni by adding it to a large pot with water and the rest of the above ingredients. Bring it to a boil and let it cook until they are al dente. After that, you will strain the water and set it aside while you make the cheese sauce.
How do you make the best cheese sauce for homemade mac and cheese?
The cheesy sauce that you make is the key to having a creamy mac and cheese that everyone will love. That is why it is important to find the right kinds of cheeses and to follow the instructions closely.
To make this creamy cheese sauce, gather the following ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Evaporated milk
- Whole Milk
- All purpose flour
- shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded manchego cheese
- American cheese slices
- Paprika
- ground nutmeg
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
In order to make sure the American cheese melts more easily, cut it into smaller pieces and set aside. Start by heating a large non-stick pot over low heat. When it is hot, add the butter and let it melt, being careful not to burn it.
When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. You will know it is ready when the flour starts to turn a light brown color. Add the whole milk and evaporated milk to the flour mixture, along with all of the spices and then raise the temperature to medium heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Let the combination heat up, but don’t let it boil.
Once the sauce starts to thicken, it is time to lower the heat and add the combination of cheeses. Again, you need to keep stirring it constantly until the cheese start to melt. Once the cheese is completely melted, turn off the heat and add the previously cooked macaroni and stir until integrated completely with the cheese sauce.
Now it is ready to serve!
What can you add to macaroni and cheese?
This macaroni and cheese recipe is the real deal all by itself, but there are always ways to modify it to give it even more flavor.
One of my favorite variations is to simply add some homemade bacon bits. To do this, just cook the bacon, let it cool and then crumble it. You can add it once the rest of the recipe is finished and just stir it in.
Another variation is to add some type of meat, like brisket, pulled pork, or chicken. This ensures that it becomes a complete meal and trust me, it really takes it to the next level.
Finally, if you want your macaroni and cheese to have a bit of a kick, you can add cayenne pepper powder, chipotle powder, or red pepper flakes, and replace the American cheese with pepper jack cheese.
If you have leftovers, make sure you store it in an airtight container and eat it within a day or two.
Let me know in the comments below how this turns out!
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
For the macaroni
- 1 bag elbow macaroni
- 1/4 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
For the macaroni and cheese sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cups shredded manchego cheese
- 6 slices American cheese
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
For the macaroni
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add all of the ingredients for the macaroni
- Cook to al dente, remove the bay leaves, strain the water and set aside.
For the macaroni and cheese sauce
- In order to make sure the American cheese melts more easily, cut it into smaller pieces and set aside.
- Start by heating a large non-stick pot over low heat. When it is hot, add the butter and let it melt, being careful not to burn it.
- When the butter is completely melted, add the flour and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. You will know it is ready when the flour starts to turn a light brown color. Add the whole milk and evaporated milk to the flour mixture, along with all of the spices and then raise the temperature to medium heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn't burn. Let the combination heat up, but don't let it boil.
- Once the sauce starts to thicken, it is time to lower the heat and add the combination of cheeses. Again, you need to keep stirring it constantly until the cheese start to melt. Once the cheese is completely melted, turn off the heat and add the previously cooked macaroni and stir until integrated completely with the cheese sauce.
Nutrition
The post Homemade Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.
