This White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is creamy, homemade and so delicious. The recipe is so easy to make and uses only the stovetop, no baking required. Best thing..it's ready in less than 30 minutes. This recipe makes the perfect, easy weeknight dinner or Holiday Side Dish!
The white cheddar cheese is key in this one. It melts to absolute perfection. This recipe reminds me of Panera's mac and cheese, but even better!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up and I'm substituting that dried out mac and cheese with this creamy white cheddar mac and cheese recipe. It pairs perfectly with those Turkey day recipes, like these Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Crack Green Beans, Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole, and Sausage Corn Bread Dressing!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Mac and Cheese:
- It's creamy, cheesy and delicious!
- This recipe is filling enough for a full meal or make it as a side dish.
- It is so easy and combines only a few ingredients.
- Even the kids will love this yummy mac and cheese, but it's also sophisticated enough to feed adults!
- The recipe takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish and only uses the stovetop. No baking required!
If you love Quick Pasta recipes like me, try my Pesto Tortellini Salad, Spaghetti Alfredo and Pesto Gnocchi.
Ingredients:
Orecchiette or Small Pasta Shells- The perfect shaped pasta to take on this creamy white cheddar sauce.
Salted Butter and Flour- Mix together to create the roux, which helps to thicken the mac and cheese sauce.
Vermont White Cheddar Cheese- Known for it's rich flavor and creamy texture. It melts so well. If you can't find white cheddar cheese or vermont cheese, you can use a mild yellow cheddar.
Whole Milk and Heavy Cream- the best combination to help make the mac and cheese sauce nice and creamy. I like the addition of heavy cream to add thickness and additional fat to the sauce.
Salt and Pepper- For seasoning. I'm a big fan of black pepper in my mac and cheese! If you don't want black specs in the sauce, use white pepper instead.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make White Cheddar Mac and Cheese (Step by Step Instructions):
Step 1: Begin by boiling a large pot of water and cook the pasta until just a minute past al dente (firm when bitten). Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, just in case you need it for thinning out the sauce later. Strain the pasta once it's finished cooking.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, into a dutch oven or deep skillet on medium low heat, melt the butter. Slowly pour in the flour and use a wooden spoon to mix the two together to create a roux. Make sure there are no lumps and cook for a few minutes, stirring the entire time. Do NOT allow it to brown.
Step 3: Slowly pour in the whole milk and heavy cream. Stir this every minute for about 5 minutes. If it starts to boil, lower the heat. You want the sauce really hot, but not boiling.
Step 4: Toss in the white cheddar cheese. Stir until it gets nice and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn heat to low. Add in salt and pepper.
Step 5: Once the cheese has entirely melted and it has a thickened texture, add in the pasta shells and stir well. If the sauce is thicker than in the photo above, stir in a tablespoon of pasta water until you get the desired consistency.
Step 6: Serve immediately and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- The best dish to cook the cheese sauce is a deep skillet or dutch oven. That way, when you add the pasta, there is enough room in the pan.
- Don't forget to reserve ½ cup of pasta water. It can really help in a situation where the sauce thickens, which can happen easily.
- In Step 2, you are creating a roux with the butter and flour. Continuously stir and do NOT allow it to brown.
- This dish needs to be served immediately for the best, creamy texture.
- If the mac and cheese sauce looks thicker than the photo above, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until you get the correct consistency.
Love Comfort Food? Try my Dutch Oven Chili Recipe, Homemade Chicken Dumpling Soup, Macaroni and Cheese with Beef, and Baked Beef Short Ribs.
Recipe FAQs:
The roux helps to thicken the mac and cheese sauce and create the ideal texture. It's hard to get the desired effect without it, and it is nothing to be scared of. A roux is just a combination of butter and flour. It can be more difficult, when creating a dark roux for a gumbo for example, but in this mac and cheese, it's very easy.
Annatto coloring is added into yellow/orange cheddar to make the yellow color. Experts say they don't have a different taste. Something about the white cheddar in mac and cheese just feels a bit more creamy and sophisticated.
To keep mac and cheese creamy, add heavy cream to the recipe along with creating an easy roux. Also, avoid baking the mac and cheese to keep it from drying out and use a recipe like this one, where it is created on the stovetop. Saving a half cup of pasta water is also a great way to keep it creamy. If it sits on the stove for longer than expected, add in a few tablespoons of pasta water to get the creaminess again!
Pre-shredded or pre-grated bagged cheese does not melt as well and is not recommended. Preservatives like potato starch are added to prevent clumping in the bag. Shred your own for a much better texture.
Storage:
Store the leftover mac and cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This dish is meant to eat right away, and you won't get the same creaminess for leftovers. It's still good, but not as good as when served fresh.
More Recipes You'll Love:
If you tried this White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Creamy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 cups 1x
Description
This Creamy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is homemade and so delicious. The recipe is so easy to make and uses only the stovetop, no baking. Best thing..it's ready in less than 30 minutes! This makes the perfect, easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce dry package of orecchiette or small pasta shells
- 5 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounce white Vermont Cheddar Cheese, shredded from a block (don't use pre-shredded)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or you can use white pepper if you prefer it)
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a large pot of water and cook the pasta until just a minute past al dente, firm when bitten. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, just in case you need it for thinning out the sauce later. Strain the pasta once it's finished cooking.
- While the pasta is cooking.. Into a dutch oven on medium low heat, melt the butter. Slowly pour in the flour and use a wooden spoon to mix the two together to create a roux. Make sure there are no lumps and cook for a few minutes, stirring the entire time. Do NOT allow it to brown.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk and heavy cream. Stir this every minute for about 5 minutes. If it starts to boil, lower the heat. You want the sauce really hot, but not boiling.
- Toss in the white cheddar cheese. Stir until it gets nice and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn heat to low. Add in salt and pepper.
- Once the cheese has entirely melted and it has a thickened texture, add in the pasta shells and stir well.
- ENJOY! This dish needs to be served immediately for the best, creamy texture.
Notes
- The best dish to cook the cheese sauce is a deep skillet or dutch oven. That way, when you add the pasta, there is enough room in the pan.
- Don't forget to reserve ½ cup of pasta water. It can really help in a situation where the sauce thickens, which can happen.
- In Step 2, you are creating a roux with the butter and flour. Continuously stir and do NOT allow it to brown.
- This dish needs to be served immediately for the best, creamy texture.
- If the mac and cheese sauce looks thicker than the photo above, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until you get the correct consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
Holly says
This recipe was so yummy! It did remind me of Panera. Thank you!
Tara Smithson says
Thanks so much!