Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
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Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
Get ready to indulge in the ultimate comfort food --- Easy Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese! Dive into a cheesy, gooey delight with four kinds of cheese - Mild cheddar, Sharp cheddar, Gruyere + Muenster. It's all about that melty, velvety goodness that screams comfort food perfection! Vegan + Gluten-Free Options.
I've got a ton of mac + cheese recipes on my site because I'm absolutely OBSESSED. As a picky eater growing up, mac + cheese was my go-to comfort food. And let me tell you, this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese is absolutely perfect! When it comes to easy, cozy, indulgent eats, mac + cheese takes the cake. I had to of course keep it truly Southern with the mix of cheeses and ultra smoothness + gooeyness.
And once you try this stovetop mac and cheese, you might end up wanting to try it in every possible way. Haha. I totally recreated my childhood fave, Copycat Broccoli Mac + Cheese, just to celebrate how awesome mac + cheese is --- And let me tell you, this Easy KFC Mac + Cheese Bowl [Copycat] is a winner too! But if you're all about that baked mac + cheese life, check out my Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumbs or Baked White Mac + Cheese with Bacon next. They are all seriously delicious and super easy.
Jump to:
- Why Should You Make Southern Stovetop Mac + Cheese?
- How to Make Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
- Ingredients
- Best Types of Cheese for this Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
- Why Won't My Cheese Melt in My Mac + Cheese?
- My Top Tips For Making the Creamiest Mac + Cheese
- How Do You Elevate Mac + Cheese?
- What Can I Add to This Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese?
- Choosing Your Perfect Pasta
- What to Eat + Serve Stovetop Mac + Cheese With?
- Common Q + A's For Southern Mac + Cheese
- More Classic Southern Recipes to Try!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
Why Should You Make Southern Stovetop Mac + Cheese?
- It’s absolutely delicious----creamy + velvety!
- The perfect side or main meal
- Loaded with ultra cheesy gooey goodness.
- Bold flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
- Easy weeknight meal--Simple preparation + minimal ingredients
- A crowd-pleasing combination that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
- Family-friendly (Well, everyone in my family seems to love it, Haha.)
How to Make Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
If you're used to making mac and cheese on the stovetop, this recipe will be pretty much the same process, unless of course, there aren't particular ingredients that you are accustomed to using. Once you boil + drain the pasta, you'll start things off by sautéing the butter, flour, and seasonings a bit together so that once you pour in the milk, you can whisk everything to a thickened, smooth consistency for a good base.
Then, you'll add in the grated cheeses, stir until melted and then add in the cooked pasta. Stir, stir, and wallah!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese is pretty standard (besides the cheeses), and you may have most of them at home right now!
MAC + CHEESE:
- Shells, Elbow, or Lumache pasta. You can use a different short noodle if you like also, however, I chose Lumache pasta for a nice texture and switch up from the usual.
- Milk. I like avoiding too much dairy, so I like to use dairy-free milk (make sure that it's unsweetened) in this southern mac and cheese. However, regular cow's milk will also work well, if preferred.
- Gruyere cheese. I love the rich, creamy, and salty taste that Gruyere cheese adds. It's a nice addition.
- Mild + Sharp cheddar. It's important to use several different varieties of cheese for the best flavor and texture in your Mac + Cheese dish. These two are my go-to's for most cheese-based dishes, however, you can use your faves!
- Muenster cheese. I recently fell in love with this cheese. It's smooth and has a very mild taste.
- Smoked paprika. This adds just a hint of spice and color to the dish.
- Ground mustard. This is also mostly for its bright yellow color. You can omit the mustard powder if you don't have it or substitute with regular dijon mustard.
- Seasonings. I like to add flavor to my mac + cheese by using garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, + a bit of cayenne pepper.
SHOP MY FAVORITE BAKEWARE ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES FOR THIS MAC + CHEESE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese. Everything from my fave dutch pot/oven, wooden spoons, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Best Types of Cheese for this Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
Even though this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese is based on using mild, sharp cheddar, Gruyere, + Muenster cheeses, you can also switch things up and add a new flare in their flavor profile by adding any of the following grated cheeses:
- Fontina
- Monterey Jack
- Gouda
- Mozzarella
- American cheese
- Havarti
- Parmesan cheese
Why Won't My Cheese Melt in My Mac + Cheese?
It's so important to use freshly grated cheddar cheese for the creamiest results in your mac + cheese, in general. While you can use shredded cheese, it won't melt as seamlessly because it has a special "coating", which prevents it from melting smoothly. NOTE: If you only have shredded cheese, then I recommend adding it to the mac + cheese right after adding the pasta and let it simmer, stirring until melted.
My Top Tips For Making the Creamiest Mac + Cheese
If you want to ensure that you make the creamiest Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese every time, I've gathered a few of the tricks + tips that I've learned along the way that can help you to achieve this:
Use cream. While I like to use Almond milk as the base for most of my recipes, if you're not restricted to dairy-free, then feel free to use a creamier base like half + half.
Add a bit of yogurt. You'll need a plain creamy yogurt and adding just a few dollops to your sauce can add extra creaminess.
Use premium, high-quality cheeses. This is my major tip! Using high-quality cheese is super imperative and as I've stated before, using brick cheeses that you grate yourself creates the best results opposed to pre-shredded packaged cheese.
Boil your pasta in milk. This one is such a simple tweak but it does wonders to create fluffier and softer pasta shells. Plus, the starch in the pasta helps to thicken the milk, which you can later use for the base of your sauce.
Always carefully add your flour and butter. I like to start with the lower end of the amount of flour to be used and then add a pinch more to the maximum amount. In doing so, you ensure that your roux isn't too thick which will make your sauce not the creamiest.
How Do You Elevate Mac + Cheese?
When it comes to elevating the taste and flavor of mac + cheese, it's all about the seasoning. I love adding herbs + seasonings for added flavor and it usually consists of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. Just by adding these handful of seasonings, you're guaranteed to be satisfied.
What Can I Add to This Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese?
I like to add some extra texture to creamy dishes like this stovetop mac + cheese recipe. While the ingredients in this creamy dish are perfect as is, I wanted to share a few more ideas of ingredients that you can add in case you make this recipe more than once and want to switch things up!
Other ingredient ideas include:
- Kale or spinach
- Candied bacon
- Broccolini or broccoli
- Crispy sage leaves
- Mushrooms
- Herb roasted tomatoes
- Roasted chickpeas
- Beans (White beans, etc.)
- Top with Panko breadcrumbs for a nice crunch
- Sausage or beef
- Shredded chicken
Choosing Your Perfect Pasta
You can use any type of pasta that you like in this Stovetop Mac + Cheese recipe. That is what makes this recipe so adaptable!
I love using Macaroni/elbows because it does a beautiful job of embracing and holding onto the cheesy sauce. But any of these pasta varieties would work for this dish -
- Shells
- Penne
- Spirals
- Pappardelle
- Tagliatelle
- Fettuccine
- Ravioli or gnocchi would also go wonderfully with this sauce combo!
I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that longer varieties of pasta are fully manageable and fully coated. You can also use gluten-free pasta, or even zoodles for a low-carb option!
What to Eat + Serve Stovetop Mac + Cheese With?
You can serve this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese as an entree all on its own (with a tall glass of Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea or Southern Peach Iced Tea) or treat it like a side dish. When it comes to most pasta dishes, I often enjoy them with a side of bread of some sort. Most times, I make my own homemade Garlic Bread, however, you can choose to spruce things up with many other options such as:
- A delicious Salad-- Try Fall Harvest Apple Kale Salad or Best Buffalo Chickpea Kale Salad
- Sautéed Greens
- Grilled Veggies
- Southern Hot Honey Fried Chicken,
- Texas Toast Garlic Bread
- Everything Bagel Cauliflower Bites
Here's the thing. This Mac + Cheese recipe is so delicious and flavorful that you can honestly enjoy it all by itself. Seriously, the tender macaroni + cheesy creamy sauce is everything! So, feel free to dig in and savor every single bite. It's a dish that stands tall on its own!
Common Q + A's For Southern Mac + Cheese
Yes! To ensure that this recipe is GF, be sure to use GF-friendly pasta and flour.
Absolutely! To make this Mac + Cheese vegan, simply substitute cheeses with dairy-free shreds and use vegan butter. Also, check out my Vegan Mac + Cheese recipe.
Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated when ready to serve. To re-heat, add each serving to the oven, microwave, or stovetop until warmed through.
Yes! If you don’t want to use all-purpose flour, feel free to substitute with regular starch or arrowroot starch, tapioca flour, which all act as a thickening agent.
More Classic Southern Recipes to Try!
Now that you've fallen in love with this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese recipe, you'll want to check out these other Southern staples for the entire family:
- Biscoff Banana Pudding with Caramel
- Southern-Style Cajun Pasta with Pecan Breadcrumbs
- Salted Caramel Apple Crisp
- Southern Peach Iced Tea
- Ultra-Creamy Southern Cheese Grits
- Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vegan Southern Peach Cobbler
- Classic Southern Banana Pudding
- Southern-Style Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Southern Salted Caramel Cake
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese
Ingredients
MAC + CHEESE:
- 1 (16 oz.) package Your favorite pasta shape (I like to use medium shells, elbow pasta, or Lumache pasta)
- 4 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 3-4 Tbsps organic all-purpose flour (See Notes!)
- 2 ½ cups Almond milk, unsweetened (You can use whole milk if preferred)
- 1 cup Mild cheddar cheese, freshly-grated
- 1 cup Muenster cheese, freshly-grated
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar, freshly-grated
- 1 cup Gruyere, freshly-grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon yellow mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Reduce this to a "pinch" if you aren't a fan of a little heat)
Instructions
BOIL THE PASTA:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and add shells, elbow pasta, or Lumache pasta and cook according to packaging, about 8-10 minutes in most cases. Once cooked, drain, and lightly toss in olive oil (to prevent sticking together), cool and set aside.
MAKE THE MAC + CHEESE:
- In a large dutch pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper, whisking until combined and "paste-like".
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking frequently until lump-free, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the freshly-grated mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, Muenster, and Gruyere cheeses, stirring (using a wood spoon or spatula) until fully melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the cooled pasta and stir together until well coated, combined, and creamy!
- Serve immediately with your favorite side and main dishes.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated when ready to serve. To re-heat, add each serving to the oven, microwave, or stovetop until warmed through.
- FLOUR: If you don’t want to use all-purpose flour, feel free to substitute with regular starch or arrowroot starch, tapioca flour, which all act as a thickening agent.
- VEGAN OPTION: To make this Mac + Cheese vegan, simply substitute cheeses with dairy-free shreds and use vegan butter. Also, check out my Vegan Mac + Cheese recipe.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To ensure that this recipe is GF, be sure to use GF-friendly pasta and flour.
- EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese. Everything from my fave dutch pot/oven, wooden spoons, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Nutrition
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Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese.
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