CREAMIEST MAC AND CHEESE

Creamiest Mac and Cheese image

Boxed or frozen mac and cheese dishes don't even begin to compare to this comforting, from-scratch version that's easy, affordable, and ultra-creamy! Cheddar and cream cheese add a sharp and slightly tangy flavor to the rich sauce which coats perfectly cooked pasta. It's a great base recipe that can be tweaked to your taste by switching up the cheeses or adding some cooked veggies. Serve as a meatless main course with a green salad or as a side dish with roasted or grilled meats.

Provided by NicoleMcmom

Time 1h15m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages sharp Cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
3 ½ cups whole milk, or more to taste
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni and 2 ½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Shred Cheddar cheese by hand or in a food processor; set aside.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard powder, then 3 ½ cups milk. Whisk occasionally until mixture comes to a simmer, then let simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cream cheese and cook, stirring often, until thick, creamy, and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Stir in 2 cups shredded Cheddar. Turn off the heat and let cheese melt. Stir in cooked macaroni. Add up to ¼ cup milk if you feel like the mixture is too thick.
Layer ½ of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 ½ cups Cheddar. Spread remaining pasta mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining Cheddar.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 504.5 calories, Carbohydrate 41.4 g, Cholesterol 83.2 mg, Fat 28.2 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 17.4 g, Sodium 1157.4 mg