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Homemade Mac and Cheese: A Guide to Creative Cheesy Goodness

Yes, you can make your own mac and cheese and it’s vastly better than store bought. Be creative with your choices of cheese. I’ve used smoked Gouda, Gruyere and even Blue Cheese. There are no solid rules here.
Just make sure it’s good cheese, and make sure it’s shredded or cubed. For shredding, I find the food processor with the shredding disk is very helpful.
It is easy to make this vegan, so if you want a vegan mac and cheese, go for it. Just sub out the butter with vegan butter, the milk with soy milk and cheese with non dairy options. Nutritional yeast is a helper here to give that cheesy flavor. I’ve made it both ways, and both are very good.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Tbsp Butter or Earth Balance
  • 3 Tbsp Flour
  • 2 cups Milk or non dairy milk warmed.
  • 3 cups Shredded Cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese for topping
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 lb Pasta Shells, Farfalle or Fusilli are perfect.

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Baking Dish or Pyrex Dish

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Start the water for your pasta. When boiling, add salt and then add your pasta.
  2. Then melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes to create a light roux. Add the warmed milk and keep stirring until it thickens. Add the cheese, black pepper, reduce the heat and gently allow it to melt.
  3. When your pasta is cooked slightly more al dente than normal, drain and add it to the cheese sauce. Stir and coat the pasta and then transfer to a baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese, cover and into the oven for 20 minutes.
  4. Then remove and allow to rest covered for 5 minutes. Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

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