Homemade White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

There’s nothing more comforting than this creamy homemade White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. Loaded with white cheddar cheese and with only a handful of other ingredients, this stovetop mac and cheese can be made in under 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I’ve been known to order mac and cheese when at restaurants, especially when it’s a unique version such as Truffle Mac and Cheese or one like this white cheddar mac and cheese. There’s no need to go out to eat though because this homemade version is extremely easy to make.

• Easy to make. The easiest mac and cheese to prepare is stovetop mac and cheese and it also produces the creamiest version too. When weeknights are busy I love to prepare a large batch of this because it doesn’t take much effort and everyone loves it.
• Quick. This recipe can also be prepared in under 30 minutes, which also makes it a standard weeknight meal in our family.
• Can be made ahead. You can easily make it ahead and below are tips for keeping it super creamy when reheating it.

Ingredient Needed

All the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples except the white ground pepper, which can easily be swapped for black pepper if you don’t have any.

• Pasta – when making stovetop mac and cheese you want to choose a noodle that’s ribbed, preferably a shell. This allows all the creamy cheese to soak into the ridges making each bite extra cheesy and flavorful.
• Butter and Flour – this version has a thicker sauce, which comes from starting with making a roux. To do this you’ll need both butter and flour. White cheddar itself has a salty flavor so you’ll want to use unsalted butter.
• Seasoning – the spices to add to white cheddar mac and cheese are simple with the exception of white ground pepper, which can be subbed for ground black pepper if you don’t have it. The other spices needed are garlic powder, dry mustard, and salt.
• Heavy Cream – Using heavy cream adds to the riches of the mac and cheese sauce and makes it extra creamy.
• White Cheddar Cheese – For the best tasting results use a block of white cheddar cheese and grate it into the mac and cheese sauce, but if you’re in a time pinch you can also use the shredded kind.

How to Make White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the pasta but reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Coat the pasta. Add the drained pasta and the reserved pasta water to a large mixing bowl and toss the pasta with the water to coat. This helps thicken the cheese sauce as well as keep the pasta and the sauce fused together.

3. Prepare the roux. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for 1 minute to burn off the raw flour flavor and create the roux.
4. Add the seasonings. Add the garlic powder, pepper, dry mustard, and salt and whisk it into the roux.

5. Pour in the heavy cream. Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking it continuously until the mixture is smooth. Bring it to a soft boil and let it simmer for about 4 minutes to thicken.
6. Stir in the cheese. Add 1/2 of the shredded white cheddar cheese and stir it in until it is fully incorporated. Repeat this step with the remaining 1/2 of the cheese.

7. Add the pasta. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pasta tossing to coat the pasta evenly.

Recipe Variations

Below is a list of what to add to white cheddar mac and cheese to not only add flavor but also to turn it into a meal.

• Breadcrumbs
• Broccoli
• Add more cheeses
• Spinach
• Pesto
• Lobster

Serving Suggestions

• Turn it into a meal by adding protein. Add some grilled or shredded chicken to make this into a filling weeknight meal. Adding any type of protein will elevate this to a full meal. Try some crumbled bacon too.
• Roasted or steamed vegetables. Serve some steamed or roasted vegetables on the side to add a touch of healthy.
• Salads. Any salad goes great with mac and cheese.
• Serve it as a side. The most common way to serve mac and cheese is as a side and for good reason. It’s one of everyone’s favorites.

FAQS

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Grate your cheese. To get a perfectly smooth cheese sauce I recommend grating your own cheese. Not only is the flavor better it’s not coated in starches like shredded cheese is.
• Use heavy cream. For an extra creamy sauce I recommend using heavy cream, but you can also use whole milk. Other versions such as skim or dairy-free options will not work as well.
• Don’t add the cheese all at once. To avoid clumps in your cheese sauce add half of the shredded cheese first and let it melt completely before adding the remaining half of the cheese.
• To thicken the sauce allow it to cook for an additional 5 minutes before removing it from the heat and adding the pasta.
• To reheat the white cheddar mac and cheese add 1/2 cup of milk to the pot and heat it on low until the pasta is warmed throughout.

Storage Instructions

Before placing any leftovers or the entire dish if making it ahead, allow the white cheddar mac and cheese to cool to room temperature. Then seal it tightly with a lid and place it in the fridge. It will last for 3 to 4 days before the flavor begins to become compromised.

Can you freeze mac and cheese?

Mac and cheese doesn’t freeze well and when thawed the cheese sauce tends to have a grainy texture and separate. For this reason, I don’t recommend freezing mac and cheese.

Related Recipes

Easy Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

Truffle Mac and Cheese

Bow Tie Pasta

White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Recipe

There's nothing more comforting than this creamy homemade White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. Loaded with white cheddar cheese and with only a handful of other ingredients, this stovetop mac and cheese can be made in under 30 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 701kcal

Author: Aimee Mars

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Lb Elbow Macaroni
• ▢ 1/2 cup Butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons White Ground Pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Dry Mustard
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 2 cups Heavy Cream
• ▢ 3 cups White Cheddar Cheese shredded

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the pasta but reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Add the drained pasta and the reserved pasta water to a large mixing bowl and toss the pasta with the water to coat. This helps thicken the cheese sauce as well as keep the pasta and the sauce fused together.
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for 1 minute to burn off the raw flour flavor and create the roux.
• Add the garlic powder, pepper, dry mustard, and salt and whisk it into the roux.
• Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking it continuously until the mixture is smooth. Bring it to a soft boil and let it simmer for about 4 minutes to thicken.
• Add 1/2 of the shredded white cheddar cheese and stir it in until it is fully incorporated. Repeat this step with the remaining 1/2 of the cheese.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pasta tossing to coat the pasta evenly.

Notes

• Grate your cheese. To get a perfectly smooth cheese sauce I recommend grating your own cheese. Not only is the flavor better it’s not coated in starches like shredded cheese is.
• Use heavy cream. For an extra creamy sauce I recommend using heavy cream, but you can also use whole milk. Other versions such as skim or dairy-free options will not work as well.
• Don’t add the cheese all at once. To avoid clumps in your cheese sauce add half of the shredded cheese first and let it melt completely before adding the remaining half of the cheese.
• To thicken the sauce allow it to cook for an additional 5 minutes before removing it from the heat and adding the pasta.
• To reheat the white cheddar mac and cheese add 1/2 cup of milk to the pot and heat it on low until the pasta is warmed throughout.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 701kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1654IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 1mg

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