Mohamed Shili This delicious and creamy mac and cheese recipe, inspired by Joanna Gaines, is the ultimate comfort food for a quick and easy meal. Perfectly cheesy with a touch of creaminess from cream cheese, it’s made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Customize it with your favorite pasta shape for a meal everyone will love!
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 pound (450g) dried pasta like elbow macaroni, shells or penne
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 5 cups (1180ml) milk, warmed, whole or 2% reduced fat preferred
- 1 pound (450g) white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
How To Make Mac And Cheese With Cream Cheese?
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions, then drain.
- Melt the butter and add the flour: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk until it forms a thick paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes until it smells toasted and turns light brown.
- Gradually add the milk: Slowly pour in a third of the warm milk while whisking constantly until smooth and thickened. Repeat with another third, then the final third, whisking well after each addition.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens: Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce starts to simmer and thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Add the cream cheese and cheddar: Turn the heat to low and stir in the softened cream cheese until mostly melted. Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese, one handful at a time, stirring until fully melted.
- Season the sauce: Add salt and black pepper, adjusting to taste. If the flavors aren’t bold enough, add a little more salt.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. The sauce will seem slightly excessive, but the pasta will absorb it as it rests.
- Let it rest and serve: Cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir again before serving.
Recipe Tips:
- Use freshly shredded cheese: Pre-shredded cheese often contains additives that prevent it from melting smoothly. For the creamiest sauce, shred your cheddar cheese at home.
- Warm the milk: Adding cold milk can make the sauce lumpy. Warm the milk slightly before adding it to the butter and flour mixture for a smooth texture.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions. This prevents it from becoming mushy after mixing it with the sauce.
- Whisk constantly while making the sauce: To avoid lumps in your cheese sauce, keep whisking while adding the milk and melting the cheese. Patience here makes all the difference!
- Let the pasta rest before serving: After mixing the pasta and sauce, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to absorb the sauce, creating the perfect creamy consistency.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover mac and cheese cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the mac and cheese to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Transfer the mac and cheese to a microwave-safe bowl, add a splash of milk, and cover loosely with a lid or plate. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warm.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 416
- Total Fat: 17.18g
- Saturated Fat: 7.386g
- Cholesterol: 32mg
- Sodium: 334mg
- Potassium: 122mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 48.18g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.8g
- Sugars: 1.04g
- Protein: 16.26g
Check out More Recipes:
Joanna Gaines Mac And Cheese With Cream Cheese
Description
This delicious and creamy mac and cheese recipe, inspired by Joanna Gaines, is the ultimate comfort food for a quick and easy meal. Perfectly cheesy with a touch of creaminess from cream cheese, it’s made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Customize it with your favorite pasta shape for a meal everyone will love!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions, then drain.
- Melt the butter and add the flour: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk until it forms a thick paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes until it smells toasted and turns light brown.
- Gradually add the milk: Slowly pour in a third of the warm milk while whisking constantly until smooth and thickened. Repeat with another third, then the final third, whisking well after each addition.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens: Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce starts to simmer and thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Add the cream cheese and cheddar: Turn the heat to low and stir in the softened cream cheese until mostly melted. Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese, one handful at a time, stirring until fully melted.
- Season the sauce: Add salt and black pepper, adjusting to taste. If the flavors aren’t bold enough, add a little more salt.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. The sauce will seem slightly excessive, but the pasta will absorb it as it rests.
- Let it rest and serve: Cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir again before serving.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese: Pre-shredded cheese often contains additives that prevent it from melting smoothly. For the creamiest sauce, shred your cheddar cheese at home.
- Warm the milk: Adding cold milk can make the sauce lumpy. Warm the milk slightly before adding it to the butter and flour mixture for a smooth texture.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions. This prevents it from becoming mushy after mixing it with the sauce.
- Whisk constantly while making the sauce: To avoid lumps in your cheese sauce, keep whisking while adding the milk and melting the cheese. Patience here makes all the difference!
- Let the pasta rest before serving: After mixing the pasta and sauce, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to absorb the sauce, creating the perfect creamy consistency.
Joanna Gaines Mac And Cheese With Cream Cheese
