A pot of the Best Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese will get smiles from kids and adults. Extra cheesy, delicious, and ready in less than 20 minutes makes it perfect for dinner.

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Growing up I ate my fair share of mac and cheese.  The blue boxes were a staple in my parent’s kitchen cupboard. And once we had kids of our own, we kept the same boxes of Kraft on hand.  It was just easy to make, and all of our kids loved it.

Our youngest son ended up as the pickiest eater in our family.  He ate great as a baby and toddler, but as he started getting older his taste buds changed.  He knows what he likes and doesn’t stray very far from it.

Most of the time he doesn’t eat much meat, other than canned chicken. That and Chick-fil-a nuggets are the only kind of chicken he likes. Every once in a while we can get him to eat a few bites of these Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders, but that doesn’t happen too often.

The one food group that he has always loved is macaroni and cheese.  It’s something that he always orders when we go out to eat.  Although, most of the time he doesn’t care for the restaurant versions. Probably because he grew up on the blue boxes.

A few weeks ago he had a group of friends over to celebrate his birthday, and his request for food was a platter of nuggets and mac and cheese.

We went ahead and ordered the nuggets, but I tweaked this Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese recipe and turned it into an easy and creamy stove top macaroni and cheese. 

Three kinds of cheese, Greek yogurt, and a béchamel sauce creates the smoothest and richest cheese sauce you can ever imagine. Get ready to dive into a pot of cheesy goodness. 

How to make the Best Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set it aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir it in.  Cook the mixture for a minute.
3. Whisk in the milk slowly.  Continue to simmer the mixture for a few minutes until it thickens.
4. Add the yogurt, cheeses, and seasonings and stir until melted and creamy.
5. Run hot water over the cooked noodles and drain again.  Add to the pot of cheese and stir until coated.
6. Let the best homemade mac and cheese sit for a few minutes before serving. (full recipe below)

This is seriously the easiest and cheesiest Mac and cheese I have ever made. We shared an extra pan with friends, and now they ask for it all the time when we have a get together.  

It’s the perfect comfort food meal for chilly nights, or a delicious side dish for potlucks or cookouts. Trust me when I say this will be your go-to mac and cheese recipe from now on. 

What can you add to creamy mac and cheese?

• Feel free to use your favorite cheese in place of the cheddar cheese. Pepper jack or chipotle cheese will give it a spicy kick. Mozzarella cheese will add more cheese strings.
• Stir in bacon, chicken, ham, or any other meat you love. You can also add different veggies to change it up.
• Top it with more shredded cheese and Panko or Ritz crumbs and bake it.

Can you make this stove top mac and cheese ahead of time?

• Yes. It reheats very well. You can place it in a covered dish and refrigerate it until you need it. 
• Place it in a pot over low-medium heat and stir until creamy.
• Or place it in an oven safe dish and bake until heated through. If you are baking it, make sure to undercook your pasta by one minute.
• You can also freeze this macaroni and cheese. Spoon the cooled pasta into a disposable foil pan, add shredded cheese, and cover it. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and bake until heated through.

What to serve with homemade mac and cheese:

This easy stove top mac and cheese can be served as a main course for dinner or as a side dish for cookouts and picnics.  It also goes with any type of meat that you like. Here are a few of our favorites to serve with mac and cheese.

• Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Honey Sriracha Barbecue Meatballs
• Homemade Cajun Shrimp Burgers
• Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
• BBQ Chicken and Avocado Quesadillas
• Cheddar Bacon Ranch Sliders

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Yield: 10 servings

Best Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Print

A pot of the Best Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese will get smiles from kids and adults. Extra cheesy, delicious, and ready in less than 20 minutes makes it perfect for dinner.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow pasta
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 ounce Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Cook and drain the pasta. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot. Sprinkle the flour on the melted butter and stir in. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Whisk in the milk. Cook and stir for a few minutes over medium heat until thickened.
4. Add the yogurt, shredded cheese, Velveeta, Parmesan, seasonings, and salt and pepper. Stir until melted and creamy.
5. Run hot water over the cooked noodles. Drain again and stir into the cheese mixture.
6. Let the mac and cheese sit for a few minutes to thicken up before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 897mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 20g