Creamy 15-Minute Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Makes Everyone Happy by Ann Marie Patitucci


Creamy 15-Minute Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Makes Everyone Happy

My kids love macaroni and cheese, but I don’t love the boxed varieties with the orange powdered cheese, preservatives and artificial ingredients. I have a homemade mac and cheese recipe that I love but it’s not quick to make. What I really needed was a quick and easy, kid-friendly recipe for busy days when we don’t have much time between activities.

This homemade stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe takes only 15 minutes to make. That's about the same amount of time it takes to make the boxed kind (but without the preservatives and artificial ingredients). With this kid-approved vegetarian recipe, you can say goodbye to powdered orange cheese forever. This is a great Thanksgiving side dish not only because the kids will love it, but it doesn't require the oven.

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni (or pasta of your choice)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup whole milk (or 2 percent milk)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Helpful Products

Recipe Notes

  • Use whatever short pasta your family likes for this recipe. Mine likes elbows!
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Here’s how to make it:

  1. In a small bowl, mix flour, sea salt, and garlic powder together. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour mixture and whisk to combine. Cook until mixture is slightly brown, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Add sour cream or Greek yogurt and whisk until smooth. Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture is thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
  3. While mixture is cooking, cook elbow macaroni to al dente (add a pinch of salt to the boiling water). Drain but do not rinse.
  4. Once mixture is thick (it will stick to the back of the spatula), reduce heat to low and add shredded cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Taste cheese sauce and add more sea salt and seasoning, if desired.
  5. Add cooked pasta to the saucepan of cheese sauce and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed. Let the mac and cheese cool for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese sauce has thickened a little bit and sticks to the noodles. 

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 275

Total Fat: 13.8g

Saturated Fat: 8.5g

Cholesterol: 41mg

Sodium: 330mg

Total Carbohydrate: 24.8g

Dietary Fiber: 1g

Total Sugars: 2.8g

Protein: 12.7g

Vitamin D: 18mcg

Calcium: 253mg

Iron: 1mg

Potassium: 145mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily.

Related Products on Amazon We Think You May Like:

30Second Mobile, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

A Chef's Secret-Ingredient 30-Minute Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Garlic Parmesan Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Is Worth the Garlic Breath

Mom's Quick Homemade Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Beats the Box

The Absolute Best Macaroni & Cheese Recipe for Thanksgiving Day

bepositive
Great idea to add Greek yogurt to Mac and cheese.
Ann Marie Patitucci
Yes! That was a new ingredient for me!
Julio Caro
Thanks for Sharing....

join discussion

Please login to comment.

recommended tips

6-Ingredient Chewy Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli): Gluten Free & Dairy Free

Raspberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe: The Breakfast You Didn't Know You Needed

Best Italian Restaurant Alfredo Sauce Copycat Recipe: 3 Ingredients + 10 Minutes

Camila Alves McConaughey's Creamy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe (5 Ingredients)