Once you make this easy recipe for Homemade Macaroni & Cheese, you’ll never again reach for a boxed Mac & Cheese.
Yes, you’re right, making it from scratch does take a little extra time. But honestly, not that much and there is absolutely no comparison in the quality and taste!
It’s really easy:
Add flour to butter and onion. Cook flour for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. You are basically making a roux and cooking the flour ensures you don’t have an unpleasant “raw” flour taste in your sauce.
Keep stirring, you don’t want the mixture to burn.
Stirring constantly, gradually whisk the milk into the butter/onion/flour mixture. (For the photos, I have briefly removed the pot from the burner)
Now, I have a confession! You may have noticed in the above photo, that the onions, which should have been added to the pan with the butter, are missing. I forgot to add them, so I just cooked them with a little butter in a small saucepan and added them to the sauce before pouring it over the cooked pasta.
You may do it whichever way you wish, but the way I described in the recipe saves dirtying one more pot…lol. This is key when it comes time to clean up!
I grated the cheese using a box-style grater.
Stir in cheese and cook over low heat until cheese has melted and the sauce is a little thick. If you haven’t already, add the onions.
Stir cheese sauce into cooked macaroni.
I just put the crackers in a little zipped baggie and crush them using a rolling-pin.
Add cracker crumbs, stir. Then add cheese and stir again. I find a fork works well and keeps the cheese strands from clumping together.
Sprinkle topping on casserole and bake, uncovered.
Hot from the oven and ready to serve! If you want a little colour, you can garnish with some chopped parsley.
- ¾ of a 500g (8 oz) box elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded old (sharp) Cheddar cheese
- TOPPING
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 12 saltine or buttery round crackers, crushed
- ¼ cup shredded old (sharp) Cheddar cheese
- GARNISH
- 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
- Cook macaroni to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in finely diced onion and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until onion is translucent.
- Add flour, salt, and pepper to butter and onion. Cook flour for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stirring constantly, gradually whisk the milk into the butter/onion/flour mixture.
- Stir in cheese and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick.
- Pour cheese sauce over cooked macaroni. Stir well. Dump cheese sauce/macaroni mixture into a large buttered casserole dish
- TOPPING
- Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl. Stir in cracker crumbs and then cheese.
- Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese to cover.
- Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
- GARNISH
- Garnish with chopped parsley
At first, the sauce may seem to be a bit loose, but once poured over the macaroni and baked it will be a perfect consistency.
I like to serve this delicious Homemade Macaroni & Cheese with a nice garden salad for a totally meatless meal. It is the ultimate comfort food!
As always, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and I will do my very best to answer them.
I know it’s hard to believe, but I have never made mac and cheese from scratch….. but rest assured that is going to change very soon. Thanks for the tips and I can’t wait to taste it!
It is so good Pat! When I am craving some comfort food, this is one of my go to recipes!
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I just love home made Mac and Cheese!!! Such a comfort food!
Me too Cheryl, it’s the ultimate comfort food!
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We love Macaroni & Cheese, going to have to try putting the cracker topping on the next time I made it.
Homemade mac and cheese is the best and even better when it’s easy and fast to whip up!, love this recipe!
Thanks so much, Lynda!
Love this! My son almost finished the whole batch of mac and cheese. Thanks!
Great to hear, Andy and I’m so happy your son liked it!