Homemade White Macaroni and Cheese
on Sep 15, 2017, Updated Jun 20, 2025
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Creamy in color and in texture, this stovetop mac and cheese made with a bechamel sauce is the best type of sophisticated comfort food.
This white stovetop mac and cheese relies on a béchamel sauce and white cheddar cheese, which gives the pasta a creamy white color and an unbelievably creamy consistency. When I’m serving a meal with a lot of color and want a pale mac and cheese, rather than an orange one, this is the recipe I turn to. It also seems to feel a little more sophisticated than orange mac and cheese, but it would be silly to get all snobby about that — we are talking about the ultimate comfort food, after all.
This makes an amazing side to everything from Cajun Ribs to Barbecued Chicken to a roast turkey or Cajun Roast Turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or serve it as the main course, with Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Carrots with Tapenade Dressing.
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Ingredients
- Unsalted butter and all-purpose flour – Cooking these ingredients together will create a roux, the thickening base of the béchamel sauce. Toasting the flour takes the “raw” taste out.
- Red pepper flakes – For a little kick.
- Whole milk and heavy cream – Using a mixture of milk and heavy cream allows for a balanced richness and creaminess, plus creamier white color.
- White cheeses – I like to use a mix of sharp white cheddar cheese, provolone, and Gruyere, but you can use all white cheddar.
- Parmesan cheese – Adds a nice nutty flavor.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a nice little kick. You could also add a few dashes of hot sauce if you prefer.
- Dried pasta – You can use any type of pasta you like, but for a more classic feel I go with elbows.
White Cheese Choices
Use all kinds of cheeses for white mac and cheese. Anything from white cheddar to provolone to Gruyere to Emmental to Gouda works. Add a bit of some harder grated cheese at the end for piquant flavor, such as Parmesan.
How to Make White Cheddar Mac
- Cook the pasta. Reserve some pasta water.
- Make the roux: In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the flour mixture is blond in color.
- Add the milk: Whisk in the milk, increase the heat to medium-high, and let it come to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add the cream, grated white cheeses, Parmesan, mustard, salt, and black pepper. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Combine everything and serve: Whisk the reserved pasta cooking water into the cheese sauce. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Serve hot.
Tips
- Sprinkle in the cheese slowly to prevent the cheese sauce from becoming grainy or oily.
- Also, add a bit of the water you used to cook the pasta. It contains some of the starch from the pasta, which will further emulsify, or blend together, the sauce.
What to Serve With White Mac and Cheese
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Homemade White Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups coarsely grated flavorful melting cheeses (such as a mix of cheddar, provolone, and Gruyere)
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 pound dried pasta (a short shape like cavatappi, penne, ziti, large elbows preferably with ridges)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and let the water return to a boil.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the flour mixture is blond in color, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high and let come to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer until it starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, grated cheese, Parmesan, mustard, salt, and black pepper, stirring until everything is smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper as necessary.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it until barely al dente (follow the package directions but stop a minute before the pasta is completely tender). Set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Whisk the reserved pasta cooking water into the cheese sauce, combining it thoroughly. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Stir for another minute or two until the pasta is tender and everything is well incorporated. Serve hot.
