Farah J. Eats

Foods of my culture, experiences and cravings.

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Search By Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Poultry
      • Egg
      • Noodles & Pasta
      • Rice
      • Seafood
      • Veggie
    • Dinner
    • Popular Recipes
    • Quick Meals
  • Contact

Explore

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Search By Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Poultry
      • Egg
      • Noodles & Pasta
      • Rice
      • Seafood
      • Veggie
    • Dinner
    • Popular Recipes
    • Quick Meals
  • Contact

Connect

· November 19, 2022

Creamy Mac and Cheese

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This easy homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese is a classic staple. With a rich and luscious cheese sauce that is absolutely divine! Great for your dinner rotation, potlucks, or the holidays!

*This post may contain affiliate links which helps bring you delicious recipes for free.

easy cheesy mac and cheese sharp cheddar gruyere cream cheese oven

Macaroni and cheese, a comfort food of many, and one that brings up some nostalgic feelings. It’s a kid-friendly dish that’s also loved by many adults (myself included!).

I’ve tried and tested plenty of mac and cheese recipes over the years. From jazzing up the store-bought ones, to modifying the recipes I have on hand. And finally, here’s my best homemade creamy mac and cheese that you have to try.

There’s no limit as to when you can serve this delicious plate of goodness. Be it for weeknight dinners, potluck parties, or the holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas!

easy cheesy mac and cheese sharp cheddar gruyere cream cheese oven

Creamy Mac and Cheese

Enjoy macaroni pasta cooked with a rich and creamy cheese sauce that’s seasoned to perfection. I even like to add on some chili oil for that slight kick of heat which goes amazingly well with the sauce.

I find that topping the dish off with a final layer of cheese before baking it for a cheese crust really adds a bit more oomph to it. And really, having extra cheese is never bad in my books! But even if you skip this step, it’s downright scrumptious.

Ingredients

(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)

  • Uncooked macaroni: Or swap with your choice of short cut pasta.

Cheese Sauce

  • Butter
  • Garlic
  • All purpose flour
  • Cold milk
  • Seasonings: Salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning.
  • Mustard
  • Cream cheese
  • Sharp cheddar: Freshly grated.
  • Gruyere: Freshly grated.
easy cheesy mac and cheese sharp cheddar gruyere cream cheese oven

Other ingredients

  • Parmesan (optional): For cheese crust.
  • Dried parsley: For garnishing.
  • Chili flakes: For garnishing.
  • Chili oil (optional): I used my Homemade Chili Oil, but if you’re looking for a store-bought option, I recommend the one by Lao Gan Ma.

Instructions

  1. Grate the cheese needed and set aside. Prepare all the other ingredients and preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Cook macaroni/pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water for later.
  3. Over medium heat, melt butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Turn heat down to medium low then add flour. Stir with a whisk until well combined and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Increase temperature to medium high heat then gradually pour in milk. Keep stirring until all the milk has been poured. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Once simmering, turn heat down to medium low and add seasoning and the cheese (cream cheese, half of the sharp cheddar and gruyere). Stir until everything is well combined.
  6. Add 1/3 cup pasta water and chili oil (optional). Stir well before adding cooked pasta/macaroni. Stir well before transferring it to an oven safe baking dish. You can stop here and serve or make it extra cheesy with the next step.
  7. Add the remaining cheese on top (including grated parmesan if you want) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until you’re happy with the cheese crust. Garnish with parsley and chili flakes (optional). Serve while hot, enjoy!

Notes for Creamy Mac and Cheese

  • Freshly grated cheese: Very important to grate your own cheese for a better tasting mac and cheese and for it to melt better. The pre-shredded cheeses have a coating that prevents it from melting and clumping together, which leads to a grainy sauce.
  • Cheese combination: Feel free to use whatever cheese combination you want. You can also choose to just use sharp cheddar. Other cheese combination that I like is cream cheese, sharp cheddar and smoked gouda. 
  • Baking time: The longer you bake it in the oven, the drier the mac and cheese will be so please keep that in mind.
  • Reheat option: To revive cold mac and cheese, add a bit of milk/heavy cream/half and half and heat it up either in the oven or over a stovetop. Once it’s hot, mix everything together to add some moisture to the dried up cold mac and cheese. 

More Recipes with Cheese

  • Korean Fire Chicken with Cheese (Cheese Buldak)
  • Korean Corn Cheese (15 minutes)
  • Wild Mushroom Cheese Pizza with Truffle Oil
  • Chili Oil & Jam Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Sweet & Salty)
  • Cheesy Miso Butter Baked Potato
  • Japanese Potato Cheese Croquette (Korokke)

Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for more updates!

How to make creamy mac and cheese

easy cheesy mac and cheese sharp cheddar gruyere cream cheese oven

Creamy Mac and Cheese

This easy homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese is a classic staple. With a rich and luscious cheese sauce that is absolutely divine! Great for your dinner rotation, potlucks, or the holidays!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups uncooked macaroni/choice of short cut pasta

Cheese Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 cups cold milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
  • 4 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar
  • 2 cups freshly grated Gruyere

Other ingredients

  • parmesan for cheese crust, optional
  • dried parsley for garnishing
  • chili flakes for garnishing
  • chili oil optional

Instructions
 

  • Grate the cheese needed and set aside. Prepare all the other ingredients and preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Cook macaroni/pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water for later.
  • Over medium heat, melt butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Turn heat down to medium low then add flour. Stir with a whisk until well combined and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Increase temperature to medium high heat then gradually pour in milk. Keep stirring until all the milk has been poured. Bring to a simmer.
  • Once simmering, turn heat down to medium low and add seasoning and the cheese (cream cheese, half of the sharp cheddar and gruyere). Stir until everything is well combined.
  • Add 1/3 cup pasta water and chili oil (optional). Stir well before adding cooked pasta/macaroni. Stir well before transferring it to an oven safe baking dish. You can stop here and serve or make it extra cheesy with the next step.
  • Add the remaining cheese on top (including grated parmesan if you want) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until you're happy with the cheese crust. Garnish with parsley and chili flakes (optional). Serve while hot, enjoy!

Notes

*Very important to grate your own cheese for a better tasting mac and cheese and for it to melt better.
*Feel free to use whatever cheese combination you want. You can also choose to just use sharp cheddar. Other cheese combination that I like is cream cheese, sharp cheddar and smoked gouda. 
*The longer you bake it in the oven, the drier the mac and cheese will be so please keep that in mind.
*To revive cold mac and cheese, add a bit of milk/heavy cream/half and half and heat it up either in the oven or over a stovetop. Once it’s hot, mix everything together to add some moisture to the dried up cold mac and cheese. 
Keyword cheese, cheesy, easy meal, easy recipe, holiday dishes, holiday recipe, mac and cheese, oven recipe, thanksgiving recipe
Did you try this recipe?I would love to know how it went! Please leave a rating, comment down below, or tag me on Instagram @FarahJEats.

Other recipes you'll like:

easy garlic miso noodle soup quick lunch dinner meal for oneGarlic Miso Noodle Soup (15 Minutes) spicy cheesy chili oil tuna melt sandwich easy recipe quick mealChili Oil Tuna Melt spicy creamy vegan friendly miso ramen quick20-Minute Spicy Creamy Miso Ramen (Vegan)
Crispy Miso Smashed Potatoes
Wild Mushroom Cheese Pizza with Truffle Oil

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About Photo
A 20-something year old dreamer sharing foods of her culture, experiences and cravings.

Get on the List

CATEGORIES

  • Popular Recipes
  • Malaysian Recipes
  • Quick Meals
  • Ramadan 2022 Series
  • Ramadan 2023 Series
The best pizza in the city where pizza was invente The best pizza in the city where pizza was invented @farahjeats 🍕 
📍Pizzeria Da Michele, Naples, Italy 
📍 Pizzeria D’angeli, Naples, Italy
We got pizza from one of the oldest pizzerias in Naples, Italy and it didn’t disappoint. We got there right when it opened and there was already a line. We ended up getting the pizzas to-go and ate it on the hood of our rental car. Each box of pizza was only €5 and we got every item on the menu (it was only a 4 item menu anyway 😂). While waiting in line, the smell of the wood fired pizza was sooo good we were so hungry by the time we got our orders. We got pizzas from across the street too just to compare. There was no line at that restaurant and you could easily get a table. It was a little bit more expensive per pizza but still affordable. Both pizzas were delicious! Still dreaming about it till this day 🥲
Fun fact: Eat, Pray, Love was filmed at Pizzeria Da Michele!
#pizza #italy #travel #foodie #foodblogger
Mee Goreng (stir fried noodles) @farahjeats Mee Mee Goreng (stir fried noodles) @farahjeats 
Mee (mie) goreng, a quick and easy stir fried noodles recipe that’s great for lunch or dinner. Popular in Malaysia and neighboring countries like Indonesia and Singapore— with each country having their own version of it. Chewy noodles infused with spicy, tangy and savory flavors, and ready within 30 minutes!
This is definitely not an authentic recipe but a simplified version that my mother-in-law makes often and now a recipe that I make quite a lot for a quick breakfast using ingredients easily accessible to us here. It definitely hits the spot! Feel free to add protein of your choice to this dish or just add a fried egg on top! 
I’ll work on an authentic Malaysian mee goreng recipe and share soon ☺️
#easyrecipes #noodle #noodlerecipe #easynoodles #easybreakfast #asianfood #foodie #foodblogger
Easy Crispy Coconut Shrimp @farahjeats The etern Easy Crispy Coconut Shrimp @farahjeats 
The eternal crowd-pleaser! Battered shrimp topped with coconut panko mixture that’s fried until golden brown. Serve with a side of sweet chili sauce.
I like making this myself at home so I can eat as many of it as I can 😂 it’s so easy to make too! You have to try it.
#easyrecipes #shrimp #seafood #crispy #foodie #foodblogger #appetizers #simplerecipes
Spicy Cheesy Udon @farahjeats Enjoy this creamy Spicy Cheesy Udon @farahjeats 
Enjoy this creamy Spicy Cheesy Udon Noodles. An easy 10-minute recipe that’s perfect for any meal!
Google “cheesy udon farahjeats” for the recipe or head to my website 💛
#easyrecipes #quickmeals #noodlerecipe #cheese #foodie #foodblogger
Crispy Crab Sticks (Air Fried) @farahjeats Repos Crispy Crab Sticks (Air Fried) @farahjeats 
Repost because some people said there was no audio yesterday 🥲
Try these Crispy Air Fried Crab Stick Crackers for size. A classic snack that could almost always be seen during Chinese New Year festivities in Malaysia. All you need are some crab sticks, a bit of seasoning, and a few tablespoons of oil!
This is such an easy and addictive snack. I always have to make a lot if I’m sharing because I tend to finish the first batch all by myself 😂
#easyrecipes #easysnack #simplerecipes #airfryer #crabstick #foodie #foodblogger #snackideas
Steamed Egg with Soy Garlic Sauce @farahjeats A Steamed Egg with Soy Garlic Sauce @farahjeats 
A quick and easy Steamed Eggs with Soy Garlic Sauce recipe for a hearty, comforting meal. Especially when paired with hot white rice. Soft and silken eggs drizzled with a savory soy garlic sauce.
Inspired by the classic Chinese steamed egg.
For the full recipe just google “steamed egg farahjeats” or head to my bl0g.
#easyrecipes #asianrecipes #eggrecipes #simplerecipes #foodie #foodblogger
10-Minutes Chili Oil Instant Noodles @farahjeats 10-Minutes Chili Oil Instant Noodles @farahjeats 
Save and share this! If you’re big fans of garlic and spice, try upgrading your instant ramen with this 10-minute recipe! 
This is my take on the once viral food trend and it is so good. If you ever feel like having broth-less instant ramen or just a different way of eating it, give this a try! 
I used Shin Ramyun but Mama instant noodles are so good for this too!
#easyrecipes #noodles #foodhacks #foodtrend #quickrecipes #simplerecipes #foodie #foodblogger
Ramadan recipe #21 Rendang Ayam (Dry Chicken Cocon Ramadan recipe #21 Rendang Ayam (Dry Chicken Coconut Curry) @farahjeats 
Save and share this flavorful and delicious recipe!
Ending my Ramadan series with one of the best dishes. This is a dish that’s traditionally served during Eid/Raya in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Every family usually has their own version of this. It’s usually served with nasi impit (cubed rice), lemang or pulut kuning (turmeric glutinous rice) but also just as good with white rice. 
Making this is a truly a labor of love especially when you make big batches. It can take hours! Families will cook this the night before Eid so the dish will be ready in time for the big celebration. The whole house will usually smell like rendang when this is made and honestly, one of the best smells that reminds me of such great and fond memories. 
This month just flew by— thanks so much for tuning in. I’ll be back with my usual twice a week recipes starting next week 💛
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Farah J. Eats · Developed by RDK