White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

What we love about this white cheddar mac and cheese

We make homemade mac and cheese all the time around here, but using sharp white cheddar makes this dish really stand out. If you like Panera mac and cheese you are going to love this!
You don’t always have to serve this as a main course. This recipe makes a perfect side dish and pairs well with all sorts of meals, try serving it with some smoked chicken breast or Dr. Pepper ribs the next time you grill.
Add some toppings if you want a little more complexity, try crumbling some bacon bits, jalapeños or some caramelized onions if you are feeling adventurous.

A couple bowls of macaroni and cheese made with pipette pasta.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

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Kitchen tools

Large Rondeau Pot

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liquid measuring cup

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wire whisk

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Ingredients you might need to pick up

White cheddar cheese – Any shredded white cheddar will work, we shredded our own locally sourced sharp cheddar from a block.
Pipette pasta – We used this just to be a little fancy, using elbow macaroni or whatever you have on hand is fine. We loved that this pasta was had ridges to help hold the sauce.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

Close up of white cheddar mac and cheese, showing the creamy cheese sauce texture.

How to make this white cheddar mac

Cook the macaroni. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to package directions for al denté. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.

Make the sauce. In the same pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux, this should look like a thick sandy paste. Then slowly whisk in milk, allowing it to heat through and thickened before adding the cheese.

When milk has slightly thickened, whisk in half of the cheese and allow it to melt before adding the remaining cheese. Whisk in the remaining cheese and allow sauce to simmer and thicken a bit more. Add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water to help thicken the sauce if needed.

Combine and serve. When sauce has thickened, stir pasta into sauce until it is well coated. Garnish with cracked black pepper or additional shredded cheese for presentation.

Close up of cheesy pasta sprinkled with cracked black pepper.

Everything you need to know about stovetop mac and cheese

How long does stovetop mac and cheese last?

When stored in an airtight container, homemade mac and cheese will last 3-4 days. Add a splash or two of milk or reserved pasta water when reheating for a freshly-made creamy experience.

Why is my stovetop mac and cheese gritty?

If you are feeling a slightly gritty texture in your cheese sauce it means the ratio for the roux is off. When making a roux, the measurements for flour and butter should be equal quantities, for example 2 tablespoons of butter to 2 tablespoons of flour. A gritty sauce means there was slightly too much flour when the roux was made.

What types of white cheese are best for mac and cheese?

White cheeses are not all the same, though they all make a delicious mac and cheese. White cheddar might be our favorite but gruyere, white american, or a fontina cheese would work very well in this recipe, just keep with the equal parts – meaning 2 cups of shredded cheese regardless of the cheese you choose.

A couple bowls of white cheddar mac and cheese.

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