What Cheese To Make Mac And Cheese

How To Make Kraft Mac And Cheese Better

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe | How to Make Mac and Cheese

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy for details.

If youve been looking for the best way to doctor up your boxed mac and cheese, this recipe for how to make Kraft mac and cheese better is just what you need! The macaroni is creamy, cheesy, and ultra delicious!

Tips For The Best Mac And Cheese

Grate the cheese yourself. I know using pre-shredded cheese is so much more convenient, but it really makes a difference. The anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese keep it from melting well.
Heres another reason why you should grate your own cheese: blocked cheese is cheaper than pre-shredded!

Salt the pasta water. It gives the pasta itself a little bit of flavor. And dont skimp on the salt, as the pasta will only absorb so much of it. Dont be afraid to add a whole spoonful to the pot!
Cook the macaroni to al dente, or about 1-2 minutes less than prescribed by the package. I find that the pasta gets a little too mushy if cooked exactly according to instructions.
If youve accidentally overcooked the macaroni, just toss it with butter to coat. The butter will create a protective coating that will keep the pasta from absorbing more liquid.

Storage Instructions:
Place mac and cheese in an air-tight container or cover it with plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge for 5 days.
Reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If the sauce dries up, add a bit of milk or cream to thin it out.

When reheating small servings, place mac and cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat for 1-minute or until warmed through.

Making Any Brand Of Boxed Mac And Cheese In The Instant Pot:

You can make any brand of boxed mac and cheese in the Instant Pot. Though, since different brands have different size boxes, you will need to adjust the water and milk measurements accordingly.

Here are the measurements needed for different size boxes:

For 6.25 box: ¾ cup water + ¾ cup milk
For 7.25 oz box: ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water + 1 cup milk

Don’t Miss: What Is Mac N Cheese Made Of

Extra Cheesy Homemade Mac And Cheese

I have several flavored macaroni and cheese recipes on Budget Bytes already, but I realized I didnt have one single plain, classic homemade mac and cheese recipe. Like, nothing fancy or unique, just straight up creamy, comforting, cheesy goodness! So thats what I have for you today. Its a classic stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe made with a classic roux-based cheese sauce that will satisfy all of your cheesy pasta cravings. Its amazingly delicious on its own, but Ive also included a list of fun add-ins and other ways you can customize your mac and cheese and make it unique.

Air Fryer Frozen Mac And Cheese Bites

Air fryer frozen mac and cheese bites are the ultimate easy comfort food to that you will want to make over and over again! They make a fabulous snack, appetizer, or an easy quick lunch if you are in a hurry. These bite-sized balls of mac and cheese are a kid favorite that adults will love just as much!

Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Good Mozzarella Cheese

Find Tons Of Other Dreamy Cheesy Meals In Rees Bestselling Cookbooks

And stir together until its all melted. Go ahead and turn off the heat.

Now its time for seasoning! Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt If youre sensitive to salt, start really low and work your way upand remember that the cheese imparts quite a bit of salt to the mix.

BUTand this is importantbe careful not to UNDERSALT the mac & cheese. It really needs ample salt to put the flavor over the top.

*I also use paprika, cayenne pepper, even ground thyme every now and then. Play with different ground spices and see what you like best.

And finally, add plenty of black pepper, of the Black Dust variety. Honestly, I love freshly ground pepperbut not in homemade Mac & Cheese. For me, it has to be the powdery stuff.

Now THATs what Im talkin about.

And guess what? You can just steam some fresh broccoli and spoon some of this over the top. Kids from all over the land will show up at your doorstep.

Did you know a single serving of broccoli is positively loaded with Vitamin C?

Now just dump in the drained, not-fully-cooked macaroni!

And stir the mixture together.

I use a little less than the full amount of cooked macaroni, because I love it extra creamy and coated. Just add it according to how you like it.

Now, you can either dish it up as it is right now, which makes for an ultra-creamy love fest

OR you can pour the macaroni into a buttered baking dish. This is a 2-quart dish, but a 9 x 13 pan would work just fine.

Kinda like this.

Easy Mac And Cheese Recipe Ingredients

Elbow MacaroniReally, you can use any small pasta shape. However, macaroni is in the title so I usually stick with it.

Butter For the roux thickening mixture and the panko breadcrumbs. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
FlourTo thicken the cheese sauce. Its very important to use a small amount of flour and to cook it well, so the sauce isnt grainy in texture.
Half & Half The base of the cheese sauce! In a pinch, you can use whole milk, but do not use low-fat milk.

Sharp CheddarFreshly grated off the block. Pre-shredded cheeses often have preservatives or anti-caking chemicals that cause them not to melt as well.
MuensterFreshly grated, for the same reason as above.
Cream CheeseMac and Cheese with Cream Cheese has a much silkier texture than versions relying just on flour for thickening. Use full fat, please. Theres no need to use low-fat cream cheese, when you are also using two other cheeses and half & half. *wink*

Garlic PowderFor that little extra something.
Panko BreadcrumbsThe topper for the baked version.
Salt & Pepper To taste.

You May Like:Is Kraft Mozzarella Cheese Vegetarian

Regional Variations And Analogues

In Scotland, macaroni and cheese can often be found in pies, known endearingly as a macaroni pie.

A similar traditional dish in Switzerland is called Älplermagronen , which is also available in boxed versions. Älplermagronen are made of macaroni, cream, cheese, roasted onions, and in some recipes, potatoes. In the Canton of Uri, the potatoes are traditionally omitted, and in some regions, bacon or ham is added. The cheese is often Emmental cheese or Appenzeller cheese. It is usually accompanied by apple sauce.

How To Make Macaroni And Cheese Bites

How To Make The Best Baked Mac And Cheese

Step-1: Add room temperature mac and cheese into a bowl

Step-2: Add beaten egg and some cheese

Step-3: Mix everything until thoroughly combined

Step-4: Pack into a WELL GREASED muffin pan

Step-5: Make breadcrumb topping Stir panko breadcrumbs, melted butter and a dash of paprika together.

Step-6: Sprinkle on top of mac and cheese

Step-8: Bake at 425° F, until the tops are deep golden

Also Check: Where To Find Cotija Cheese In Grocery Store

How To Double The Recipe:

Thankfully, it is super simple double or triple the recipe. Just multiply the ingredients by the desired amount and follow the directions as listed. The cooking times do not need to be adjusted, as the Instant Pot will naturally adjust the time needed to bring the increased volume of food to pressure.

How long do you cook Instant Pot Kraft mac and cheese?

You only need to set the Instant Pot to cook for 0 minutes in order to cook the boxed mac and cheese in the pressure cooker! Because the liquids and pasta boil while the pot comes to pressure and when the pressure releases, we dont actually need any additional time at pressure to sufficiently cook the pasta.

How do you make extra creamy box mac and cheese in the Instant Pot?

There are two ways to make extra creamy boxed mac and cheese in the pressure cooker. The first one is to add an extra 2 tablespoons of water to the pasta before pressure cooking. The second is to stir in 2 tablespoons of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt in with the powdered cheese packet after the pasta has cooked.

Can you set the Instant Pot for zero minutes?

Yes! You can set the Instant Pot for zero minutes. When setting it to zero minutes, as soon as the Instant Pot comes to pressure it will, the 0 minute timer will trigger, initiating the natural-release.

Dont Miss: Does Babybel Cheese Have To Be Refrigerated

Special Equipment For This Recipe

Instant Pot I recently upgraded to this model and I love it!

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.

AND DONT FORGET, IF YOUVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Recommended Reading: How Long Is Chuck E Cheese Open

How To Make Stove Top Mac And Cheese

This stovetop mac and cheese is the creamiest version! The secret to this recipe is that the pasta is boiled in milk . Its as easy as 1,2,3!

Combine milk, garlic powder, butter, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add in the macaroni noodles and reduce the heat to low . Cook until the noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.

Once the pasta is fully cooked, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until melted.

The final result is a smooth and hearty easy family entrée that everyone will love and want seconds of!

Two: Add Milk And Seasonings

Next comes the milk. If the roux is hot, the milk should be cool, but if the roux is cool, the milk should be hot. When you combine the ingredients at different temperatures, they heat up at a moderate rate not too fast, and not too slow creating a velvety-smooth sauce.

Pour in the milk gradually while whisking the roux until the mixture is smooth, then add seasonings if you wish. Traditional seasonings for béchamel are diced or grated onion, a bay leaf, a couple cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Simmer the sauce until it gets to the consistency you want, then strain out any seasonings. If youre in a hurry, you can simmer the sauce over high heat, but youll want to keep whisking to prevent it from burning.

Recommended Reading: Is Cottage Cheese Heart Healthy

What Goes With Mac And Cheese

Everything goes with stovetop mac and cheese! A salad with a bright balsamic vinaigrette or a crusty loaf with Homemade Garlic Butter can round out this meal.

Fresh fruit salad or a tangy gelatin dessert goes well with this rich macaroni. When you serve this creamy stovetop mac and cheese, almost anything goes.

Add ins: You can get creative with this recipe. Add in bacon, jalapenos, canned tuna, peas, even topping mac and cheese with fresh pico de gallo!

Enhance Your Mac And Cheese Recipes With Premio Foods

Combine the best cheeses for mac and cheese with another delicious addition Premio sausage! At Premio Foods, were dedicated to creating our products the way sausage should be. With no fillers or preservatives, Premio Sausage gives your recipes authentic, fresh flavors. And with so much variety to choose from, our range of products lets you find just what your family will enjoy for any meal of the day.

Also Check: What Cheese Is Babybel Red

Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

The Chunky Chef03/23/2020

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is ultra creamy and rich with a velvety smooth sauce! Ready in about 20 minutes, its always a family favorite. Perfectly cooked, every time, and no need to babysit the pasta, or even drain it! Made with no canned milk and no Velveeta.

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is the perfect comfort food! Recipes like my Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa and Instant Pot Sausage Tortellini Soup are great for when you want an ultra-comforting family meal thats ready incredibly fast. This is one of my Pressure Cooker recipes youll definitely want in your recipe box!

INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE

Youve been asking for it, and Ive been working on it this is the Instant Pot Mac and Cheese that will make your mouth completely water, and have you reaching for seconds.

The lusciously creamy cheese sauce, enveloping every noodle so full of flavor, yet so simply made.

This mac and cheese is just as easy as making that macaroni in the blue box but is SO much better for you. No preservatives and other hard to pronounce ingredients. Just pure cheesy goodness!

When I was developing this recipe, I used cheeses that I found melted really well, and gave a good classic mac and cheese flavor, however, Ill also be detailing different cheeses you can use if you prefer another mixture.

Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese

Easy 3-Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe (One Pot)

I get asked that a lot and my answer is always no. As the pasta and cheese sauce sit, it will thicken and when you thaw it and bake it, the creamy consistency is just gone. Its thick and gloppy. Plus if you freeze it and its still a bit warm, water crystals will form and then thaw into your dish and could make it separate when you bake it. Besides, its so fast to make, theres not really a reason to freeze your macaroni and cheese.

Don’t Miss: Is Cottage Cheese On A Keto Diet

How To Keep Mac And Cheese Creamy

I’m sharing a handful of tips to help keep your easy baked mac and cheese creamy, smooth, and saucy.

First, no eggs. Unlike the Southern-style mac and cheese, this creamy version does not include eggs. The eggs help to “set” the casserole, giving it a firm, dry texture. Since that’s not what we’re going for here, you’ll need to leave out the eggs.
Next, lots of sauce. We’re not skimping on cheese, milk, or cream in this dish. We’ll make plenty of cheese sauce to coat the noodles. It looks like a lot of sauce, but you need that amount in order to keep the dish creamy in the oven.
Velveeta cheese. That’s right, I said it. Blasphemy?! Maybe! But trust me here: Velveeta melts smoothly into the sauce giving the mac and cheese a rich, creamy texture that you just can’t quite replicate with other types of cheese.

Baking Time. This casserole goes in the oven at a low temperature for just 15 minutes. This short baking time is important because it’s just long enough to melt the cheese on top and get the noodles hot inside, but it’s not so long that it dries out the pasta and sauce. If you like a crispier crust on top, you can pop it under the broiler for a few minutes at the end.

How To Make Kraft Mac And Cheese Without Microwave

If you find it too complicated since you have to open the microwave door a few times to stir the pasta, you can use a stove to cook the pasta. Using a stove, you need to put more water than the amount that we recommended above into the pot of pasta to prevent it from drying. Besides that, its also not quite safe for children to use, so you should not let your kids do it on their own.

You May Like: Is Montchevre Goat Cheese Pasteurized

What To Lookout For

There are a few things that you will need to keep an eye out for when cooking anything in the microwave.

The milk can become superheated in the microwave and explode when you disturb it. I recommend cooking in small intervals to help prevent that from happening.

Its best to place a plate underneath the mug, so if any liquid overflows, it will not dirty your microwave. It makes cleaning so much easier.

The mug might become very hot, so be careful when removing it from the microwave. I recommend using a dry towel or oven mitt to remove it.

I go through a few more tips just below the recipe, so be sure to check them out.

The video below will take you through all the steps on making some easy homemade mac and cheese in a mug. Alternatively, you can find the full written recipe immediately beneath the video.

Substitute For Milk In Mac And Cheese

Can you make Kraft mac and cheese without milk?

Yes, you can make Kraft mac and cheese without milk if youre using the Kraft macaroni and cheese box kit with any non-dairy milk substitute such as almond milk, soy milk, plain yogurt or sour cream, or even a bit of chicken broth or water to make the cheese mix work. Instead of butter, you can use vegetable oil or even margarine.

There are many brands, and it depends upon the customer choose what they want to eat because, in the market, there are many brands, and every brand makes their product best, but it depends upon customers choosing what they want to eat. One famous brand that is liked by a huge number of people is kraft mac and cheese with original flavor by kraft.

You May Like: Does Blue Cheese Have Lactose