White cheddar mac and cheese is loaded with delicious sharp white cheddar in a creamy sauce that's in every tender bit of the macaroni pasta! It's also incredibly easy to make with this simple stovetop method that everyone is sure to love! Whether you are looking for a new macaroni recipe to try or need an easy side dish idea, this white cheddar mac & cheese won't disappoint!
Easy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Recipe
Find a kid (or adult, for that matter) who doesn’t like mac and cheese. The ooey, gooey richness, comfort food texture and flavor, and belly-filling goodness make mac and cheese so irresistible!
We’re used to the easy-to-make mac and cheese from the box, which is undeniably delicious, but there’s so much more to a great mac and cheese than a packet of bright orange powder. My white cheddar mac and cheese is the “grown-up” version of this classic dish, perfect as a mouthwatering main course or a scrumptious side.
This amazingly tasty and versatile stove-top mac n cheese is a family favorite!
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When it comes to mac and cheese, this one is a real winner. The white cheddar is unique and delicious and blends into the pasta perfectly. If you’re used to the “old-fashioned” style of mac and cheese, this version will wow you!
The grated white cheddar melts over the macaroni as the heavy cream and butter give this mac and cheese true decadence. Combined with the right blend of seasonings and spices, the end result is a mac and cheese that is gourmet-level.
🥘 White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Ingredients
Get your saucepan ready and gather the below ingredients. In about 30 minutes, your white cheddar mac and cheese will be done in time for dinner.
- Elbow Macaroni – 1 pound of elbow macaroni. The classic shape cradles the cheddar. Cook, drain, and rinse so the pasta is ready to go once the sauce is done simmering.
- Butter – ½ cup of butter, or you can use a butter substitute. Everything’s better with butter! It not only adds richness to your cheese sauce, but it also makes that wonderfully smooth consistency.
- All-Purpose Flour – 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour or use an all-purpose flour substitute. A thickening agent to make your mac and cheese the perfect sauce, perfectly creamy.
- Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Flavor your mac up with a kick of garlic to keep it from being bland tasting.
- Ground White Pepper – ½ teaspoon of white ground pepper. Ground white pepper doesn't have specks of black if you are aiming for the perfect white mac and cheese appearance. Use ground black pepper to season if desired.
- Salt – ½ teaspoon of salt to enhance the flavor of the mac and cheese. Start with a small amount and add more to taste as the cheese packs plenty of salty goodness!
- Onion Powder – ½ teaspoon of onion powder or use an onion powder substitute. Paired with garlic powder, this dish will be aromatic and super tasty.
- Heavy Cream – 2 cups of heavy cream or use a heavy cream substitute. Rich and robust to make the mac and cheese melt in your mouth.
- White Cheddar – 3 cups of white cheddar (grated). The star of the show. Get a decent cheddar for the ultimate mac and cheese experience.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
📖 Variations
Obviously, this recipe calls for white cheddar. I'm using a sharp white cheddar in my macaroni for a touch more flavor.
Swap cheeses - You can use regular yellow cheddar in its place if you can’t find white cheddar at your grocery store. Other great melting cheeses are Colby, Colby-jack, and mozzarella.
Gruyere cheese has a stand-out flavor that is amazing as well! All measurements and instructions remain the same otherwise.
Some mac and cheese recipes call for a toasty breadcrumb topping. While I do enjoy that slight crunch, this white cheddar mac and cheese is a standout in appearance without the breadcrumbs to interfere with its beauty.
Bake it - If you would like to add a breadcrumb topping, take this easy stovetop mac recipe and transfer the white cheddar mac into a lightly greased baking dish. Combine 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs with ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 4 tablespoons melted (and cooled) butter, and ¼ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika.
Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl then sprinkle over the dish of macaroni and cheese. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the topping is a light golden color.
🔪 How To Make White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
My white cheddar mac and cheese recipe yield 8 hearty servings or 4 huge ones! Make a double batch by multiplying the measurements if you have more mouths to fill or a ravenous bunch ‘round the table.
Cook the Pasta
- Boil the pasta. Cook the 1 pound of elbow macaroni pasta in a large pot or Dutch oven. Use salted water and follow the package instructions for how long to boil the elbow macaroni. Your macaroni should have an al dente texture when done (firm to the bite).
- Drain the pasta. Drain and rinse the cooked macaroni in cool water. Set aside. *You can use the same pot to make the sauce if desired.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 1 stick (½ cup) of butter over a medium heat setting.
- Make the roux. When the butter is completely melted, add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and all the seasonings – 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and stir them all together until a paste is formed.
- Whisk in the cream. Add 2 cups of heavy cream and whisk until well combined. Your sauce should be nice and smooth.
- Melt the cheese. Add 3 cups of grated white cheddar cheese and stir until melted completely, then remove from the heat source.
- Combine with pasta. Pour your white cheddar cheese sauce over the cooked, drained, and rinsed 1 pound of macaroni noodles and mix well, but gently, to coat all of the macaroni completely.
If you are a true cheese lover, you can garnish the dish with additional shredded white cheddar cheese and watch it melt over the top. Serve up your white cheddar mac and cheese, and enjoy!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
You can store leftovers of your white cheddar mac and cheese in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. I recommend eating your leftovers within 1-2 days for freshness.
Freezing White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Store your cooked macaroni and cheese in a freezer storage container for up to 2-3 months. For the best flavor, your macaroni is best enjoyed within the first 1-2 months of being frozen.
Reheating White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Your macaroni is best reheated on the stovetop. Portion your desired amount into a saucepan and warm the serving(s) over low heat. Add more milk as needed to keep the mac creamy.
To microwave a single portion of leftovers, heat on high power for about 2 minutes if refrigerated and 4 minutes if frozen, longer if needed. Add milk as needed to keep your sauce creamy.
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❓ FAQ
You can replace the heavy cream with something lower in fat, but your resulting mac and cheese won’t be as rich and creamy. To swap out whole milk, 2% milk, 1% milk, or skim milk for the heavy cream, you will need to increase the amount of flour to achieve the same thickened base sauce.
Spice it up with any of your favorite spices! I'm already adding garlic powder and onion powder (in addition to salt & pepper), but chili powder, red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and Italian seasoning are all great stir-ins too.
Absolutely! If you don't have elbow pasta or would rather use something else, you can substitute it. Pick a pasta that will hold the cheese sauce well, like penne, rotini, ziti, rigatoni, fusilli, or shells.
🍲🥗 More Tasty Side Dishes To Try
- Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - Elevate your macaroni and cheese by adding the rich and smoky flavors of gouda cheese!
- Homemade Flatbread - This flatbread is so versatile, easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
- Broccoli Cauliflower Soup - A super easy and satisfying soup recipe that you can enjoy as a side dish, lunch, or dinner!
- How To Freeze Macaroni & Cheese - Learn how to properly freeze your macaroni and cheese so that you don't waste any leftovers!
- Caesar Salad - A classic side salad recipe that features a homemade Caesar dressing!
- Broccolini Slaw - Enjoy this easy and refreshing slaw on its own, or use it to elevate your sandwiches, wraps, or tacos!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📋 Recipe
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni (cooked, drained, rinsed)
- ½ cup butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon white ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups white cheddar (grated)
Instructions
- Cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente (firm to the bite) in texture. Drain, rinse in cool water, and set aside.1 lb elbow macaroni
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.½ cup butter
- Once the butter is melted, add the flour and seasoning - garlic powder, salt, white pepper, and onion powder. Stir until a paste is formed.2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon white ground pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the heavy cream and stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth.2 cups heavy cream
- Add the grated white cheddar and stir until melted, remove from heat.3 cups white cheddar
- Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni noodles, and stir to coat all of the pasta. Garnish with additional cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.1 lb elbow macaroni
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Anonymous says
It has great potential and it really nice and creamy, but the garlic/ onion powder proportions are WAY too intense! I like the cheese taste, but couldn’t imagine what it tasted like with the garlic and onion. Would maybe do 1/4 teaspoon of garlic and no onion powder and season afterward to taste.
Sarah says
Amazing & easy!!! I've been searching for a perfect white cheddar Mac recipe for a few years now and this hit the spot perfectly. I added some Hatch Chiles for a little extra flavor and it's perfect
Chance says
I made this and it was amazing. And no 5 paragraph backstory. 5 stars
Venti says
Excellente recette nous nous sommes régalés. Merci beaucoup
Dasani says
Absolutely delicious, loved by the whole fam! Most definitely saving this recipe for future use!
Anonymous says
Super easy and super delicious! I used a mixture of white cheddar and Monterey Jack to keep it mild for the kids and they loved it. Even those who aren’t a fan of Mac and cheese as a dish in general enjoyed it. Reheating is a breeze. 10/10 would recommend with any of your favorite cheese pairings.
Cindy says
Yum, Yum...No need to say more.
Sue Smith says
This macaroni recipe was better than the restaurant version. Probably because In added sooo much white cheddar cheese 🙂
April says
Could I make it without the flour?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, you can skip using the flour to make the roux. I would suggest to stick to the heavy cream for this option (rather than using a thinner liquid like half & half or whole milk). Heat the heavy cream with the butter (so that the butter melts as the cream heats). Add the seasoning and melt the white cheddar, then toss with the pasta. You can melt the cheese and heat over low heat to help thicken the sauce if needed. Enjoy!
Joyce Guenther says
Want to make for the 4th party, can this be keep warm in a slow cooker?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes it can be kept on the warm setting, you may need to add liquid to keep it smooth depending on how long it is held in the slow cooker at warm. Enjoy your 4th of July!
Angel says
I love this recipe, it's me and my boyfriend's favorite mac & cheese recipe. We make this at least twice a month!
Mick McFadden says
Have made this recipe and it turned out perfect.as good as and restaurant.thank you .