Macaroni and cheese is an old favorite in my house. It’s an easy recipe to follow that results in big smiles. While there are numerous variations on making this dish, we will look at a few key components that really matter. At the end of this post, I’ll share the recipe I got from my grandmother. It was and still is a family favorite!
Macaroni and Cheese Meal: Variations
There are many ways to make this dish. There’s even a few fast food/microwave style methods. I remember the commercial for the Blue Box Blues – referring to the easy way to make macaroni and cheese on the stove out of a box. While that method certainly is inexpensive and easy, it is not the only way to make this meal!
The boxed macaroni and cheese variety still requires milk and butter, but the dry microwavable packages only require water.
You can cook macaroni and cheese with a microwave, a stovetop, an oven, an Instant Pot, a crockpot or slow cooker, or just a fire (perfect for power outages or camping). There are just a few things you need to know to make each one work.
One of the great things about making macaroni and cheese a few different ways is that you are free to be creative with ingredients, too. You can make a whole new meal based off a classic favorite. (Think about Hamburger Helper.) You have more flexibility to change what you are doing because you understand why and how things work.
When you learn how to make macaroni and cheese using different appliances, you can also cook more food at the same time. Think about Thanksgiving. Think about all of the food that needs to be made. Your oven probably has a turkey in it. Then, your stovetop probably has different vegetables and gravy. Now, if you want to make macaroni and cheese, you will need to use a slow cooker or Instant Pot. And you can probably do most of it by yourself with those two appliances!
Let’s start by looking at the two main components: pasta and cheese.
Pasta
Elbow macaroni is the more commonly used pasta in this dish. It’s a small, curved noodle that forms a hollow tube. It is usually made from flour and takes about 8 minutes to fully cook in boiling water. Once cooked to desired firmness, strain the macaroni and run cold water over them. The cold water stops the cooking and preserves the macaroni in the state that you just achieved.
If you don’t have elbow macaroni, you can use other small pasta noodles to make this dish. Small shells, rotini, etc. are great substitutions when you can’t find the elbow macaroni.
If you are using gluten-free macaroni, such as pasta made from brown rice flour, the cook time may differ. Follow the instructions on the package and check your noodles frequently for firmness. You may need to work with this a few times to create the perfect consistency with gluten-free products. It is possible! It just takes practice and patience.
Cheese for Macaroni and Cheese
There are so many options that this can get overwhelming. I created a comparison chart to make the decision a little easier.
Rating the Cheese
This chart contains the names of the top 12 cheeses in the order of how frequently the cheese was referenced online in the top four sites with recipes for macaroni and cheese. Price categories are as follows:
- Low: $0-5 per 8 oz
- Mid: $5.01-10 per 8 oz
- High: $10.01+ per 8 oz
Meltiness and other information came from usdairy.com and cheesescience.org.
The top three cheeses for macaroni and cheese are Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gouda. These are hard to semi-hard cheeses that are in a mid-to-low range price. Regardless of where you shop, these cheeses are easy to find. You can get them at the grocery store, farmer’s market, discount store, or direct from the dairy farm.
Our next cheese on the list is cream cheese. This is a great addition when you need something softer. It is a light, slightly tangy cheese. It’s also easy to find and reasonably priced.
Then, you have Gruyere. Honestly, this was the first time I heard of this type of cheese. Additionally, this cheese is more difficult to find. I found it on Amazon. It’s nearly six times more expensive than the other cheeses. Ouch!
Parmesan cheese is next on the list. This is a hard and gritty cheese that does not melt well in chunks. Therefore, it should be grated and sprinkled over the top of the dish. Parmesan’s unique flavor and texture make it a good choice when meat, such as sausage, is added to the dish.
Brie and goat cheese are on the softer and more expensive side. Brie is usually served at room temperature and is more of a dessert cheese. Though we own goats, we have not dabbled in making our own goat cheese yet. Life goals.
If you are feeling fancy, you could definitely throw these two cheeses in the mix. Though these cheeses won’t make a regular appearance in my kitchen, I might try them for a special occasion.
Sharp cheddar is the next cheese. It is a hard cheese that has been aged longer than cheddar cheese. It has a sharper taste so it should be paired with sweeter cheeses. The cost is low.
Last, but not least, are the processed and combination cheeses. I was surprised by this because of my personal experience with macaroni and cheese. However, this list is written based on appearances in macaroni and cheese searches not by how frequently the cheeses are actually used by the average person. So, there’s that…
My Grandma Betty uses American cheese. It is a processed cheese, which basically means it is made from other cheeses and some liquids. Ingredients may vary by company. If you want to make your own, you can try this recipe. Making your own cheese, keeps you in control of what goes in your body. However, it also can be a lot of work. Sometimes the pre-made cheese will do.
Perhaps you noticed that American cheeses have different colors: white, yellow, and orange. Grandma Betty noticed. She uses both white and orange in her recipe. I can’t say that I notice a difference in taste. Just like cheddar, coloring agents may be added to the cheese to change its appearance.
Colby Jack is another one of the low rankers, but it is semi-soft, melts well, and reasonably priced. It is a combination of orange Colby cheese and white Monterey Jack. It therefore has a marbled appearance.
The last cheese on the list is Velveeta. This is a processed cheese that is made for melting. If you are looking for something kids love, this is it. When my sister was younger, she covered her broccoli in this stuff. If it’s good enough for broccoli, it’s good enough for macaroni noodles.
| Cheese | Variety | Price | Meltiness | Other information |
| Cheddar | Hard | Low | Creamy | |
| Monterey Jack | Semi-hard | Low | Melts well | Mild, buttery, tangy |
| Gouda | Semi-Hard to Hard | Mid | Young is smooth and creamy Aged is hard and crumbly, may be sweeter Low in lactose | |
| Cream Cheese | Soft | Low | Light and slightly tangy | |
| Gruyere | Hard | High | Melts well | Fruity, earthy, nutty Commonly used in French onion soup |
| Parmesan | Hard | Mid | Fruity and nutty Gritty texture, grated over pasta | |
| Brie | Soft | Mid | Enjoyed best at room temperature Dessert cheese | |
| Goat Cheese | Mid | |||
| Sharp Cheddar | Hard | Low | Sharp | |
| American | Processed | Low | Melts well | Creamy, smooth Made from blending natural cheese and other ingredients |
| Colby Jack | Semi-soft | Low | Melts well | Combination of orange Colby Cheese and White Monterey Jack |
| Velveeta | Processed | Low | Melts well |
Cooking Considerations
Stovetop
First, you need to cook the macaroni (or other pasta) in boiling water until it is tender but firm. This is usually around 8 minutes but can vary depending on what is in your pasta. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it. Then melt your butter in the heated pot. Add your seasonings and milk or cream. Mix well. Add the pasta back in the pot. Add your cheeses. Shredded cheese is best for this method because it takes less time to melt. You’ll want about 2 cups of shredded cheese, 1/2 stick of butter, and 1/2 cup of milk for every 1 lb. box of pasta. However, you can change those ratios to make your macaroni and cheese soupier.
Oven
You will need to cook the pasta on the stovetop (as above). Once the pasta is cooked, you will layer it with cheese, butter, and seasonings (salt, pepper, etc.) inside a baking dish. Add milk or cream. Make sure that your top layer is covered in cheese so it gets a nice brown crust. Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Instant Pot
The Instant Pot cooks the macaroni noodles in the pot so you can skip the stovetop with this one. For every 1 lb. box of macaroni noodles, you will need 4 cups of water and 1/2 stick of butter. Combine the water, butter, noodles, and seasonings in the Instant Pot and set for 4 minutes on the manual (pressure) setting with the vent closed. Once the time is up, use the quick-release to vent the pressure. When cooking this way, you will use 1 lb. of cheese and 1 c. of evaporated milk. You will want to use shredded cheese as it will be easier to mix evenly into the macaroni. Add milk and cheese a little at a time until the mixture is thick and creamy. Be careful not to get burned by the steam or to add ingredients too quickly.
Slow Cooker
The slow cooker method is great for a low maintenance macaroni and cheese. For every 1 lb. box of macaroni noodles, you will need 2 1/2 – 3 cups of whole milk, 12 oz. evaporated milk, 1/2 stick of butter, 4 cups of cheese, and your seasonings. Before you put the uncooked macaroni in the slow cooker, rinse them in a strainer with cold water. Butter the crock pot before adding your ingredients.
Add the milks, seasonings, and macaroni first. Make sure the macaroni is covered by the milk as it is cooked in this liquid. Cut the cheese into cubes and disperse evenly in the mixture. Last, add the butter. Cook on low for 1 hour and check for doneness (tender pasta, creamy cheese). If it is not done to your liking, continue to cook for 30 minutes at a time, checking for doneness. Keep on a warm setting or turn off. If you leave it on low, it will continue to cook and get mushy.
Over a fire
Follow the same directions for the stovetop. Ensure that your cookware is meant to use over a fire. Think cast iron!
Let’s Make Macaroni and Cheese Grandma Betty Style
Grandma Betty’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs. elbow macaroni (usually 1 ½ boxes)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 qt whole milk
- 1 stick of butter
- Cheese
- ½ lb. white American cheese
- ½ lb. orange American cheese
- Pepper
Steps:
- Gather ingredients
- Preheat oven to 350oF, lightly butter your baking dish (I use a 4 liter Corning Ware dish)
- Cut your cheese and butter into chunks for layering
- Add 1 ½ lbs. of elbow macaroni and 1 tbsp salt to boiling water, cook for 8 minutes
- Drain macaroni
- Layer your ingredients in the baking dish
- Macaroni
- Cheese
- Butter chunks
- Pepper each layer
- Add milk
- Bake for 1 hour
Dish should be bubbling with the top layer of cheese browned.
Change it up by:
- Adding cooked meat
- Trying different cheeses
- Combining dishes
- Chili and mac and cheese
- Buffalo chicken and mac and cheese
- Looking for healthier substitutions, such as pumpkin puree and cottage cheese
- Trying substitutions for other ingredients, such as butter
Keep a notebook or electronic record of what you changed, what you liked, and what you didn’t like. Create your own unique macaroni and cheese dish!
Grandma Betty's Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This is a family favorite recipe. It's a great way to learn how to make macaroni and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. elbow macaroni (usually 1 ½ boxes)
- 6 qt water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 qt whole milk
- 1 stick of butter
- Cheese
- ½ lb. white American cheese
- ½ lb. orange American cheese
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter your baking dish (I use a 4 liter Corning Ware dish).
- Cut your cheese and butter into chunks for layering.
- Add water to large pot with salt and olive oil. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Add 1 ½ lbs. of elbow macaroni to boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Drain macaroni.
- Layer your ingredients in the baking dish: macaroni, cheese and butter chunks.
- Pepper each layer.
- Add milk.
- Bake for 1 hour.
Notes
Dish should be bubbling with the top layer of cheese browned.
Deb's Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 boxes of elbow macaroni (2 lb.)
- Water (as per directions for cooking pasta)
- 1 lb. Cooper Sharp cheese
- 1 lb. Smoked Cooper Sharp Cheese
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 qt of milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
1. In a large pot, add water, oilve oil, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook for approximately 8 minutes or until al dente (tender but firm).
2. Drain macaroni
3. Cut cheese and butter into chunks for layering
4. Turn crock pot to high setting.
5. Layer your ingredients in the crock pot: macaroni, cheese, and butter chunks
6. Add milk
7. Cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. Dish is done when cheese is melted and creamy. Approximately 1 hour on high setting.
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