This is the only way to make homemade mac and cheese. This easy recipe is a huge hit in our house! My kids love boxed mac and cheese like every other kid, but this is honestly so much better. It’s so simple & requires only one pan so cleanup is a breeze. The kids absolutely love it and I love how simple it is! You can also use any type of cheese you prefer so it’s very versatile. It’s cozy, comforting, and a great quick dinner to have on hand. We hope you enjoy!
What you need to make easy homemade mac and cheese + substitutions:
Elbow macaroni- We used elbow pasta for this one to make it look like boxed mac & cheese. Of course you can use any noodle you prefer! Also, I used regular but you can use whole wheat, chickpea, whatever you’d like. Any preferred noodle will work, you just might have to adjust the liquid.
Butter- We use salted Kerrygold butter always when it comes to cooking! It’s our favorite and we get it in a pack of four from Costco. I love adding in the healthy fat for the boys and it of course makes it taste delicious. It’s perfect for this easy homemade mac and cheese.
Whole milk- I used our local raw milk, but you can use any milk you want. We recently signed up for raw dairy from a local farmer and we LOVE it. There’s so many amazing benefits to raw dairy, but the main thing I love is that it’s supposed to be easier to digest and I do notice a difference for myself personally! If you’re interested in the benefits or curious about what it is, HERE is a good article about it!
Chicken broth- We used our homemade broth this time. But, our favorite store-bought broth is Kettle and Fire (code DADDIOSKITCHEN for 20% off) and is an easy way to give bone broth to your kids.
Cheddar cheese- You can use any shredded cheese you prefer! I love to use our raw cheddar, or I’ll use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella for this easy homemade mac and cheese.
If you love this one, you may also love:
Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 2 cups chicken bone broth or chicken stock
- 8 oz whole milk (more if needed)
- 8 oz dry pasta elbow
- 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded (you can also use a mix of cheddar & mozzarella)
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Gradually pour in the broth while whisking.
- Once the liquid boils add in the pasta & season with sea salt. Cover the pan & let it cook for 8-12 minutes depending on the pasta shape until it’s cooked. Mix every so often.
- Once it's cooked through, add the milk and mix well and pour in the shredded cheese (I use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella sometimes) and mix well until everything is incorporated. Season with more sea salt to taste. You may need to add a dash more of milk, sometimes it'll get dried up so just add a bit more!
- Serve warm and melty and enjoy!
