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Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese

Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese

This ultra creamy, cheesy Stovetop Southern Mac and Cheese is simple, yet bold and makes for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Servings 6 servings
Calories 99 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • deep skillet
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

MAC + CHEESE

  • 1 package Your favorite pasta shape (medium shells, elbow pasta, or Lumache pasta)
  • 4 Tbsps unsalted butter
  • 3-4 Tbsps organic all-purpose flour See Notes!
  • 2.5 cups Almond milk, unsweetened You can use whole milk if preferred
  • 1 cup Mild cheddar cheese, freshly-grated
  • 1 cup Muenster cheese, freshly-grated
  • 1 cup Sharp cheddar, freshly-grated
  • 1 cup Gruyere, freshly-grated
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon yellow mustard powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper Reduce this to a 'pinch' if you aren't a fan of a little heat

Instructions
 

BOIL THE PASTA

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and add shells, elbow pasta, or Lumache pasta and cook according to packaging, about 8-10 minutes in most cases. Once cooked, drain, and lightly toss in olive oil (to prevent sticking together), cool and set aside.

MAKE THE MAC + CHEESE

  • In a large dutch pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper, whisking until combined and 'paste-like'.
  • Slowly pour in the milk, whisking frequently until lump-free, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the freshly-grated mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, Muenster, and Gruyere cheeses, stirring until fully melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add in the cooled pasta and stir together until well coated, combined, and creamy!
  • Serve immediately with your favorite side and main dishes. Bon Appetit!

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated when ready to serve. To re-heat, add each serving to the oven, microwave, or stovetop until warmed through. If you don’t want to use all-purpose flour, feel free to substitute with regular starch or arrowroot starch, tapioca flour. To make this Mac + Cheese vegan, simply substitute cheeses with dairy-free shreds and use vegan butter. To ensure that this recipe is GF, be sure to use GF-friendly pasta and flour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 525mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword cheese, creamy, Dinner, easy, gluten-free, kid-friendly, mac + cheese, mac and cheese, side dish, stovetop, Vegan
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