This easy Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce can be used for stovetop or baked macaroni and cheese. It is creamy, flavorful, and loaded with 3 types of cheese. It starts with a simple roux, which thickens the sauce perfectly.
This cheese sauce is a staple. It is super versatile, customizable, and the perfect starting point for the best macaroni and cheese.
If you are out of flour, no worries! Try my Simple Mac & Cheese Recipe without Flour. It only requires one pot and is ready in less than 15 minutes. My Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese is also flour-free and made in the Instant Pot.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is the best mac and cheese sauce recipe out there. Not only is it cheesy, it is full of flavor from the spices and hot sauce, which adds a little tang without making it spicy.
- The roux helps the sauce thicken and prevents it from separating.
- This recipe uses a combination of evaporated milk and regular milk. These add a ton of richness without adding heavy cream.
- This homemade cheese sauce uses 3 different types of cheese, but can also be customized with your favorites.
- Use this sauce for stovetop or old fashioned baked mac and cheese.
- Cheese sauce is not just for macaroni and cheese, it can be served with a variety of dishes.
What is a Roux?
A roux is a mixture typically made with equal parts fat and flour. For the fat portion, butter, oil, lard, etc. can be used.
This mixture is whisked together and cooked until a paste forms. This paste is used to thicken sauces.
In this case, milk is added to create a bechamel sauce, which is the base for this easy cheese sauce recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk has a richer flavor and less water than regular milk. I have not tested this recipe without it, but you should be able to replace it with half and half.
- Milk: Any type of milk will work. I have tried this recipe with both skim and 2% milk. I do not recommend non-dairy milk.
- Cheese: You need 20 ounces (5 cups) of cheese for this recipe. Use your favorites. I prefer the combination of swiss, cheddar, and gruyere. You can also try parmesan cheese, colby jack, American, smoked gouda, sharp white cheddar, or pepper jack.
- Hot Pepper Sauce: This does not make the sauce spicy, it just adds flavor. I highly recommend it but it can be omitted.
- Pasta: Depending on how cheesy you like your mac and cheese, you can adjust the amount of pasta. For baked mac and cheese with bread crumbs, I recommend 16 ounces, because it dries out in the oven. For stovetop, you can use up to 16-20 ounces. Save some pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce
Quick Overview
- Make the roux.
- Add the milk and thicken.
- Add the spices and cheese.
- Stir until melted.
- Add pasta & serve warm!
Step by Step Instructions
Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Step 1: Over medium heat, in a large pan, melt the butter.
Step 2: Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Add in evaporated milk and regular milk.
Step 4: Whisk until the flour dissolves.
The sauce should just be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Add hot sauce, garlic, onion, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 6: Whisk until spices are combined.
Step 7: Continue stirring and simmering the sauce (not boiling) until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 4 minutes). It will continue to thicken when you add the cheese.
Step 8: Stir in the swiss cheese until melted.
Be sure to not overheat the cheese homemade mac and cheese sauce.
Step 9: Add the cheddar and gruyere.
Step 10: Stir until melted. The sauce should be smooth.
Step 11: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
Step 12: Fold until combined. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Not only does this cheese sauce pair perfectly with pasta, it is delicious on other dishes as well! Here are some of my favorites:
- On top of burgers: Air Fryer Frozen Burgers
- Loaded on baked potatoes: Steakhouse Oven Baked Potatoes
- Dipped in with french fries: Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- It is also great for cheese fondue. Serve it with bread & raw veggies!
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use good quality cheese. This will improve the flavor of the homemade mac and cheese sauce. For cheddar, I recommend Cracker Barrel, Kerrygold, Tillamook, or Cabot. For swiss, I just buy sliced and I find the store brand works great. Any aged gruyere will add a nice tang.
- Shred your own cheese. Blocks of cheese or sliced cheese do not have added starch like pre-shredded cheese does. The starch is added to prevent the shredded cheese from clumping in the bag. This also prevents it from melting a well and it does not taste as good.
- Whisk vigorously. This will ensure the roux is combined with the milk
- Season the sauce. The cheese sauce needs more than just cheese to give it flavor. This is why the spices and hot sauce are crucial.
- Do not over heat or cook the bechamel sauce. The sauce will continue to thicken once the cheese is added and as it cools. If you bring it to a boil or cook it for too long, it will thicken and become goopy. If it does get too thick, add more milk or water and whisk it in until thinned out.
- Adjust the amount of pasta. Pictured is 16 ounces of elbow macaroni folded with all of the sauce. This results in a super saucy macaroni and cheese, which is ideal for baked macaroni or if you plan to keep it warm in a slow cooker. Use more pasta and a splash of pasta water for a lighter coat (best for stovetop).
Recipe FAQs
Typically the base of a sauce for mac and cheese is bechamel which is made from a roux and milk. A roux is a combination of fat and flour, in this case butter. The cheese is melted into this sauce.
Aside from cheese, butter, cream, and milk make it creamy. If your macaroni and cheese is dry, you may have too thick of a sauce or not enough sauce. Add some pasta water, chicken broth, or milk to moisten it.
I like to use a combination of swiss, cheddar, and gruyere. Gruyere adds nice flavor and swiss adds some creaminess. Cheddar adds a bit of both.
More Sauce Recipes
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Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
- 12 ounces 1 ½ cups evaporated milk*
- 3 ½ cups milk*
- 1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce*
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 8 ounces swiss cheese*
- 8 ounces mild or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces gruyere, shredded
- 16 - 20 ounces pasta, for serving*
Instructions:
- Over medium heat, in a large pan, melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in evaporated milk and regular milk.
- Whisk until the flour dissolves.
- Add hot sauce, garlic, onion, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk until spices are combined.
- Continue stirring and simmering the sauce (not boiling) until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 4 minutes). It will continue to thicken when you add the cheese.
- Stir in the swiss cheese until melted.
- Add the cheddar and gruyere.
- Stir until melted. The sauce should be smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
- Fold until combined. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes:
- Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk has a richer flavor and less water than regular milk. I have not tested this recipe without it, but you should be able to replace it with half and half.
- Milk: Any type of milk will work. I have tried this recipe with both skim and 2% milk. I do not recommend non-dairy milk.
- Cheese: You need 20 ounces (5 cups) of cheese for this recipe. Use your favorites. I prefer the combination of swiss, cheddar, and gruyere. You can also try parmesan cheese, colby jack, American, smoked gouda, sharp white cheddar, or pepper jack.
- Hot Pepper Sauce: This does not make the sauce spicy, it just adds flavor. I highly recommend it but it can be omitted.
- Pasta: Depending on how cheesy you like your mac and cheese, you can adjust the amount of pasta. For baked mac and cheese with bread crumbs, I recommend 16 ounces, because it dries out in the oven. For stovetop, you can use up to 16-20 ounces. Save some pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
- Shred your own cheese. Blocks of cheese or sliced cheese do not have added starch like pre-shredded cheese does. The starch is added to prevent the shredded cheese from clumping in the bag. This also prevents it from melting a well and it does not taste as good.
- Do not over heat or cook the bechamel sauce. The sauce will continue to thicken once the cheese is added and as it cools. If you bring it to a boil or cook it for too long, it will thicken and become goopy. If it does get too thick, add more milk or water and whisk it in until thinned out.
- Adjust the amount of pasta. Pictured is 16 ounces of elbow macaroni folded with all of the sauce. This results in a super saucy mac and cheese, which is ideal for baked macaroni or if you plan to keep it warm in a slow cooker. Use more pasta and a splash of pasta water for a lighter coat (best for stovetop).
I wanted to make tuna Mac but didn't have my usual box Velveeta Mac and cheese so I decided to try something new. This is the kind of recipe you want to have around year round. Easy to make, adjust to your needs, and all around DELICIOUS!!!
Yay!! So glad.
This cheese sauce is amazing!!! So delicious. I'm saving the recipe, and will never again make mac & cheese without it.
Awesome! Thank you so much.
This Mac and cheese sauce looks absolutely delicious