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Gallery Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe Summary prep: 45 mins total: 55 mins Servings: 6

Ingredients Ingredient Checklist 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Coarse salt 4 cups whole milk 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3/4 pound small shell pasta or elbow macaroni 4 cups coarsely grated sharp yellow cheddar (3/4 pound) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Gallery Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Recipe Summary prep: 45 mins total: 55 mins Servings: 6

Stovetop Mac and Cheese     

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Recipe Summary prep: 45 mins total: 55 mins Servings: 6

Recipe Summary

prep: 45 mins total: 55 mins

Servings: 6

prep: 45 mins

total: 55 mins

prep:

45 mins

total:

55 mins

Servings: 6

6

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Coarse salt 4 cups whole milk 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3/4 pound small shell pasta or elbow macaroni 4 cups coarsely grated sharp yellow cheddar (3/4 pound) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium; add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is pale golden, has a slightly nutty aroma, and is the texture of cooked oatmeal, about 5 minutes.

Whisking constantly, pour in 2 cups milk; add 2 more cups milk and cayenne and whisk until smooth. Cook mixture, stirring constantly along bottom of pan, until boiling, 6 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and does not feel grainy when a small amount is rubbed between two fingers, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente; drain thoroughly and return to pot. Remove sauce from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Quickly whisk in cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to coat.

Reviews (13)

 Add Rating & Review     233 Ratings   5 star values:        82    4 star values:        73    3 star values:        45    2 star values:        28    1 star values:        5        

Load More Reviews

Reviews (13)

Add Rating & Review     233 Ratings   5 star values:        82    4 star values:        73    3 star values:        45    2 star values:        28    1 star values:        5       

Add Rating & Review

233 Ratings 5 star values: 82 4 star values: 73 3 star values: 45 2 star values: 28 1 star values: 5

233 Ratings 5 star values: 82 4 star values: 73 3 star values: 45 2 star values: 28 1 star values: 5

233 Ratings 5 star values: 82 4 star values: 73 3 star values: 45 2 star values: 28 1 star values: 5

  • 5 star values: 82 4 star values: 73 3 star values: 45 2 star values: 28 1 star values: 5

    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: 4.0 stars       02/10/2020   Very nice recipe. I had to use 1 pound of pasta otherwise it was pretty much all cheese. I substituted a few shakes of Tabasco for the cayenne and dry mustard for Dijon. Omitted Worcestershire.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/28/2017   Martha,you have beautiful recipes, but I have to count my calorie, would like to see that in your recipes, who can just eat this day & age not counting something?  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       08/13/2014   Very bland and turned into more of a Mac and cheese soup than pasta (do NOT need 4 cups of milk!!) Dissapointed and now I have TONS of leftovers. :(  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       03/25/2012   i was looking for something to replace the box that the little ones like. For me this just did not work. It was creamy but very bland and the dijon was overpowering.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       02/24/2012   This was quite nice. Perhaps not my all-time favourite mac and cheese...I think I missed baking it with a crumb topping. But it was very creamy and I liked the added flavour of the worcestershire, Dijon, and cayenne. I found the cooking times a bit off...there was no way I would have cooked the flour and butter for 5 min..more like one minute. And didnt' need as much time to simmer the sauce either.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       09/13/2011   My NEWall time favorite mac and cheese. I do not use Worcestershire and use a sharp English Cheddar from Costco. If you want the crunch, put it under the broiler before serving. Thanks Martha. Estee's Mom  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       10/07/2010   This was a delicious recipe for a rainy day! I loved it with a little grated cheddar for a garnish :)  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       07/20/2010   Very good but very thin sauce. I only used 2 cups of milk and that really helped. I wasn't sure how the mustard and worcestershire sauce would taste in a mac  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       07/19/2010   I make this a lot, but instead of just using Cheddar, I go to the deli counter and ask for the cheese ends. I use a mixture of cheeses, and it always comes out great... although never comes out the same way twice. Saves a couple of bucks, too. And the kids really love it when we're lucky enough to get the stringy mozzarella or provolone :-)  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       07/19/2010   How about adding a frozen package of squash to this mac and cheese to add more vegetables to your meal. It will add more yellow and it is absolutely delicious! Now one of my favorite comfort foods.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       06/14/2010   This was my first attempt at homemade Mac and Cheese and I thought it was yummy! I like like texture, since it is a cheese sauce. I've seen baked versions of Mac and cheese and they always look dry. I thought this tasted better the next day as leftovers which is always a plus for me! I didn't even use a fancy cheese... just a pre-shredded bag from the store and still tasted great and was smooth and creamy! Would probably be even better with a high quality cheese.  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       05/14/2010   This is a FANTASTIC recipe. We have used other cheese blends, like feta, and oh man, let me tell you...  
    
    Martha Stewart Member     Rating: Unrated       03/17/2010   This is yummy as long as you use a good cheddar that has a high moisture content and melts really nice. I whisked in the cheese while it was on the burner and had no problem.  
    

    Martha Stewart Member

    Rating: 4.0 stars 02/10/2020

Very nice recipe. I had to use 1 pound of pasta otherwise it was pretty much all cheese. I substituted a few shakes of Tabasco for the cayenne and dry mustard for Dijon. Omitted Worcestershire.

Rating: 4.0 stars

Rating: Unrated 02/28/2017

Martha,you have beautiful recipes, but I have to count my calorie, would like to see that in your recipes, who can just eat this day & age not counting something?

Rating: Unrated

Rating: Unrated 08/13/2014

Very bland and turned into more of a Mac and cheese soup than pasta (do NOT need 4 cups of milk!!) Dissapointed and now I have TONS of leftovers. :(

Rating: Unrated 03/25/2012

i was looking for something to replace the box that the little ones like. For me this just did not work. It was creamy but very bland and the dijon was overpowering.

Rating: Unrated 02/24/2012

This was quite nice. Perhaps not my all-time favourite mac and cheese…I think I missed baking it with a crumb topping. But it was very creamy and I liked the added flavour of the worcestershire, Dijon, and cayenne. I found the cooking times a bit off…there was no way I would have cooked the flour and butter for 5 min..more like one minute. And didnt’ need as much time to simmer the sauce either.

Rating: Unrated 09/13/2011

My NEWall time favorite mac and cheese. I do not use Worcestershire and use a sharp English Cheddar from Costco. If you want the crunch, put it under the broiler before serving. Thanks Martha. Estee’s Mom

Rating: Unrated 10/07/2010

This was a delicious recipe for a rainy day! I loved it with a little grated cheddar for a garnish :)

Rating: Unrated 07/20/2010

Very good but very thin sauce. I only used 2 cups of milk and that really helped. I wasn’t sure how the mustard and worcestershire sauce would taste in a mac

Rating: Unrated 07/19/2010

I make this a lot, but instead of just using Cheddar, I go to the deli counter and ask for the cheese ends. I use a mixture of cheeses, and it always comes out great… although never comes out the same way twice. Saves a couple of bucks, too. And the kids really love it when we’re lucky enough to get the stringy mozzarella or provolone :-)

How about adding a frozen package of squash to this mac and cheese to add more vegetables to your meal. It will add more yellow and it is absolutely delicious! Now one of my favorite comfort foods.

Rating: Unrated 06/14/2010

This was my first attempt at homemade Mac and Cheese and I thought it was yummy! I like like texture, since it is a cheese sauce. I’ve seen baked versions of Mac and cheese and they always look dry. I thought this tasted better the next day as leftovers which is always a plus for me! I didn’t even use a fancy cheese… just a pre-shredded bag from the store and still tasted great and was smooth and creamy! Would probably be even better with a high quality cheese.

Rating: Unrated 05/14/2010

This is a FANTASTIC recipe. We have used other cheese blends, like feta, and oh man, let me tell you…

Rating: Unrated 03/17/2010

This is yummy as long as you use a good cheddar that has a high moisture content and melts really nice. I whisked in the cheese while it was on the burner and had no problem.

All Reviews for Stovetop Mac and Cheese

  • of Reviews Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

All Reviews for Stovetop Mac and Cheese

  • of Reviews

    Reviews: Most Helpful Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful     Most Positive     Least Positive     Newest