This rich and tangy white cheddar mac and cheese is the slightly sophisticated adult version of a childhood favorite. It’s creamy, cheesy, and has a sharp bite thanks to the Vermont white cheddar. With minimal ingredients and a quick cook time, you’ll love how effortlessly this stovetop mac and cheese comes together.
This recipe was originally written in September 2020. In July 2024, we reworked the post to include an ingredients list, tips for making and storing, pairing recommendations, recipe variations, and a FAQ section to better serve you. We hope you enjoy the updates!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich, creamy consistency without the heaviness of cream.
- Unique sharp, tangy flavor from extra sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese.
- Insanely quick and easy to make, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish!
- One-pot stovetop recipe keeps dishes to a minimum.
- Uses minimal ingredients (just 5, plus seasonings!) that you’ll likely already have on hand.
Ingredients
- Shell Pasta – we love using shell pasta because with their mini cup shape they are the perfect vessel to transport delicious cheese sauce to your mouth.
- White Cheddar – sharp and tangy Vermont white cheddar creates a silky smooth and creamy texture to the sauce. We love Cabot brand extra sharp or seriously sharp white cheddar. Shred cheese to ensure more even melting and a smoother texture.
- Milk – we prefer 2% milk over whole milk or heavy whipping cream mixtures to help reduce the fat content in this mac and cheese, while keeping it plenty rich.
- Butter – we opt for reduced-fat plant-based or olive oil additive butters, like these Country Crock or Land O Lakes options to reduce the saturated fat content (not sponsored!).
- Flour – thickening agent that gives this sauce a rich consistency without the heaviness of cream.
- Seasonings – garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper are simple, flavorful seasonings that bring everything together.
Tips for Making White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Cook the pasta al dente. Once you add the cheddar cheese sauce, the noodles will begin absorbing the liquid and will soften more, so to avoid mushy mac and cheese, drain pasta when it is just tender with no white in the center.
- Thin the cheese sauce with reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick after adding the cheese. Pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles and makes a more cohesive sauce than broth or plain water does.
- Shred the cheddar cheese for a smoother, creamier texture without large cheese lumps. Avoid pre-shredded cheeses, as they often contain a fine powder coating that turns pulpy once the cheese melts and creates a gritty consistency. Instead use blocks and shred it fresh.
- Whisk the flour into the milk before heating to ensure clump-free cheese sauce.
- Stir the cheese sauce regularly to keep the milk from scalding and forming a thin “skin”.
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How to Make Stovetop White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ยฝ cup of pasta water (for thinning, if needed). Drain pasta and set aside.
In the same pasta pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk the flour into the milk until dissolved. Add the milk-flour mixture, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pot and whisk thoroughly to incorporate.
Bring the milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to medium heat. Cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the cheese until melted and well incorporated. Add more salt and pepper, as needed. If the cheese sauce is too thick, thin it with a little bit of the reserved pasta water, until you achieve the desired consistency. Add the shells and stir until the pasta is well coated. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store
Store leftover white cheddar mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, add the desired amount of mac and cheese to a sauce pot. Add a few tablespoons of milk and warm over medium heat. Stir regularly to incorporate the added milk, break up the cheese sauce, and prevent burning. Serve once warmed throughout.
Recipe Variations
- Cheese – while we love white cheddar for this recipe, you can also try classic sharp orange cheddar, Manchego, Gruyรจre, fontina, Gouda, or any other variety or a combination thereof to change things up!
- Toppings – this recipe keeps it simple by topping with black pepper, but top with seasoned breadcrumbs or French fried onions for a nice crunch. We love Pinch of Yum’s golden crispies!
- Method – we use the stovetop method for this recipe because it allows us to dirty just one pot and is insanely quick. However, baked mac and cheese is also delicious in it’s own right. Just note, we have NOT tried this recipe baked, but you can adapt it to your favorite baked recipe and give it a try!
What to Pair with White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Beef or bison – fold in ground hamburger or bison or top with grilled sirloin or flank steak, or smoked brisket or ribs. Try our bison meatballs or air fryer hamburgers.
- Chicken – grilled chicken or chicken skewers are a favorite option, like our chicken burgers, Italian herb chicken, garlic Parmesan chicken skewers, honey garlic chicken skewers, honey mustard chicken, or cilantro lime chicken.
- Turkey – ground turkey, turkey meatballs, turkey burgers are also a great protein option.
- Pork – pork chops or pulled pork are excellent with mac and cheese. Try our smoky air fryer pork chops or Nashville hot honey glazed pork chops.
- Seafood – grilled or pan seared salmon, white fish, shrimp, or lobster are a less common, but equally delicious option. Try our honey garlic shrimp or shrimp chimichurri.
- Veggies – pile a generous helping of grilled or sauted zucchini, summer squash, green beans, broccoli, or asparagus on the side of this mac and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
2% milk or whole milk result in creamier, richer mac and cheese. Be cautious when using lower fat milks, like skim or 1% milk, or plant-based milks, as they tend to result in much thinner sauces and many plant milks have a sweeter taste.
White cheddar is made by the same process as regular cheddar cheese but does not include annatto, an orange-red food coloring used in regular cheddar cheese.
You can either add reserved pasta water or add a little extra milk to thin out the cheese sauce to the desired consistency.
Try out our other pasta dishes
- Avocado pesto pasta
- Lemon pesto pasta
- Greek pasta salad
- Creamy Cajun pasta
- Creamy pesto pasta primavera
Stovetop White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz small shell pasta
- 3 Tbsp reduced-fat butter (we use Country Crock olive oil plant butter or Land O Lakes olive oil butter)
- ยฝ c all-purpose flour
- 3 c 2% milk or other milk
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ยฝ-1 tsp sea salt, adjust to taste
- ยฝ tsp cracked black pepper
- 12 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (we like Cabot extra sharp)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ยฝ cup of pasta water (for thinning, if needed). Drain pasta and set aside.
- In the same pasta pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk the flour into the milk until dissolved. Add the milk-flour mixture, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pot and whisk thoroughly to incorporate.
- Bring the milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to medium heat. Cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the cheese until melted and well incorporated. Add more salt and pepper, as needed. If the cheese sauce is too thick, thin it with a little bit of the reserved pasta water, until you achieve the desired consistency. Add the shells and stir until the pasta is well coated. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I prefer to use vegan or plant-based butters when cooking, rather than classic butter. Vegan/plant-based butters are lower in fat (total and saturated). We use Country Crock olive oil plant butter or Land O Lakes olive oil butter.
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