Description
This Creamiest White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is a delightful comfort food made with tender pasta shells and a smooth, cheesy sauce. It’s quick to prepare and perfect for weeknight dinners, delivering irresistible flavor that’s sure to please everyone!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. small or medium pasta shells
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups 2% milk
- 3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the uncooked shells and kosher salt, stirring to combine.
- Cook the pasta until al dente as per the package instructions.
- Strain the noodles and set aside.
- In a separate large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium/high heat to make a roux.
- Add the flour, whisking until it forms a crumble with the butter.
- Gradually add the milk while whisking continuously. Keep whisking over medium/high heat until the roux thickens, approximately 4-6 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and mix in the cheddar cheese, whisking until melted.
- Stir in the granulated garlic, salt, and additional pepper to the cheese sauce.
- Combine the cooked pasta shells with the cheese sauce, mixing until fully coated.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding cooked bacon or herbs of your choice to the cheese sauce.
Ensure not to overcook the pasta to keep the perfect al dente texture before mixing it with the sauce.
Serve immediately for the best creamy consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 65mg