Mac and Cheese Recipe That’s Really Easy and Tasty

Mac and Cheese Recipes are pretty simple in general and this one is no exception. It has a few more ingredients and steps that your typical Easy Mac recipe does, but it will make a way better bowl of the stuff. Plus, if it’s just you and someone else eating it as a side dish, you’ll end up having a decent amount left over.

Even if you eat it as a dinner, you still might have some leftovers.

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Here’s What You’ll Need to Make It:

What It IsNameWhere to Buy
CookwareBig potAmazon
CookwareLittle potAmazon
CookwareMesh strainerAmazon
CookwareWooden mixing spoonAmazon
CookwareLarger eating spoonAmazon
CookwareButter knifeAmazon
CookwareKitchen scaleAmazon
CookwarePyrex measuring cupAmazon
Cookware1/4 cup or 3/4 cup measuring cupsAmazon
Cookware1 and 1.5 Tsp measuring spoonsAmazon
CookwareOven Mitts (maybe)Amazon
CookwareLarger plastic bowl or large plastic measuring cupAmazon
CookwareLarge glass dish or bowlAmazon
Ingredient8 ounces of elbow macaroniStore
IngredientSalt to tasteStore
Ingredient1/2 Cup of milk (any kind works, I used almond)Store
Ingredient1 Cup of Cheese total but add as many different kinds to that cup.Store
Ingredient1/4 cup butter, unsaltedStore
Ingredient1 eggStore
IngredientDash of dried oreganoStore
Ingredient3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs for toppingStore
Ingredient1.5 teaspoons olive oilStore

First Step in This Mac and Cheese Recipe

To kick things off, get that big pot.

big red pot for mac and cheese recipe

Fill that up with a good amount of water. Couple quarts at least.

filling a pot of water

Then, set that back on the stove at high heat for this mac and cheese recipe. Get the water boiling or close to boiling before putting the macaroni in there.

pot of water on the stove

Next, get the kitchen scale to weigh out the 8 ounces of macaroni (unless you bought exactly that amount).

kitchen scale

Get your macaroni out. Make sure that it’s elbow, too, for this mac and cheese recipe.

macaroni and a scale

Get the bowl or measuring cup to set on the scale.

Fill it up until the scale shows 8 ounces.

elbows being measured for mac and cheese recipe

After that, wait until your pot of water is boiling to put the macaroni in.

Pour it in there. Now this mac and cheese recipe is really starting to heat up.

mac and cheese recipe

Get your salt.

salt for mac and cheese recipe

Throw in a pinch. It’s just to taste, so you don’t need to be measuring out a big tablespoon or anything like that.

Now, get a wooden mixing spoon for this mac and cheese recipe.

wooden spoon for mac and cheese recipe

Mix around the elbow macaroni periodically or it will get stuck to the bottom of the pot. Mine was sticking already right after I poured it in, so be careful.

mac and cheese recipe

While that’s boiling, grab your milk. Yea, I know, I probably should have gone with 2% or something. I had plenty of almond and not much else, so I went with this. It was unsweetened so I figured it would work just as well and not mess up the taste.

almond milk for mac and cheese

Get A Pyrex for this Mac and Cheese Recipe

Pyrex

Measure out half a cup of milk.

half a cup of milk

Then, get a little pot. Mine could hold about 2 cups so it was perfect. Any pot really works, but you only need a small one.

Turn the burner to low and pour the milk in for this mac and cheese recipe.

pouring milk for mac and cheese recipe

After that, double check that it’s on low. You don’t want to accidentally start boiling the milk.

Now is a great time to stir the elbow macaroni again.

stirring elbow macaroni for mac and cheese recipe

That can really stick to the bottom of the pan, so just keep an eye on it. After that, get the scale again.

kitchen scale for mac and cheese recipe

You need to measure out the cheese, so grab that.

Cheddar Jack cheese for mac and cheese recipe

I feel like I cheated a little bit since I just bought cheddar jack instead of mixing different cheeses myself. That worked out find, though.

measuring cheese

Using that same container or bowl that you measured the pasta with, measure out 4 ounces of cheese.

Dumping cheese into milk

Following that, get a big spoon. Something bigger than a spoon for eating but not a gigantic one.

big spoon

Use the big spoon to mix the cheese and milk mixture around.

mixing cheese for mac and cheese recipe

It will take its time to melt. While that’s melting, check on the elbows again for this mac and cheese recipe. Scoop one or two out of the water to check and see if they are soft yet. If they are, it’s time to drain it.

testing pasta consistency

Before you do that, don’t forget to mix the cheese every minute or so. Otherwise, it will get a gross cheese skin on top.

Next, turn off the burner for the elbow macaroni. If you don’t want to turn it off, turn it down all the way.

Then, get your mesh strainer.

mesh strainer for mac and cheese recipe

You may need oven mitts if you used a pot like the one that I did.

straining elbow macaroni for mac and cheese

While that’s draining, get a stick of butter and a butter knife.

butter and a knife

Cut 1/4 cup of butter. If you don’t have a wrapper with measurements, just use the scale to measure out 2 ounces of it.

4 tablespoons of butter

Once you have that measured out, drop it into the pot.

butter in a pot

Let that melt a little bit before throwing the pasta back in with it for this mac and cheese recipe.

mac and cheese recipe

Dump the elbow macaroni and mix everything around really well. Get it all coated and buttery.

mixing a mac and cheese recipe

Then, let’s revisit the cheese for this mac and cheese recipe

Stir that around a little bit more and get ready to dump the melty goodness all up in that elbow macaroni.

cheese

But first, grab an egg.

egg

Crack the egg into the elbow macaroni. You heard that right, just go with it.

egg in mac and cheese recipe

Mix that around really well. Following the egg, get your olive oil.

olive oil

Get your measuring spoons.

Measure out 1.5 teaspoons of that olive oil and dump it into the pasta.

A little more or less probably won’t hurt the mac and cheese recipe.

Now it’s time to get the cheese ready. Mix away any skin that’s accumulated in the last few minutes.

melted cheese

Take the cheese and start pouring it as evenly as you can on the elbow mac.

pouring cheese for mac and cheese recipe

Stir that around really well once it’s all in there. Then, get your oregano for this mac and cheese recipe.

oregano

Sprinkle some oregano in while you continue mixing it.

sprinkling oregano

Mix that around really well.

Grab a big bowl or dish that can fit the mac and cheese.

glass bowl

Pour it all in there, spreading it out evenly. This mac and cheese recipe really looks good!

mac and cheese recipe

Then, get your panko.

Panko for mac and cheese recipe

Measure out 3/4 cup of that and spread it evenly over the top of the mac and cheese for a nice crust.

Spread it out as evenly as you can.

spreading panko for mac and cheese recipe

Your finished product should look a little something like this below:

mac and cheese recipe finished

Once it’s done, you can serve it up right away or put some in the fridge/freezer for later, up to you!

Note card Version of the Mac and Cheese Recipe

Mac and Cheese Recipe That's Really Easy and Tasty

Recipe by BobCourse: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces of elbow macaroni

  • Salt to taste

  • 1/2 Cup of milk (any kind works, I used almond)

  • 1 Cup of Cheese

  • 1/4 cup butter, unsalted

  • 1 egg

  • Dash of dried oregano

  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs for topping

  • 1.5 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

  • Boil water in a big pot and put in 8 ounces of elbow macaroni. Add salt to taste. Mix with a wooden spoon periodically.
  • Measure half a cup of milk and pour it into a smaller saucepan. Add 1 cup of cheese to that pan as well. Simmer on low heat, mixing occasionally with a large spoon.
  • Once the elbow macaroni is soft, turn off the heat and dump it in a mesh strainer. Throw 1/4 cup butter in the pot so it starts melting.
  • Once the butter is about half melted, throw the elbow macaroni back in there and stir it around really well. Then, crack an egg in, mix that around well, and pour in your 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil. Mix everything well.
  • Pour your melted cheese in and mix that around really well. Then, add a few shakes of oregano.
  • Mix and pour that out into a big bowl or dish for serving. Then, sprinkle the 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs and spread those evenly over the mac and cheese.
  • Serve and enjoy.

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