Crockpot Velveeta Mac And Cheese
Making Al Dente Macaroni
Aside from following the instructions listed on the pastas packaging, you can figure out whether a pasta is truly al dente by tasting it as it cooks. You will know a pasta is completely al dente when you feel a firm but soft consistency when you try biting the pasta.
Another thing you can check for when cooking pasta, is the color of the pasta itself. A truly al dente pasta should have an even color all throughout. You can check this by simply slicing a piece of pasta in half, and checking whether its insides have the same color as its outside.
All done!
Did you like the mac and cheese you ended up with? I hope you had a great and easy time cooking this dish as much as I did. You can use this recipe if you are preparing for a childrens party, or if you are trying to impress a date, or if youre simple craving for a cheesy dish of mac and cheese.
If you would like to read more cooking tutorials like Can You Freeze Parmesan Cheese?, or how to make chicken alfredo sauce?, kindly leave us your feedback in the comment box below. If you like this article, please feel free to share this with your friends and family. Until next time, enjoy!
Also Check: How To Get Out Tomato Sauce Stains
Easy Homemade Mac And Cheese
This Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe is made with 8 ingredients in 15 minutes on the stovetop ! Time to ditch the boxed mac and cheese for this irresistibly creamy, smooth & cheesy homemade recipe!
I have six kids and a husband with a taste palate of a 12-year-old-boy, which means we eat a lot of mac and cheese in our house. A lot of mac and cheese.
So naturally I created this easy homemade mac and cheese recipe so that we could consume less of the boxed varieties. Because I really care about feeding my family healthy meals that they actually enjoy! And did I mention that they love mac and cheese?!
Once you taste this homemade mac and cheese you and your family will say “goodbye” to powdered cheese forever, and say “hello” to this creamy dreamy real-cheese version again and again!
This homemade mac and cheese recipe is made with only 8 ingredients in 15 minutes! That’s the same amount of time it takes to make the boxed varieties, but with no preservatives or artificial ingredients!
Read Also: Chick Fil A Sauces Honey Bbq
Instant Pot Velveeta Mac And Cheese
Make Creamy Mac And Cheese Like A Pro
Your loved ones shouldnt have to settle for less either. At least from you. Because this BBQ/Potluck season, youre NOT going to be that guy who brings a crock-pot full of easy mac to the gathering.
Ive done the homework for you on this one learning about different types of cheese, the construction of the perfect bechamel, and what type of noodle to use. After much debate, I finally decided to try a recipe from the ladies behind Homeroom restaurant, an Oakland, CA eatery devoted entirely to macaroni and cheese.
This is quite simply the best macaroni and cheese recipe Ive ever made. It is so full of supremely creamy, rich, cheddary noodles that it is sure to be your go-to mac and cheese recipe. This is the recipe I take to family reunions, the one I make on cold nights when Im craving comfort food, and the one I serve alongside Air Fryer Hot Dogs and Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches.
Ive included all the tips from the Homeroom Restaurant below, so you can make amazing creamy mac and cheese at home!
Read Also: Hot Ones Monthly Box
Ingredients In Homemade Mac And Cheese
- Butter and Flour These are the base of the roux, which is used to thicken the sauce.
- Milk and/or Half and Half You can make this mac and cheese with all whole milk, all half and half, or a blend of the two. I usually use a blend of two.
- Seasonings Keep it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder, and a hint of cayenne.
- Cheese The most important part! I use a blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Pick an aged cheddar for the most flavor. Of course, you can also experiment with your favorite cheeses. Try subbing some of the cheddar for American cheese for a more classic blue box style mac. Or try Gruyere, provolone or fontina!
- PastaUse hearty macaroni noodles , and cook them in salted water for the best flavor.
Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese
I get asked that a lot and my answer is always no. As the pasta and cheese sauce sit, it will thicken and when you thaw it and bake it, the creamy consistency is just gone. Its thick and gloppy. Plus if you freeze it and its still a bit warm, water crystals will form and then thaw into your dish and could make it separate when you bake it. Besides, its so fast to make, theres not really a reason to freeze your macaroni and cheese.
Also Check: Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Tips To Follow When Making Creamy Mac And Cheese
This easy mac and cheese is creamy and loaded with cheese, it is very essential not to overcook the pasta. when boiling the pasta make sure to undercook it as it will be cooked again in the oven, if you overcook the pasta, what happens is that it will turn into a stodgy mess and the texture will be way off.
How Long Does Homemade Velveeta Last
This homemade Velveeta dip will last up to a week in the refrigerator. If you like to make extra dip so you can send it in a lunchbox or have it as a companion for veggies throughout the week, cool it in a glass loaf pan and refrigerate it for a week.
You can also cool and refrigerate or freeze in 1-cup microwave-safe containers if you want smaller servings of the sauce. Reheat, both the loaf pan or 1-cup portions, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.
Dont Miss: What Is Freddys Sauce Made Of
Read Also: Modern Gourmet Foods Hot Sauce
What Kind Of Cheese Is Best For Mac And Cheese
Cheddar is probably the most popular cheese for macaroni and cheese and sharp cheddar provides the most pronounced flavor. But if you want to experiment outside of the confines of cheddar, there are a ton of other cheeses that are great in macaroni and cheese! You can use one or a combination of cheeses to make your mac and cheese your own.
Here are some other cheeses that work great with macaroni and cheese:
- Parmesan
- Monterey jack or pepper jack
Making Instant Pot Mac And Cheese Ahead Of Time
Some recipes are great, and even better, when made ahead but mac and cheese just isnt one of them.
As the pasta sits, it absorbs more and more of the sauce, making the mac and cheese dry, and the noodles mushy.
In my opinion, this is a recipe that just tastes the best when made right before you eat it.
Also Check: Shrimp Alfredo With Ragu Alfredo Sauce
Mac And Cheese Sauce Versatility
Love this sauce and want to mix things up? Here are some ideas on how to repurpose this sauce for something other than mac!
Use on any noodle all out of macaroni noodles? You can literally use 1 lb. of any noodle under the sun!
Nachos we love using this sauce on top of nachos. Think loaded nachos with all the fixings + this cheese sauce.
Burgers/Sandwiches how good would this easy mac and cheese sauce be on top of a burger or sandwich?! Im drooling.
Chili Mac and Cheese mix this cheese sauce with 1 lb. of noodles and a batch of homemade beef chili for some chili mac! Check out our sister sites Chili Mac and Cheese recipe!
Dip when I dip you dip we dip. Grab your favorite tortilla chip and dip away!
More of our Favorite
What To Do With Leftover Mac And Cheese
Despite being mac and cheeses #1 fan, Ive never really loved the leftovers. Heating it in the microwave always left it clumpy and drynot my scene.
If youre still hankering for a creamy mac, reheat the leftovers on the stove top, adding a few extra splashes of half and half as it warms up. This should keep the sauce from being dry.
You can also pan fry leftovers! Melt some butter in a skillet and add a big scoop of leftover mac and cheese. Flatten it a bit with your spatula and let it brown and crisp on the bottom a bit before flipping and browning the other side. I love this method for those crispy browned bits!
Finally, you can use leftovers to make Fried Mac and Cheese Balls, which are delightful as an appetizer or entree!
Read Also: Tomatoes Cause Gout
Can I Bake This Recipe
At this point of stovetop mac and cheese, you can choose to transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, top with more cheese and other toppings of choice, bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes for a baked mac and cheese. This is another fantastic option. Adding buttered bread crumbs and bacon is another winning option before baking to add a nice crunch. Try adding cooked beef or chicken for more dinner options too.
The Color Of The Cheese Sauce Really Threw Me Off
Up until now, the process had been pretty mundane. But when I opened the sachet of cheese-sauce mix I actually yelped out loud.
The sauce powder was violently orange. More orange than kumquat in a tanning studio, in fact. It also smelt exactly like a brand of cheese puffs we have over here called Wotsits, and I still can’t decide whether this is a good thing or not.
The sauce seemed a little runny when I mixed the powder into the pasta, but the box had an image of a cartoon drip of sauce running off of a spoon, so I was reassured.
You May Like: Texas Pete Hot Wings
The Best Cheeses To Use For Mac And Cheese
The type of cheese you use can make or break your mac and cheese sauce.
Armando Rafael
Take a moment to think about the best mac and cheese youve ever had. Perhaps youd describe it as ooey-gooey, creamy or cheesy. At its worst, mac and cheese is grainy, stringy or greasy. The type of cheese you use can make or break your sauce. But perhaps the name itself is a misnomer. The ideal mac and cheese needs more than one kind of cheese.
When youre cruising down the cheese aisle, two factors to consider are meltability and flavor. Generally, young and processed cheeses melt smoothly but taste bland when theyre mixed with a few pounds of pasta. Aged and funky blocks are tricky melters but add a lot of complex cheese flavor to the dish. This dichotomy explains why mac and cheese recipes often call for not one, but several types of cheese.
But there is one go-to that you’ll almost always see. An overview of Food Networks mac and cheese roundup reveals that most recipes have one type of cheese in common: sharp Cheddar. Sharp Cheddar especially the inexpensive, mass-market block you can buy at the supermarket strikes just the right balance between meltability and flavor. Consider it your base cheese. If you dont want to buy three different types of cheese and rack up the grocery bill, its completely fine to use Cheddar on its own. Just stay away from the pre-shredded kind, which often contains additives like cornstarch that interfere with silky melting.
Velveeta Cheese Creamy Baked Mac And Cheese
Easiest way to cook tasty velveeta cheese creamy baked mac and cheese. Spring into jill martins birthday bonus with beauty and fashion up to 82% off sections show more follow today baking directions: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling.
Cookistry: Mac and Cheese in a cast iron pan cook it on from 4.bp.blogspot.com
Youll love the ease of this tasty dish. Cook 11 minutes, or as per package directions. This baked macaroni and cheese recipe is creamy and flavorful Drain, and return to the pot. While the pasta cooks, melt 4 tbs. Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions. It is topped with buttery croissant crumbs, adding a crispy finish. You can toss your other tuna casserole recipes, cause this ones the ultimate!
Read Also: Texas Pete Wing Recipe
Stir In A Tablespoon Of Cream Cheese For A Smooth Texture And Flavorful Zing
To lend a creamier texture and a hint of acidity to your boxed mac and cheese, look no farther than cream cheese.
Start by adding one tablespoon of cream cheese, says founder and food blogger Michelle Adenle of My Morning Mocha. Stir until its incorporated into the sauce and macaroni. If the single tablespoon gets you the thicker and richer mac and cheese you crave, feel free to stop there. But if you want even more cheesiness, go ahead and add another tablespoon.
Read Also: How To Make Freddys Fry Sauce
Tips For The Best Mac & Cheese
-
Freshly grated cheese dont use pre shredded. They have anti caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
-
No bloated overcooked pasta Cool macaroni slightly and lightly coat in butter. This stops the macaroni from absorbing more liquid while baking, resulting in bloated overcooked pasta and less sauce.
-
To avoid lumps in your sauce, stir constantly as you slowly pour the milk in and keep stirring once the milk is all added. If necessary, switch to a switch to get rid of stubborn little lumps!
-
Plenty of sauce Because I like my Mac and Cheese saucy, not dried up so you can cut it like cake!
-
Can you make Mac and Cheese ahead of time? Most recipes are not suitable for making ahead, but this recipe is! The best way is to cool pasta then toss with sauce and adding breadcrumb topping. Cool, refrigerate or freeze then bake on the day of .
-
How long can Mac and Cheese stay in the fridge? Unlike most, this Macaroni Cheese recipe is good for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Most Mac and Cheese will not keep well because theres not enough sauce so it gets absorbed by the pasta and youre left with dry, sauceless pasta.
-
Freezing? Yes! Assemble, cool, do not bake, just freeze it. Thaw then on the day of, bake per Note 5 in the recipe.
-
Add ins? This recipe is great as it is, but theres tons of add-in options. Add shredded chicken, sautéed onion and bell peppers/capsicum, bacon, hot sauce , dried herbs of choice.
Also Check: Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe
To Bake Or Not To Bake:
You dont have to bake the mac and cheese in this recipe. Everything gets fully cooked and is essentially ready to eat after the cheese and noodles are added. However, I love the extra gooeyness that comes when the cheese is baked and I think baking it adds a level of sophistication you just dont get without.
Whats The Difference Between Manwich And Sloppy Joes
Technically Manwich is a pre-made sauce thats used to make sloppy joes. Im not sure exactly whats in it, and have never tried it myself, so I cant say that my recipe tastes similar or not. Manwich is marketed as a easy way to make sloppy joes but in reality, homemade sloppy joes are JUST as easy to make!
You May Like: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce
I Didn’t Have High Expectations And I Thought The Pasta Was Ok
Look, I know this is instant mac and cheese so I didn’t go in with high expectations.
I thought it was very OK nothing more, nothing less. Oddly, there was a creeping sweetness to the whole thing, even though sugar was not on the ingredients list.
And sure, it was cheesy, but not in a blow-your-socks-off kind of way.
It could’ve used some black pepper or a teaspoon of mustard to cut through the one-dimensional creaminess, but I wanted to have the authentic experience so I refrained from putting my own spin on things this time.
And although I’m lucky enough to have a full set of decent teeth, I wasn’t required to use them, as the dish was very spoonable and soft.
Of course, it’s completely acceptable as a foodstuff we still ate the lot but the word that springs to mind after eating a bowlful is “lackluster.”
The Best Cheese For Mac And Cheese
Sharp Cheddar is my first choice for flavor however you can certainly use your favorite cheeses. Mix it up and use a bit of gruyere, or even pepper jack for a little kick. If you have bits of cheese leftover, you can combine them all together in this easy homemade cheese sauce.
This recipe has a special ingredient that is a little bit unconventional but makes it extra yummy AND it is optional. The addition of cheddar cheese soup makes the sauce a little bit extra velvety and just adds a little something. I think its much better than Mac and cheese with Velveeta! Give it a try! .
Recommended Reading: Chick Fil A Sauce Honey Roasted Bbq
