From béchamel sauce to cheese selection and pasta shapes, this guide walks through everything you need to make homemade macaroni and cheese from scratch.

Homemade macaroni and cheese variations including lobster, goat cheese, French-style, and stovetop cottage cheese for a homemade mac and cheese guide.

Macaroni and Cheese at a Glance

  • Foundation: Pasta + béchamel sauce + cheese
  • Best Pasta Shapes: Elbows, cavatappi, shells, pipette, mini farfalle
  • Best Melting Cheeses: Fontina, Gruyère, Gouda, cheddar, Havarti, Monterey Jack
  • For Creamiest Results: Use whole milk and grate cheese fresh
  • Stovetop Style: Softer, creamier texture
  • Baked Style: Firmer texture with crisp topping

The Secret to Better Homemade Mac and Cheese

Homemade macaroni and cheese starts with a simple formula: pasta, béchamel sauce, and cheese. Once you understand how those three elements work together, it’s easy to create everything from creamy stovetop versions to baked casseroles with crisp toppings and more complex flavor combinations.

This guide walks through the basic techniques for making macaroni and cheese from scratch, including how to choose the right pasta and cheeses, how to build a smooth sauce, and when to bake versus serve straight from the stovetop. We’ve also included some of our favorite variations, from French-inspired baked macaroni and cheese to rich stovetop lobster mac and cheese.

Choosing the Right Ingredients

Creamy, flavorful mac and cheese starts with thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Here are the guidelines you’ll want to follow.

Ingredients for béchamel sauce including butter, flour, whole milk, and a whisk for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Use Whole Milk and Real Butter

Full-fat dairy produces a smoother, creamier sauce that’s less likely to separate. Whole milk and unsalted butter yield the best results.

Different pasta shapes including cavatappi, mini farfalle, ridged elbows, pipette, and small shells for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Pick Pasta That Holds the Sauce

Small pasta shapes with ridges or curves hold cheese sauce especially well. Elbows, pipette, cavatappi, mini farfalle, and shells are all great choices.

Selection of cheeses including Brie, Gruyère, Asiago, and fontina for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Choose Smooth-Melting Cheeses

Some cheeses melt better than others. Fontina, Gruyère, Gouda, Havarti, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Muenster, and cheddar all produce smooth, flavorful sauces when freshly grated.

Tip: Keep cheese cold until you’re ready to grate it and avoid pre-shredded cheese. Their anti-caking agents can interfere with melting and lead to a grainy sauce.

Start with Béchamel Sauce

The foundation of homemade macaroni and cheese is béchamel, one of the classic French “mother sauces.” It’s made by cooking butter and flour together to form a roux, then whisking in warm milk to create a smooth, creamy sauce.

Flour being added to melted butter to make a roux for homemade macaroni and cheese.
Butter and flour being stirred together to form a roux for homemade macaroni and cheese sauce.
Smooth blond roux cooked for béchamel sauce in homemade macaroni and cheese.
Smooth béchamel sauce thickened and ready for cheese in homemade macaroni and cheese.

The ratio of butter, flour, and milk determines the consistency of the finished sauce, and warming the milk before adding it helps everything blend more evenly. Once the béchamel thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, the cheese is added to create what’s technically called a Mornay sauce.

Print our formula FOR homemade mac & cheese

The Basic Macaroni and Cheese Formula

This formula works for both baked and stovetop macaroni and cheese and can easily be adapted with different cheeses, toppings, and add-ins.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound pasta
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3-3/4 cups whole milk
  • 12 to 14 ounces cheese (up to 4 varieties)
Coarsely grated cheese being stirred into bechamel for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Method

  1. Cook the pasta until al dente and set aside.
  2. Make a roux with butter and flour.
  3. Whisk in warm milk and cook until smooth and thickened.
  4. Stir in the cheese until fully melted.
  5. Add the pasta and any additional ingredients.
  6. Serve immediately for stovetop macaroni and cheese or transfer to a baking dish and bake until bubbly and lightly browned.
PRINT THIS RECIPE

Tips for Smooth, Creamy Mac and Cheese

  • Cook pasta just to al dente, especially for baked versions.
  • Warm the milk before adding it to the roux for a smoother sauce.
  • Grate the cheese just before using for best texture.
  • Add cheese gradually over low heat to prevent separation.
  • Let baked macaroni and cheese rest briefly before serving so the sauce can settle.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipes

Stovetop macaroni and cheese stays softer and creamier because the sauce never goes into the oven. This style works particularly well with softer cheeses like mascarpone, Brie, cottage cheese, and fresh mozzarella.

Stovetop lobster mac and cheese with tender lobster, pasta, Gruyère, and mascarpone in a velvety sauce that highlights the seafood flavor.

Creamy Stovetop Lobster Mac and Cheese

A special occasion macaroni and cheese with tender lobster, Gruyère, mascarpone, and fresh chives.
GET THE RECIPE
A single serving of cottage cheese mac and cheese with fontina in a white bowl.

Cottage Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Fontina

A creamy stovetop version of macaroni and cheese made with fontina, blended cottage cheese, and white wine.
GET THE RECIPE

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

Baked macaroni and cheese develops a firmer texture and often includes a toasted breadcrumb topping for contrast. Cheeses like fontina, Gruyère, Gouda, and cheddar hold up especially well in baked casseroles.

French macaroni and cheese casserole with crisp panko topping and creamy cheese sauce being served from baking dish.

French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

A baked French-inspired version made with three types of French cheese, ham, and herbes de Provence.
GET THE RECIPE
Goat cheese and sun-dried tomato mac and cheese with garlic breadcrumb topping in a white baking dish.

Goat Cheese Mac and Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Tangy goat cheese, fontina, sun-dried tomatoes, and chives finished with a crisp breadcrumb topping.
GET THE RECIPE
Baked Truffle Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Truffle Mac and Cheese

Fontina, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, truffle oil, and truffle salt create an earthy, rich baked casserole.
GET THE RECIPE

Once you understand the basic formula, homemade macaroni and cheese becomes endlessly adaptable. Whether you prefer a creamy stovetop version or a crisp-topped baked casserole, experimenting with different cheeses, pasta shapes, and add-ins is part of the fun.

More From This Category

Lynne Webb and Erika Pitera, creators of MyGourmetConnection in the kitchen, working on a soup recipe for the website.

About Us

We’re Lynne and Erika, a mother-daughter duo passionate about creating recipes that bring flavor and variety to your kitchen in a simple, approachable way.

OUR STORY

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

5 Comments

  2. I’ve followed your “plan” for making mac and cheese twice now, once for a baked version and once for stovetop. It’s easy to do and comes out great. Thanks!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Ellis,
      Glad the mac and cheese directions work out for you. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.

      Reply

  3. I used your instructions and made baked mac and cheese with cheddar and muenster cheese. It was fantastic.5 stars

    Reply