• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Elke Living

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Side Items
    • Salads
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Dinner Ideas
    • Vegetarian
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Vegan
  • Holiday Dishes
  • Health & Wellness
  • Privacy Policy

Skillet Macaroni & Cheese

November 24, 2020 by elkeliving Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

skillet macaroni and cheese

With only a few weeks left in winter, I wanted to share with you some good old comfort food. I mean, let’s face it, who doesn’t like a creamy cheesy pasta dish, with a perfectly browned crusty topping, and garnished with fresh herb? Here it is…. Skillet Macaroni & Cheese!

cheese

I have to admit, I was once the mom who bought boxed macaroni and cheese, (don’t tell anyone, but every once in awhile, if I know it’s going to be a busy week, I’ll grab a box of Annie’s.)  We all are too familiar with that weird pack of powdered cheese that it comes with. Then there are the fancier boxes with the packet of squeeze cheese….. what is that really? I knew I couldn’t give up on mac & cheese completely or my middle daughter would be so sad. There was one solution, make it! It’s so yummy homemade!

 

making mac and cheese

If you have ever made homemade, it’s hard to go back, it’s just sooooo good!

Making mac and cheese

How do store brands compare?

They don’t!! Most of the popular brands have GMO’s, added synthetic vitamins, and possible MSG. We can eliminate these things by buying good quality ingredients, and organic when possible. I try to avoid pre-boxed foods that aren’t processed!

skillet macaroni and cheese

Making the roux

This is the key to making a creamy delicious macaroni and cheese! It’s super easy to make and its the perfect way to melt all that shredded cheese! A roux is a simple mix of butter, flour, and milk all whisked together until it creates a bubbly, creamy, goodness. Make sure not to skip this step!

skillet macaroni and cheese

Don’t skip the breadcrumbs

You might be tempted to skip the breadcrumb topping, but I promise this makes this mac and cheese spectacular! I like to use Italian panko breadcrumbs and just heat them up with a little butter. They make this macaroni dish so delicious and give that little bit of crunch

skillet macaroni and cheese

If you have never made homemade macaroni and cheese, you should defiantly give this a try….You won’t be sorry, and your family will thank you for it.

For other pasta recipes check out:

Brown butter and sage pasta!

Pasta Primavera

No-Bake Spinach Stuffed Shells

 

skillet macaroni and cheese

skillet macaroni and cheese
Print Recipe

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is comfort food at its finest. Nothing beats homemade!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade macaroni and cheese, skillet macaroni and cheese, skillet macaroni and cheese recipe
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Macaroni

  • 1 box elbow macaroni (1 lb)
  • 2-½ teaspoon sea salt for water
  • 4-6 quarts of water

Cheese Sauce

  • 6 tablespoon real butter
  • 6 tablespoon unbleached flour
  • 3 cups of whole milk
  • ¾ cup half-n-half
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt or pink salt add more salt if needed
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper add more if needed for taste
  • A couple dashes of nutmeg only if you are using the white cheese that is suggested.
  • 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
  • 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

Topping

  • 1-½ cups bread crumbs Italian panko is what I used. If using plain panko add some salt and pepper.
  • 4 tablespoon real butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for topping and 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Grate cheese and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil.
  • Boil pasta according to directions on box decreasing the time by about 2 min to assure you pasta is slightly undercooked.
  • Strain pasta, and return to the pot.
  • In a small skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoon butter and bread crumbs.
  • Stir for 2-3 minutes.
  • Turn off heat stir in 1 tablespoon fresh parsley. Set aside.
  • In your cast iron skillet over medium heat melt the 6 tablespoon of butter until bubbly.
  • Whisk in flour and until completely incorporated.
  • Whisk in milk and half-n-half.
  • Continue to stir until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly.
  • Once mixture is thick, lower heat, and stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  • Stir in cheese until melted.
  • Pour cheese mix over strained pasta, and mix well.
  • Pour back into Iron skillet.
  • Sprinkle bread crumb topping on.
  • Place in oven for 20-25 minutes.
  • When it's finished baking, I like to place under broiler on hi for 2-3 min.
  • When it comes out of the oven, garnish with remanding fresh parsley.

Notes

If you would like to make this with cheddar cheese eliminate the nutmeg.

 

Elke is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Clicking on an Amazon link from http://www.quadcoptercloud.com/ does not increase the cost of any item you purchase.

We will only ever link to Amazon products that we think our visitors may be interested in and appreciate learning more about.

http://www.quadcoptercloud.com/ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Clicking on an Amazon link from http://www.quadcoptercloud.com/ does not increase the cost of any item you purchase.

We will only ever link to Amazon products that we think our visitors may be interested in and appreciate learning more about.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
« Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes
Pumpkin Spice Muffins »

Filed Under: Holiday Dishes, Side Items, Vegetarian Tagged With: holiday dishes, Side Items, Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search

Thank you for stopping by!

Hi! Nice to meet you and welcome to my site! I hope you find recipes that will make eating healthier a little simpler!

Footer

Instagram

[instagram-feed]

Thank you for visiting my site!

Hi, my name is Elke, thanks for visiting my page! I hope that you find recipes that make eating healthier and clean a bit easier! Read More…

Health & Wellness

immunity juice

Immunity Juice

homemade ghee

Homemade Ghee

See More;

Desserts

healthy apple crumble

Healthy Apple Crumble

This no-churn peaches and cream ice cream will capture the essence of summer with fresh peaches and vanilla!

Peaches and Cream Ice Cream

See More;

Vegan

coconut curry lentil soup

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

strawberry almond milk

Strawberry Almond Milk

See More;

Breakfast

breakfast protein bowls

Breakfast Protein Bowls

pesto breakfast toast

Pesto Breakfast Toast

See More;

Holiday Dishes

Cherry almond biscotti

Cherry Almond Biscotti

pull apart bread

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

See More;

Dinner ideas

elkes potato soup

Creamy Potato Soup

Chipotle beer chili

Chipotle Beer Chili

See More;

Copyright © 2023 Elke Living on the Foodie Pro Theme