Three Cheese Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Three cheese stovetop mac and cheese is a real indulgence you can whip up quickly and enjoy by itself or with a simple salad. Thank goodness for a dish even picky eaters will enjoy!
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I’ve had a new mac and cheese on my recipe plan for awhile. My baked macaroni and cheese is my most requested recipe and cooler weather is a great time to throw this super creamy three cheese stovetop mac and cheese version out there.
This one is just as tasty, but doesn’t require baking. Just whip up the cheese sauce and mix in cooked pasta. Easy as that.
What goes well with stovetop mac and cheese?
It’s best to balance the richness and starch of the pasta with lighter dishes, green vegetables or a hearty protein. Try:
- Fried chicken tenders
- Classic stuffed bell peppers
- Homemade meatloaf with brown sugar glaze
- Traditional seven layer salad
There’s even more macaroni and cheese to love! Make these next:
- Spicy baked macaroni and cheese
- Baked mac and cheese with tomatoes
- Fast microwave easy macaroni and cheese
- One pan homemade hamburger helper (hey–it’s almost mac and cheese!)
Creamy Three Cheese Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Super creamy, warm and full of flavor this easy three-cheese macaroni and cheese will be on the table in a flash.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup 2% or whole milk
- 1/2 cup half and half or you can use more whole or 2% milk in its place
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Colby cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes, 1/4 of a block
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Add in the pasta and cook until al dente–check your box for the right time, usually about 10-12 minutes. Don’t overcook it. Set aside and start the sauce.
- In a separate medium saucepan or skillet, melt the butter and add the flour. Cook on medium heat one minute until the flour browns just slightly.
- Add the milk and half and half (if using), and a dash of salt and pepper.
- Cook until thickened and starting to bubble; about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the mustard and stir to combine followed by the cheddar and Colby cheeses.
- Stir until the cheese melts.
- Add the pasta, and toss.
- Add in the cream cheese and stir until the cubes melt and the sauce is completely smooth.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 14gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 276mgPotassium: 191mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 643IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 284mgIron: 1mg
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TY so much for the quick recipe Rachel. When you have 2 noisy and bubbly girls aged 4 & 6, you can’t really spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen (and hearing I’m hungry! 10x). This came out awesome, and even pleased my super picky mac n cheese DAD! ?
I ended up using the sharp, colby and muenster cheeses, but skipped on the cream cheese and used dry mustard instead of dijon. It all came together great and was gone before I knew it. Thanks again!
So glad to hear that Karen! It’s such a relief when you can get a meal on the table that everyone will eat, isn’t it? Yay for you! –Rachel
@Karen (madame prettywig), I am 10 and I love the recipe so much… thinking about making it many more times. P.S i will try that thanks!
SOOo good! Just made it today for a quick lunch for a friend and her toddler! It was creamy and cheesy and perfect! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it DeAnna! Thank you for letting me know and come see me again soon. 🙂 –Rachel
Hi Rachel I need to make a large foil pan of the baked Mac and cheese. Do I double the ingredients. Thank you
Hey Debbie, if you’ve got a 9×13 standard foil pan, I’d probably triple it. I guess it depends on the size of the pan, really. But doubling it may just not be enough so go three times. –Rachel
Hi I’m making you’re stove top mac n cheese. I have a family of 14. Should I use 3 boxes of the elbow? Also would I need more cheese? Thx!
Hey Tajah–sorry I’m late answering this. You won’t want to use three BOXES of pasta. Good gracious. That’s a lot! Instead, you’d want to triple the recipe. It calls for 1 1/2 cups of pasta, so 4 1/2 cups would be triple. Then triple all the other ingredients. That will make a TON of pasta!
Hello there! This looks really yummy. I want to make it for my family but I have a big family. If I want to make it for 12 people do I simply just double the ingredients ? Thanks! Hope to hear from you soon
Hey Karen, Yes, as long as you all are having a few other side dishes, doubling this recipe for 12 should be just fine. I hope you enjoy it! Come back and let me know, okay? –Rachel
Through years of trial and error with my nemesis, Mac & Cheese, this one was perfect and my family loved it. One started “finally, not macaroni soup” and the other replied with “or a flavorless block of cheese with noodles in it.” Goodbye 25 years of incompetent M&C skills (yes, I couldn’t even make it from a box.)
Well Melissa you’ve done it! Congratulations! What a success to finally tackle something you had struggled with before. And I’m with your family…the flavorless cheese and noodles. Bleh. You may also really like my baked version if you ever get an itch to try it. It’s very tasty! Thank you for letting me know and I’m so glad it worked out well for you. 🙂 –Rachel
Slam dunk with my sam!! Very quick to fix wont ever buy a bix again!!
Yay!! No need for a box when you have great homemade options, right Amanda? 🙂
Rachel,
We are catering a party on Saturday for about 40 people. We would love to add this side to our BBQ menu. What we are looking for is a recipe that stays creamy for hours, as it will stay warm in a warming bag in trasportation and then sit in warming trays for about 2 hours. Do you think this recipe could hold up? It looks amazing!
Hey Mallory! I think so, yes. But as with any mac and cheese, the longer it sits the more sauce the pasta will absorb. Nothing will stay totally creamy for hours, but you can add some warm milk to it before serving so it loosens up a bit. It’s still good even if it’s thick. –Rachel
YUM!!! This is my new favorite mac and cheese recipe. So easy on the stovetop, so rich, very tasty. I always make a recipe exactly as written the first time, then I branch out the next time I make it. No need to branch out here at all, except I may use some crunchy topping next time. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you liked it Patty! Feel free to branch out all you want–go for it and you’re very welcome. 🙂 Rachel
I’m having friends over tonight and this is part of my menu. I’m using sharp cheddar, muenster and smoked gouda for my cheeses. Crossing my fingers for a killer mac n cheese, but all reviews are positive so I’m hopeful. I’m very picky when it comes to mac n cheese.
Well Alex? How was it?! I’m pretty picky about my mac and cheese too and sometimes this version feels sort of heavy to me. You should try my original baked version if you get a chance. Let me know how it went! –Rachel
This is a great quick version of the popular baked version.
Hi! Just wanted to let anyone who is maybe wondering know that I just made this with gluten free Barilla elbow noodles and gluten free flour and it is definitely my new favorite Mac and cheese recipe! I used a sharp white cheddar for some extra tang and added a dash of nutmeg. It turned out delish – my gluten-eating fiancé agrees!
That’s fabulous Sydney! I’m so glad it worked for you and that you have a new go-to dinner recipe. Way to go! –Rachel
I have a question does it matter what kind of butter you use? Like a tub of butter or stick of butter?
Hey Hailey, In this case it doesn’t really matter what type of butter you use. I’m a big supporter of real stick butter for pretty much everything simply because the stuff in the tub isn’t usually real butter–it’s a blend of oils. You can get by with it here, but you would want to be sure to stay away from it when you’re doing more delicate things like baking. It can really ruin that sort of stuff! I hope you make a great mac and cheese. 🙂 –Rachel
Is it possible to make this recipe without the mustard? I’m allergic 🙁
Aside from that, it sounds wonderful!
YES Amber. Don’t let an allergy stop you. It will still taste great. Go on girl! 🙂 Rachel