Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

8 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese is the perfect cheesy comfort food recipe with heavy cream, Velveeta cheese, and tender macaroni noodles.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese is a staple dish for many families. It’s an awesome kid-friendly lunch, or Side Dish to go with a family dinner. We’ve made Mac and Cheese in a variety of ways, including Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. This stovetop method is just as easy, cheesy, and delicious!

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese close up

SKILLET CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

Simple, rich Mac and Cheese is definitely in the top five for most kids’ favorite dishes ever. Who could blame them? It’s impossible to say no to delicious pasta all cooked in a creamy cheese sauce. It is pure, comforting perfection!

For this Mac and Cheese recipe, all you need are a few staple ingredients like milk, pasta, and butter. Then it’s finished off with Velveeta cheese for the perfect smooth texture and cheesy flavor.

Ingredients in prep bowls for Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

Aside from delicious it is, the cooking time is fast and easy. Just cook the pasta, then combine the sauce on the stovetop and finally stir it all together. It is easy, tasty, and ready in minutes all on the stovetop.

This Mac and Cheese is perfect for a hassle-free lunch or side dish. It’s also delicious enough you could enjoy it for a special occasion. Make this dish a go-to for weeknight meals, or dress it up with toasted bread crumbs and serve along with your Roast Turkey over the holidays.

Cheese sauce for Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

MORE MAC AND CHEESE RECIPES

COOKING TIPS

  • Pasta: Start by adding the macaroni noodles to boiling water. Let the pasta cook until tender, about 1 minute shy of the box instructions. Then drain but do not rinse. Set the colander of pasta to the side while you prepare the sauce.
  • Cheese Sauce: Add 2 tablespoons butter to the base of a large cast-iron skillet. Set the stovetop to medium-high heat to melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until well combined. Then slowly pour in the heavy cream and milk, whisking as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, whisk in the Velveeta cheese until the mixture is creamy.
  • Combine: Add the pasta to the pan. Stir the pasta mixture until it is coated in the creamy sauce, and warm up the Mac and Cheese for 30 seconds before serving.

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese in cast iron pan

VARIATIONS

  • Types of cheese: The Velveeta works great to make an ultra-creamy cheese sauce. But, you can also add other kinds of cheese to add more depth of flavor. Top it off with crumbly blue cheese or goat cheese. Or, stir in pre-shredded cheese like sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, Swiss, or white cheddar.
  • Gluten-free: If you’re on a gluten-free diet, but still want some Mac and cheese, then you’re in luck. You can easily adjust this recipe to work for a gluten-free diet. First, pick up gluten-free pasta from the grocery store. Then all you have to change in the recipe is using a cornstarch mixture or gluten-free flour, like almond flour, to replace the all-purpose flour.
  • Toppings: There are lots of toppings you can add to the Mac and Cheese before serving to add some extra flavor and texture. Sprinkle on some crunchy panko crumbs, caramelized onions, chopped green onions, or cooked bacon.
  • Spicy Mac and cheese: To bring some heat to the recipe, add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the mixture. Make sure to be light-handed at first. You don’t want to make it too spicy to eat.
  • Seasonings: There are plenty of other flavors you can add with different seasonings like garlic powder, dry mustard, onion powder, red pepper flakes, or paprika.

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese in cast iron pan

COMFORT FOOD

HOW TO STORE

  • Serve: Don’t leave Skillet Mac and Cheese at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Store: Let the dish cool completely before you seal it to store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: You might be surprised that you can also freeze Mac and cheese. Separate it into smaller airtight containers for easily re-heatable lunches. They will stay good for up to 2 months.

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese in bowl with fork

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Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese is the perfect cheesy comfort food recipe with heavy cream, Velveeta cheese, and tender macaroni noodles.
Yield 8 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni , uncooked (2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 3/4 pound Velveeta , cubed

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta one minute shy of the directions on the box and drain (do not rinse).
  • In a large heavy skillet add the butter on medium heat.
  • Melt the butter and whisk in the flour until well combined.
  • Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk until smooth.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Whisk in the Velveeta cheese until creamy.
  • Add in the pasta, stir well and cook for 30 seconds until pasta is heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 979IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword: Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese

Skillet Creamy Mac and Cheese collage

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

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