Affordable meals for real life. Under $15 for four.

← All Recipes

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Real cheese sauce made from scratch over macaroni. Cheaper than the box stuff and considerably better.

Total Cost $4.34
Per Serving $1.09
Prep 5 min
Cook 20 min
Servings 4
  • vegetarian
  • pasta
  • cheese
  • fast
  • very-low-cost
  • kid-friendly

Ingredients

  • 350 g elbow macaroni $0.77
  • 200 g old cheddar, grated (from block) $2.57
  • 3 tbsp butter $0.57
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour $0.05
  • 500 mL 2% milk $0.75
  • 1 tsp mustard powder or Dijon mustard $0.08
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
  • to taste salt and black pepper $0.05
  • pinch cayenne pepper (optional) $0.02
  • Recipe total$4.91

Instructions

  1. Cook macaroni in salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve 125 mL of pasta water before draining.
  2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells slightly nutty.
  4. Gradually whisk in the milk, a splash at a time, until smooth. Continue whisking over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Remove from heat. Add mustard powder, paprika, and cayenne.
  6. Add the grated cheese in two or three additions, stirring after each until melted and smooth.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Drain the pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Stir to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
  9. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per Serving

Estimated values per serving.

678 Calories
27g Protein
80g Carbs
27g Fat
3g Fiber
390mg Sodium
~35% DV Calcium

Gluten-Free

This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.

  • Replace elbow macaroni with certified GF elbow macaroni or any short GF pasta (adds approximately $2.00 to the total)
  • Replace all-purpose flour with cornstarch — use 1.5 tbsp instead of 3 tbsp flour (cornstarch is widely available and inexpensive)

Whisk cornstarch into the cold milk before adding to the butter, rather than making a roux.

Budget Notes

  • Buy cheddar in the largest block available — per-gram cost is lower. Grate it yourself rather than buying pre-shredded.
  • Marble or medium cheddar works fine and is often cheaper than old cheddar.
  • Stir in a can of drained tuna or a cup of frozen peas for extra nutrition with minimal cost.
  • Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk stirred in to loosen the sauce.