Cacio e Pepe Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This creamy, delicious cacio e pepe-inspired stovetop mac and cheese recipe is the quick and easy family dinner recipe of your dreams. It comes together in minutes and guarantees empty plates.
Mac and cheese is a family favorite and although I absolutely love a baked mac and cheese recipe, this stovetop version is easy comfort food for busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table fast. It’s also super versatile. Feel free to add protein like ham, sausage or chicken and vegetables like peas work well too.
Ingredients
- Macaroni. I used elbow macaroni but use any short pasta shape of your choice.
- Butter.
- Flour.
- Garlic powder.
- Onion powder. Other spices like paprika and nutmeg can be used too.
- Milk.
- Cream. Heavy or whipping cream.
- Cheese. I used Parmesan and Gruyere. Sharp cheddar cheese, fontina, provolone, asiago, etc. all work well. I would just avoid using pre-shredded cheese as that often contains anti-caking agents.
- Fresh cracked black pepper.
- Salt.
How to make stovetop mac and cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente and reserve one cup of cooking water then drain.
To make the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and spices and cook for a minute before slowly whisking in the milk and cream. The sauce should have a creamy texture. Allow to simmer gently for 5-7 minutes until the sauce is silky smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season to taste.
Pour the cheese sauce into the strained pasta and stir in a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Serve topped with extra grated Parmesan cheese and plenty of cracked black pepper.
What to serve with Mac and cheese
This is a great recipe to serve on its own but adding vegetables like broccoli or a simple salad side dish will be a great addition.
Easy pasta recipes
Stovetop Cacio e pepe mac and cheese
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1lb macaroni or short pasta of your choice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup cream
- 1½ cups grated cheese (I used 1 cup Parmesan and ½cup Gruyere)
- 1-2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the macaroni until al dente and reserve one cup of cooking water then drain.
- To make the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and spices and cook for a minute before slowly whisking in the milk and cream.
- Allow to simmer gently for 5-7 minutes until the sauce is silky smooth and thick.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season to taste.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the strained pasta and stir in a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
- Serve topped with extra grated Parmesan cheese and plenty of cracked black pepper.
My family loved these Cacio e Pepe. I doubled the batch and added them to their school lunches. It worked perfectly!
Why don’t you put how much of the ingredients you used???
All recipes with full ingredient list and instructions can be found in the recipe card.