Velveeta Mac and Cheese

Do-it-yourself Velveeta cheese sauce with tender mac is what mac and cheese goals are product of.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for the creamy mac and cheese of your childhood, that is it. Nowadays now we have fancy mac and cheese with gruyere and breadcrumbs and all that, however do you ever dream of simply simple plain mac and cheese, just like the field sort, however with out the powdered cheese and that mushy pasta? Enter this Velveeta mac and cheese. It’s the proper facet dish for holidays, BBQs, and cookouts.

Have you ever ever seen a prettier mac and cheese?

This mac and cheese is a individuals pleaser! I imply, proper now the one individuals I’ve been serving it to are myself and Mike, however boy oh boy does it hit the spot, particularly after coming in from a crisp and chilly stroll. Tremendous hearty and heartwarming, so tacky and really easy.

This tremendous simple home made recipe is made on the stovetop and might be loved as is, or baked. I prefer it straight from the stovetop right into a bowl, with a spoon as a result of it’s the final word in cozy.

I really like this mac and cheese as a result of it really works as each a predominant and a facet. I’ll serve it up with a salad as a predominant or as essentially the most wonderful facet at Thanksgiving. Velveeta mac and cheese can do all of it!

Why Velveeta cheese?

Velveeta is the completely finest nostalgic cheese. It’s the cheese I grew up consuming and it makes for the SMOOTHEST cheese sauce ever. It’s makes mac and cheese gooey, tacky, creamy, and so good. Velveeta shells and cheese is the final word style reminiscence that brings me proper again to all the nice issues about being a child.

What different cheese can I exploit?

The rationale why this explicit Velveeta mac and cheese is wonderful is as a result of it makes use of the tremendous clean energy of Velveeta but additionally has the additional added bonus of 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. You’ll be able to’t skip out on the Velveeta, however you possibly can change out the cheddar in your favourite cheese! Strive:

cheddar – that is the traditional, however you possibly can change it up by selecting between sharp, delicate, or medium. Sharp cheddar has the strongest cheddar style, medium is within the center, and delicate is refined and milky.
mozzarella – further gooey and stringy mac and cheese with pizza feels.
parmesan – complicated and stuffed with umami with beautiful nutty notes for slightly little bit of a extra elevated mac and cheese.
gruyere – clean and velvety and stuffed with taste. Gruyere is nutty and earthy and utilizing it in mac and cheese will remind you of fondue.
smoked gouda – tremendous creamy and melty with scrumptious smoked flavors. A campfire-ish mac and cheese for these cozy feels.
fontina – an excellent melty cheese that’s buttery and just a bit nutty.
cream cheese – this can be a darkish horse nevertheless it’ll add even MORE smoothness and creaminess. It’s particularly good in crock pot mac and cheese.

Methods to make Velveeta mac and cheese

Prepare dinner the pasta. Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook dinner your mac (or pasta of selection) in line with the package deal instructions, then drain properly.
Make a roux. Whereas the mac is cooking, make a roux by melting butter in a saucepan. When it’s melted, add within the flour and spices and stir till all the pieces comes collectively.
Add the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, stirring so the sauce is clean and creamy. While you’re achieved including within the milk, let the sauce come to a simmer so it thickens up.
Soften the cheese. Add the Velveeta – it’ll soften simpler in case you dice it up – and stir till till the sauce is creamy.
Stir within the mac. Add the drained mac, combine all the pieces up and luxuriate in!

Stovetop Velveeta mac and cheese

To be sincere, my favourite sort of mac and cheese is range high mac and cheese as a result of I don’t need to await baked! I simply put together the Velveeta mac and cheese and eat it straight from the pot.

Baked Velveeta mac and cheese

Generally mac and cheese with a crispy baked high can’t be beat. If you happen to’re a baked mac and cheese lover, simply pop the mac and cheese right into a casserole dish, high with some further cheese and bread crumbs and bake at 350°F for about 20-Half-hour, or till the highest turns golden, crispy, and crunchy.

Immediate Pot Velveeta mac and cheese

Add 2 cups (8 ounces) raw macaroni, 1 3/4 cups water, 2 tbsp butter, and 1/2 tsp every of garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard powder to the Immediate Pot insert and stir properly.
Prepare dinner on excessive stress for 4 minutes then fast launch and thoroughly open the lid. Stir in 1/2 lb cubed Velveeta, 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar, and 1/2 cup milk till the cheese melts and coats all of the mac.

Crockpot Velveeta mac and cheese

Add 2 cups (8 ounces) raw macaroni, 2 cups milk, 1/2 lb cubed Velveeta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp every of garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard powder to the Crock Pot and stir properly.
Set on low for 1.5 hours with the lid on, stirring often.
Check for doneness on the 1 hour mark and add milk, 1/4 cup at a time if the cheese sauce begins to get too thick.

The correct pasta form

Elbow mac is THE form for mac and cheese, however generally you need one thing slightly extra grownup. Strive these in case you’re (by some means) bored of the traditional smile form:

Penne – enjoyable truth: penne was supposed to appear to be a fountain pen’s nibs. Penne comes clean and ridged, however the ridged ones are one of the best for choosing up sauce.
Ziti – ziti are like straightened out macaroni they usually’re the closest trendy model of the unique maccheroni noodle. Ensure to not rinse these pasta between cooking and saucing or the sauce received’t stick as properly.
Rigatoni – rigatoni generally feels just like the neglected form for mac and cheese nevertheless it’s truly probably the greatest. The big diameter of tube picks up cheese each on the in and out, and the ridges decide up much more tacky taste than elbow mac may. It’s essentially the most grownup form, to be sincere.
Gemelli – gemelli means twins they usually’re just like the DNA form in pasta kind. They’re two tubes, twisted round one another.
Casarecce – from the highest view these appear to be little S’s. Due to the form, they appear to have two layers if you chew down and have a agency and satisfying chew you simply don’t get with a single layer pasta.
Bucati corti – These are like little phone cords, reduce into 2 inch lengths. They’re an excellent yummy form to eat and the nooks and crannies carry a whole lot of further tacky sauce.
Cavatappi – also referred to as Scooby Doo pasta, these are enjoyable spirals that bounce if you decide them up. They’re like the enormous model of bucati corti.

You’ll be able to even go home made! Recent pasta is less complicated thanks assume. Do that recipe for home made garganelli or Lorighittas.

Mac and cheese variations

Pumpkin mac and cheese – stir in 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
Inexperienced chile mac and cheese – stir in 1 small can of chopped inexperienced chiles
Cheeseburger mac and cheese – stir in 1 lb of seasoned browned floor beef, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup tomato paste
Taco mac and cheese – stir in 1 lb of seasoned browned floor beef, 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, and a pair of chopped tomatoes. Prime with Mexican 4 cheese mix.
Bacon mac and cheese – sprinkle on crispy bacon
Tuna mac and cheese – stir in 2 cans of drained tuna and 1 cup of frozen inexperienced peas
Inexperienced mac and cheese – stir in 2 tablespoons pesto, and a pair of cups cooked chopped broccoli

Methods to make a double portion of Velveeta mac and cheese

If it’s worthwhile to make even MORE Velveeta mac and cheese, there’s a useful recipe scaler that you should utilize beneath. Simply change the “serves 4” to what number of it’s worthwhile to serve. Simply just be sure you use the ounce measure for the pasta as a result of the scaler solely modifications the ounce quantity for the pasta.

Make forward Velveeta mac and cheese

You’ll be able to absolute make this mac and cheese forward of time after which both bake it within the oven with breadcrumbs on high or reheat it on the range with a splash of milk, stirring till it turns into unfastened and gooey. It comes collectively tremendous shortly however I completely perceive how making issues forward for dinner events and large occasions makes issues simple. I believe it heats up completely the following day and a few how tastes even higher?

Are you able to freeze mac and cheese?

Sure! you possibly can both retailer it within the fridge tightly coated for every week, or freeze in an air-tight container or heavy obligation freezer bag for as much as 1-2 months. Don’t neglect to label and date it!

Methods to reheat mac and cheese

Pop it within the microwave, coated and loosen with a little bit of milk if wanted. You may as well cowl it with foil and bake it in a low oven (325°F) till sizzling, about 20 minutes. Stir in a little bit of milk after warmed by means of if wanted.