Jana’s Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large pot, cook the 4 cups of elbow pasta as directed until it’s just al dente. Drain, rinse, and set it aside.

While the pasta cooks, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. As the butter melts, add the 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until a roux forms. Slowly stir in the 4 cups of skim milk. (You can use any milk here, but a higher fat content will yield a richer, thicker sauce.)

Stir in the 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of onion flakes. Bring the sauce to a slight boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. You’ll notice the sauce thickening as it cooks.

Turn off the heat and stir in 3 cups of the sharp cheddar cheese until it’s just melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring until every elbow is coated. You might even hear the pasta filling with the creamy sauce as you stir. If you’re not using an oven-safe saucepan, now is the time to transfer the pasta and sauce mix to an oven-safe baking dish.

Once the pasta and sauce are mixed, add the remaining 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese and gently fold it in.