Who doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? A childhood favorite that seems to carry over into adulthood. It’s on practically every menu in every restaurant, it makes an appearance at many pot-luck dinners, and holiday get-togethers. My teenager absolutely loves macaroni and cheese and could seriously eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I created this recipe for him, it gives him the creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese that he wants in a gluten-free version that the entire family can enjoy.
Better Then Stouffer’s Gluten-free Mac and Cheese
Better Then Stouffer's Gluten-free Mac and Cheese is an amazingly cheesy, creamy, out of this world mac and cheese. Perfect for all the mac and cheese fans in your life.
Equipment
- Oven heated to 350°
- Large Dutch Oven or heavy pot with lid
- Colander
- Cheese Grater
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing spoon
- 13 x 9 x 2 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 18 oz gluten-free elbow macaroni I used 1 ½ boxes of Jovial brand
- 4 oz butter
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 oz cream cheese cut into cubes
- 16 oz sharp cheddar, shredded divided into 12 oz. and 4 oz.
- 1/4 lb american cheese Cooper Sharp works well here, too
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cook gluten-free elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain macaroni in colander and run cool water over macaroni to remove excess starch. Let macaroni sit in colander and set aside.
- In the same pot you just used to cook the macaroni, melt the butter over low heat. Sprinkle the melted butter with the gluten free flour and whisk in thoroughly to make a roux. Cook over low heat 2 minutes whisking occasionally. Slowly add the milk and whisk to make sure it is fully incorporated with the roux. Add dry mustard, salt and pepper, and cook over low heat 2-4 minutes until thickened.
- Add the cubed cream cheese to thickened milk mixture and stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat and add 12 oz of shredded cheddar and the american cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted and is a smooth cheesy sauce. Add macaroni into cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is completely coated. *If your cheese sauce is too thick, add additional milk to thin it out a little bit. You want your cheese sauce to be really creamy without being too thick.
- Pour macaroni and cheese mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish, making sure the macaroni and cheese is evenly distributed. Top macaroni and cheese with the remaining 4 oz of shredded cheddar. Bake for 25 minutes, until shredded cheddar is melted and begining to get a little crispy around the edges of the casserole dish. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I used Jovial gluten-free elbow macaroni and my cooking time was just about 10 minutes, but check your macaroni for doneness periodically because you don’t want to overcook the macaroni. I rinse with cool water to stop the cooking and to remove the starch that occurs during cooking. This also prevents the macaroni from sticking while you are making the cheese sauce.
This is amazing macaroni and cheese on it’s own, but you could add crumbled bacon, shredded chicken, and/or cooked broccoli to make this a phenomenal casserole.
This is also delicious topped with sliced tomatoes and gluten-free bread crumbs. Toast the bread crumbs in a frying pan with a little butter and add tomatoes and bread crumbs before baking. So good with those garden fresh summer tomatoes!
Nutrition
Sodium: 664mgCalcium: 474mgVitamin C: 1mgVitamin A: 733IUSugar: 2gFiber: 2gPotassium: 92mgCholesterol: 73mgCalories: 467kcalTrans Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 14gFat: 25gProtein: 20gCarbohydrates: 44gIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lives up to the name! This is some of the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had.