The 2-Ingredient Mac And Cheese Sauce That Will Save You Time At The Stove

Whether you're a die-hard fan of the boxed variety or loyal only to your mom's recipe, no comfort food is more iconic than macaroni and cheese. Many a bad day can be made a little brighter by al dente pasta blanketed in a warm layer of melty cheddar. Though making it from scratch is usually a complex affair involving weighing butter for bechamel, there's an easy shortcut you can use to get creamy homemade mac and cheese in no time.

Combining cream cheese and shredded cheddar offers an enticing third choice when you're trying to decide between making a roux and breaking out the powdered cheese sauce. Aside from being an excellent way to use up leftover cream cheese, it offers an easy option to achieve that from-scratch taste for far less work. It's also versatile — you can easily swap out the cheddar in the original recipe for smoked Gouda or any number of delicious melting cheeses.

Though some recipes call for milk to achieve a deliciously gooey stovetop-style dish, it's not really necessary. Simply omit the milk and increase the amount of cream cheese to double the amount of cheddar, melt them together, and stir into your pasta. You can stop here for velvety stovetop mac, or pour it into a buttered baking dish and top with panko for a denser baked mac and cheese.

This kind of mac and cheese that's practically begging for an upgrade. Since the recipe is so simple, it's fairly easy to experiment with different flavors and add-ins to create a nutritious main course, or something sophisticated enough for a dinner party. You can also change up your recipe to incorporate seasonal ingredients for holidays or to create a special birthday dish.

First, put together your three-ingredient mac and cheese. For 6-8 servings, prepare 10 ounces of orecchiette pasta, mini shells, or elbows. While the pasta cooks, add 2 cups shredded cheese and 4 cups cream cheese to a double-boiler over medium heat. Let the cheese melt together while you test and drain the pasta, stirring the cheese sauce occasionally to ensure it's thoroughly blended. Once it's ready, pour the cheese sauce into the pasta and stir to combine.

The easiest way to elevate this simple yet tasty dish is to use flavored cream cheese. Garlic and herb or chive and onion can provide sharpness to cut through the richness of the cheese. You could also swap out half the cheddar for pepper jack to give it a kick. Roasted veggies like bell peppers, chiles, and broccoli add texture, nutrition, and nuance, while something like crab or lobster offers a touch of luxury worthy of a celebration.