Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe (Creamy Stovetop Southern Classic)
This Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe is the creamiest version you will make at home, and the secret is not the cheese. It is the roux. A properly cooked blonde roux gives this stovetop mac and cheese its silky, clingy sauce and keeps it from turning grainy or greasy the way quick melted cheese sauces often do. Sharp cheddar brings the tang, Monterey Jack brings the stretch, and the roux holds it all together.
At The Mardi Gras School of Cooking, roux is the first thing we teach, because once you understand it, you can make gumbo, étouffée, cream sauces, and yes, the best macaroni and cheese of your life.
What is a Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe?
A Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe is macaroni and cheese built on a classic French roux, equal parts fat and flour cooked together, then loosened with milk and cream to form a béchamel. Cheese is stirred in off the heat, turning that béchamel into a Mornay sauce. The result is a smooth, stable sauce that coats every noodle.
Roux is the foundation of Louisiana cooking, and we have a whole Roux Class dedicated to its traditional uses in Cajun and Creole cooking. It is used to thicken and flavor soups, stews, gravies, and sauces, and the color you cook it to changes everything. A blonde roux, cooked just one to two minutes, has a light color and a mild toasted flavor that lets dairy and cheese stay front and center. A dark roux, cooked much longer, is what gives gumbo its deep nutty backbone.
It is worth noting that macaroni and cheese is not a traditional part of historic rural Cajun cooking. It came into the Louisiana table through Creole kitchens and broader Southern comfort cooking, and today it sits on holiday tables and BBQ buffets alike across Louisiana right alongside the dishes that have been here for centuries.
Why You'll Love This Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe
Simple Ingredients
Butter, flour, milk, cream, and two cheeses. Everything on the list is at your regular grocery store, and there are no processed cheese products or condensed soups.
A Sauce That Actually Stays Creamy
Because the sauce is built on a roux, it holds together. It will not break, separate, or go grainy the way cheese melted straight into milk tends to do.
One Recipe, Two Ways
Serve it creamy straight from the stovetop, or top it with more cheese and bake it. Both directions are covered below.
10 minutes
25 minutes
6
Main Course
Cajun/ Creole
Ingredients for Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe
1 lb elbow macaroni
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
2 cups Monterey Jack, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne or paprika (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Macaroni
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until it is just shy of al dente. Drain it and set it aside. Pulling the pasta a minute early matters here, because it will keep softening once it hits the warm sauce.
Step 2: Make the Blonde Roux
Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for one to two minutes, whisking the whole time, until the mixture smells faintly nutty and turns the color of pale straw. This is a blonde roux, and it is the entire foundation of the dish.
Pro Tip: Roux is measured by color, and color equals time. Blonde roux takes one to two minutes and gives you the most thickening power, which is exactly what a cream sauce needs. The longer you cook a roux, the more flavor it develops and the less it thickens. Keep the heat at medium and keep the whisk moving, because a scorched roux cannot be saved.
Step 3: Add the Milk and Cream
Combine the milk and cream and warm them on the stove or the microwave. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream, a little at a time, letting each addition come together before adding more. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pro Tip: Warming liquid before it goes into the roux helps it blend in more easily and cuts down on lumps. Cold liquid drops the temperature in the pot sharply, which stalls the sauce and makes it take noticeably longer to thicken.
Step 4: Stir in the Cheese
Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack a handful at a time, letting each addition melt fully before adding the next. Taking it off the heat is important. Cheese added to a boiling sauce will separate and turn oily.
Step 5: Season the Sauce
Season with salt and black pepper. Add a pinch of cayenne or paprika if you want a little warmth and color. Taste as you go, since cheddar already carries plenty of salt.
Step 6: Fold in the Pasta and Serve
Fold the cooked macaroni into the sauce until every noodle is coated. Serve it warm, right away, while the sauce is at its silkiest.
Variations You Can Try
Baked Roux Mac and Cheese
Transfer the finished mac and cheese to a buttered baking dish, top with an extra cup of shredded cheddar, and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Creole Mac and Cheese
Stir in andouille sausage, sautéed trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), and a heavier hand with the cayenne for a version that eats like a main course.
Smoky Three-Cheese
Swap one cup of the Monterey Jack for smoked gouda. The roux handles the richer cheese without any trouble.
Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe Card (Printable)
You can download our easy, ready-to-print roux mac and cheese recipe card for quick use in your kitchen. It includes all the ingredients and steps in a clean and simple format.
Variations You Can Try
Baked Roux Mac and Cheese
Transfer the finished mac and cheese to a buttered baking dish, top with an extra cup of shredded cheddar, and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Creole Mac and Cheese
Stir in andouille sausage, sautéed trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), and a heavier hand with the cayenne for a version that eats like a main course.
Smoky Three-Cheese
Swap one cup of the Monterey Jack for smoked gouda. The roux handles the richer cheese without any trouble.
What to Serve with Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe
This mac and cheese is a natural alongside barbecue ribs, fried chicken, blackened catfish, or a holiday ham. For a lighter plate, pair it with braised greens or a crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the richness.
About The Mardi Gras School of Cooking
The Mardi Gras School of Cooking teaches the techniques behind New Orleans cooking, not just the recipes. Our instructors walk you through the fundamentals that Louisiana kitchens are built on, so you leave able to cook rather than just follow directions.
Join a Cooking Class and Learn More New Orleans Recipes
If you enjoy this Roux Mac and Cheese Recipe, our hands-on roux class is the natural next step. You will learn to cook roux to every color, from blonde through chocolate, and how to use each one in cream sauces, gumbos, étouffées, and gravies. Master the roux and dozens of Louisiana dishes open up to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I bake this mac and cheese instead?
Yes. This recipe is written as a creamy stovetop mac and cheese, but it bakes beautifully. Spoon the finished mac and cheese into a buttered baking dish, top it with an extra cup of shredded cheddar, and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. If you plan to bake it, pull the pasta a full minute earlier so it does not overcook in the oven.
What is a blonde roux and why does this recipe use one?
A blonde roux is cooked for only one to two minutes, just long enough to lose the raw flour taste. It has the strongest thickening power of any roux and a mild flavor, which is exactly what you want in a cheese sauce. A darker roux would overpower the cheese and thicken less.
Why is my cheese sauce grainy?
The sauce was most likely too hot when the cheese went in. Always pull the pot off the heat before stirring in cheese, and add it a handful at a time. Pre-shredded bagged cheese can also cause graininess because of the anti-caking starches, so shred your own when you can.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Make it up to two days ahead and refrigerate it. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until it comes back together. The roux is what allows it to reheat this well.
Can I use different cheeses?
Absolutely. The roux will carry almost any good melting cheese. Gruyère, smoked gouda, fontina, and Colby all work. Keep at least half the blend as a sharp cheese so the dish does not taste flat.
What kind of pasta works best?
Elbow macaroni is traditional, but any short shape with ridges or curves holds the sauce well. Cavatappi, shells, and rotini are all good choices.