If you’ve scrolled through food social media lately, you’ve probably seen the creamiest, cheesiest, most decadent mac and cheese imaginable—and this is it! This viral recipe, famously created by Tini, skips the traditional flour-based roux for a foolproof method that results in a velvety smooth cheese sauce every single time. Imagine tender pasta enveloped in a rich, tangy, and impossibly creamy sauce that comes together in one pot in under 30 minutes. This is the ultimate comfort food, ready to become the star of your dinner table or the most requested side dish at any gathering.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 6-8 (as a side dish)
Ingredients:
For the Mac and Cheese:
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni, or other short pasta
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 4 oz Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
- 4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
Instructions:
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Start the Sauce Base: In the same pot, over medium-low heat, add the evaporated milk and heavy cream. Heat gently until it’s warm and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil.
- Melt the Cheeses: Reduce the heat to low. Add the grated cheeses to the pot in handfuls, stirring constantly with a whisk until each addition is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. This slow, gentle melting is the key to a non-grainy sauce.
- Season the Sauce: Once all the cheese is melted, stir in the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and mustard powder until fully combined.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta back into the pot with the cheese sauce. Stir gently until all the pasta is coated in creamy goodness.
- Adjust Consistency: Stir in the butter until it melts. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir until it reaches your desired consistency. The starchy water will help make the sauce extra smooth and glossy.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the mac and cheese hot, straight from the pot, for the best and creamiest experience.
Recipe Notes:
- Grate Your Own Cheese: This is the most important tip! Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting smoothly and can result in a grainy sauce. Buying blocks of cheese and grating them yourself is essential.
- Low Heat is Your Friend: When melting the cheese, keep the heat on low. High heat can cause the fats in the cheese to separate, making the sauce oily and broken. Patience is key!
- Why Evaporated Milk? Evaporated milk has a higher concentration of milk solids and proteins, which act as emulsifiers, creating a remarkably stable and creamy sauce that’s less likely to break.
- Pasta Water is Liquid Gold: The starchy water left over from cooking the pasta helps the cheese sauce cling to the noodles and allows you to thin the sauce to the perfect consistency without diluting the flavor.
- Cheese Variations: Feel free to experiment with other good melting cheeses! Smoked gouda, fontina, and colby jack are all fantastic substitutes or additions.
There you have it—the viral, ultra-creamy mac and cheese that lives up to all the hype, made easily in your own kitchen. This Tini’s Mac and Cheese recipe proves you don’t need a complicated roux for the most luxurious and comforting dish imaginable. We hope this becomes your new go-to recipe!
Estimated Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories: 720; Fat: 42g (Saturated Fat: 26g); Carbohydrates: 54g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 32g; Sodium: 980mg; Fiber: 2g;
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is estimated and can vary depending on specific ingredients, brands, and serving sizes used. This information is provided for guidance only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice.
