Whether you prefer a crispy baked one at Thanksgiving dinner, or a simple and convenient version derived from a box, macaroni and cheese has always been a classic American comfort food. Though all recipes generally contain the same staple ingredients (i.e. pasta, cheese, and milk), many variations exist among types of cheeses, pasta shapes, or even methods used. While I do love a crispy, cheesy, baked mac and cheese, sometimes there’s just not enough time for those extra 30 minutes of baking. That being said, I decided to test three macaroni and cheese recipes – a microwave recipe that (supposedly) takes 5 minutes, a classic 30-minute stovetop recipe, and, my personal favorite, a 60-minute baked mac and cheese – to see if that extra time spent will actually yield better results.
To start, I found two of the highest-rated online baked and stovetop mac and cheese recipes, baked being from The Chunky Chef by Amanda Batcher and stovetop from The Cozy Cook by Stephanie Melchione. However, when it came to the 5-minute mac and cheese, many recipes with decent reviews (if any at all) were difficult to find until I came across a recipe from Cooking with Carlee by Carlee.
I initially noticed that the main difference between Batcher’s baked recipe and Melchione’s stovetop recipe was the ratio of cheese-to-milk. While the baked mac and cheese had a ratio of six cups of cheese (including cheddar, Colby-Jack, muenster, Gruyere, and mozzarella cheese) to four cups of liquid, the stovetop mac and cheese had just three cups of cheddar cheese with three cups of liquid. Aside from that, the remainder of the ingredients and their measurements were generally the same across the two recipes.
However, as expected due to its single-serving portion, Carlee’s five-minute microwave recipe used just a ⅓ cup each of milk, water, and Colby-Jack cheese. Nevertheless, I ended up using about twice the amount of cheese than the recipe originally called for as the sauce started to curdle in the microwave and was too liquidy due to the milk. In terms of preparation, the baked and stovetop mac and cheese were identical aside from the extra 30 minutes it took for Batcher’s recipe to hand-shred five cheeses and bake the dish for 15 minutes.
In terms of taste, the baked mac and cheese had a noticeably smokey flavor due to the smoked paprika compared to the other two recipes, and the crispy cheese topping was an excellent addition to the overall flavor of the dish. Further, the Gruyere cheese in Batcher’s recipe gave the mac and cheese a stronger cheese flavor compared to Melchione’s recipe which definitely could have used both a larger amount of cheese and a wider variety of it. Melchione’s recipe didn’t have smoked paprika in it as Batcher’s did, but it instead contained ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, which, while it did give the recipe more flavor, was a bit overpowering in the dish.
While both the baked and stove top recipes had a different flavor, they were both delicious in their own way. On the other hand, although Carli’s 5-minute mac and cheese recipe didn’t call for any spices, I ended up adding a bit of salt and pepper anyway, just to give the recipe some flavor. To me, however, this still wasn’t enough and the mac and cheese was still quite bland and it just tasted like a sprinkle of pepper had been added. To make matters worse, the cheese didn’t incorporate very well and the dish didn’t taste much like Mac and Cheese at all, making Batcher’s baked recipe the clear winner in terms of flavor.
When it came to texture, Batcher’s mac and cheese was perfectly creamy and cheesy, but the noodles ended up being a bit softer than Melchione’s recipe due to the extra time in the oven. Melchione’s recipe, too, was creamy, but definitely could have been both cheesier and creamier. Once again, the Carli’s 5-minute mac and cheese was quite honestly disappointing in terms of texture as it had a glue-like texture and was not very creamy at all.
Overall, while a 5-minute microwave mac and cheese is certainly the most time-efficient option, if you’re looking for something that takes minimal time and effort, a simple boxed mac and cheese would most likely be a better use of those 5 minutes. Although the stovetop and baked mac and cheese recipes ended up both being great options, those extra 30 minutes spent are definitely worth the time for a creamier, cheesier, and tastier macaroni and cheese.
