Take a trip down memory lane! This Old-School Velveeta Mac and Cheese isn’t just a dish, it’s a hug on a plate. Imagine that ultra-creamy, cheesy goodness that defined your childhood mac and cheese.
This recipe captures that velvety magic from scratch, using real Velveeta for an irresistible, ultra-comforting taste sensation. Get ready to reminisce with every bite!
Every bite is cheesy deliciousness!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pure Nostalgia: It’s the velvety, cheesy goodness you remember from childhood. Every bite brings back warm memories of comfort food bliss.
- Simple Perfection: Made from scratch, but with just a few ingredients(only 4!), it’s easy to whip up this classic side dish.
- Ultra Creamy: Real Velveeta cheese melts like a dream, creating a luxuriously creamy sauce that coats every noodle perfectly.
- Kid-Approved: The melty cheese and rich flavor are a guaranteed hit with kids of all ages.
- Comforting Classic: There’s something undeniably satisfying about this old-school recipe. It’s pure comfort food that warms you from the inside out.
- Budget-Friendly: A crowd-pleasing dish that’s easy on the wallet.
Yep, I went old-school today. It is the Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese my grandmother used to serve me at her house. Yes, it is basic, traditional and very old-school. (And really easy, so don’t judge)
And guess what? Only FOUR simple ingredients. I love recipes that only have a few ingredients. Especially when they are easy to source/find ingredients.
I know that some people don’t like using Velveeta, and that’s perfectly fine. You totally don’t have to. There are plenty of other macaroni and cheese recipes on the site that do NOT call for Velveeta.
You can find some links for these, further down.
But this is a recipe for the old school recipe using Velveeta. So, obviously it is going to have it in it.
We are a house of Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese lovers. Yes, my tastes have stepped off a little from this simple recipe.
Still there is nothing like coming back to a creamy, delicious reminder of your childhood. Nothing.
Fun Additions to this Old School Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese
- bacon
- ham
- ground beef
- shrimp
- veggies
- sauteed mushrooms
- the possibilities are only limited to your imagination and your taste buds!
Let’s Make Old School Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese! Stat! It is so easy, creamy and ridiculously delicious. A comfort food like no other!
Definitely my go-to recipe when I want something comforting, that is easy and doesn’t require a lot of work!
Can I bake Old School Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese?
Yes, you can bake this recipe if you’d like. It won’t be as creamy out of the oven, which is why we don’t.
But if you’d like a little golden color to it and want to bake it, you can.
After all the steps, you can toss it in a 350 degree F oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Can I add cracker crumbs to Macaroni and Cheese?
Yes! Many macaroni and cheese lovers enjoy a crunchy topping in the form of crumbled potato chips or cracker crumbs.
You can sprinkle them over the top and broil in the oven for a couple of minutes or bake in the oven. 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or so.
What can I serve with Macaroni and Cheese?
At our house, a fresh garden salad or Caesar salad pairs really well with macaroni and cheese.
My kids love green veggies like green beans, broccoli or peas with their macaroni and cheese.
Macaroni and cheese pairs well with steak, hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken as a side dish too. It’s also fantastic for holidays too!
Do you like Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese as much as we do?
Ingredients and Substitutions
Just 4 ingredients!!
(printable recipe at the bottom of the post)
- (8 ounce) package of elbow pasta
- stick of butter
- (12 ounce can) of evaporated milk
- 1 pound block of Velveeta cheese, cut into 1″-2″ cubes
Macaroni and Cheese without Velveeta
Favorite Recipes We Also Love
Making the Recipe
Old School Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow pasta
- 1 stick butter
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 pounds Velveeta cheese cut into 1″-2″ cubes
Instructions
- Boil the pasta as directed on the package.
- Drain the water but keep ¼ cup or so in the bottom of the pot. Add 1 stick of butter, the can of evaporated milk and the Velveeta cheese.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper in there. (if you're like us, you'll sprinkle loads of pepper and barely any salt, because for some reason it just tastes better that way).
- Heat the pot on medium until the cheese is completely melted and blended in.
- Remove from heat and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Stir and serve.
- It will get thicker the longer it sits, enjoy!!
I remember this one, too. Good comfort food.
http://francene-wordstitcher.blogspot.com/
Kickin’ it old school…awwwww, yeah.
This is all I ate for years…throughout my entire late teens. I will STILL make myself the stuff from the box occasionally, but why do that when Nicole has shared this recipe with me???
The family is going to love me. More.
MMMM mac and cheese is one of my favorite foods and this is making me hungry.
I just bought Velveeta for the first time (I know!) my husband is still a little frightened of the cheese-food plasticity Velveeta offers. So I have half a chunk left to use. How is this recipe with reduced butter? Is it just less creamy?
Just wrap it in saran wrap and tell your hubby that it’s cheese which cost $50 a pound. He’ll get over it! gr
I make this a lot! But I use shredded cheddar and one egg instead of the velveeta. Velveeta kind of scares me.
Sounds good, does it stay creamy using harder cheeses
@Cindy, I add shredded cheese after in a pan then sprinkle with panko/Parm mix then under the broiler
This is my favorite way to make mac n’ cheese, my Mom and I adore it! There is just something delicious about it:-) Hugs, Terra
This sounds so very easy. Can’t wait to try it. I am trying different ideas now for a pot luck I committed to in October. I have always loved Velveeta so can’t wait to try it.
What does the evaporated milk provide? Do you think I could use regular milk? How might it be different? Thank you!
It provides the creaminess and texture of the Old School Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese. You could totally use regular milk, but it may not be as creamy. Evaporated milk has most of the water removed unlike actual milk, making it a more creamy alternative. Hope that helps.
I grew up on a farm, one of 7 children. My Mom used to make this for us and added chunks of ham. This is old fashioned comfort food! I substitute heavy cream for the evaporated milk. For New Years, I added lobster meat!
Delicious!
Thank you for the old school Mac & Cheese recipe. I enjoyed reading the recipe and looking at the yummy pictures. It looks delicious!!! Definitely, I will give it a shot.
Once again thank you very much for the great recipe!!! Happy cooking.
Added bacon bits and pieces and thinly sliced jalapenos. Yummy
Kickin’ it old school…awwwww, yeah.
This is all I ate for years…throughout my entire late teens. I will STILL make myself the stuff from the box occasionally, but why do that when Nicole has shared this recipe with me???
The family is going to love me. More.
MMMM mac and cheese is one of my favorite foods and this is making me hungry.
I just bought Velveeta for the first time (I know!) my husband is still a little frightened of the cheese-food plasticity Velveeta offers. So I have half a chunk left to use. How is this recipe with reduced butter? Is it just less creamy?
Thank you for the old school Mac & Cheese recipe. I enjoyed reading the recipe and looking at the yummy pictures. It looks delicious!!! Definitely, I will give it a shot.
Once again thank you very much for the great recipe!!! Happy cooking.
I grew up on a farm, one of 7 children. My Mom used to make this for us and added chunks of ham. This is old fashioned comfort food! I substitute heavy cream for the evaporated milk. For New Years, I added lobster meat!
Delicious!
Added bacon bits and pieces and thinly sliced jalapenos. Yummy
Holy cow! This was SO good. Made it 2 nights ago and I’m making it again tonight. I was a little afraid of the evaporated milk but this is the M & C recipe I’ve been missing in my life. Yum yum yum!
Tonight I’ll be using 10 oz. of noodles to see if that helps soak up some of the extra creamy sauce. This also reheats in the microwave really well with just a splash of milk!
Can this get thrown in a crockpot top cook slowly for a couple hours?
I have never tried to make this in a crockpot, so I am not sure if it would overcook at all. If you decide to try it, please come back and let us know.
Great, simple, no-hassle and fast recipe. But you can go ahead and use the whole 16 oz. box of pasta if you’re using a pound of Velveeta. I added a tablespoon of ground mustard and diced chipotles (get this in the small jar in the international food aisle) for some zing.
in grade school, 1966 –the cooks made best mac and cheese ever, it was so creamy, kids would go for refills till gone. don’t know if this is it but will try, been making for 55 years, and can not duplicate it, never tried evaporated milk, hope this is it.
I also add 8 ounces cream cheese, makes it even creamier!!
sounds good
Can I use low fat 2% milk instead of cream?
Yes I am sure that would be just fine. The cream adds a richness and creaminess to the sauce that might not be as obvious with the milk but I think it would work just fine!
Can this be frozen? I like prep individual meals ahead.
I am not sure how well this would freeze, as I have never needed to try that method. I would be concerned it would change texture and creaminess drastically after being frozen, but perhaps adding some milk or cream to it as it’s heated back up, might retain some of that. I hope that helps a little, I know I wasn’t able to give you an accurate answer, but because of the way it is cooked, I am simply not sure about freezing it.