Nana’s Easy Homemade Mac N Cheese

We all know mac n cheese is a kid favorite! But you’ve never had mac n cheese like this before. Not only is it an easy and quick recipe, but the ingredients are also simple and perfect for a quick backup meal! Hello, children who didn’t like what mama made for dinner.

I like to make this mac n cheese for either a quick lunch or as a backup meal when I know my tots won’t eat the spicy Mexican meal I make once in a while. It’s also a GREAT side for BBQ dishes, steak, and more!

This is all we need!

Sour cream

I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it’s probably the key ingredient in this recipe.

Tomato sauce

You can also do fresh tomatoes or tomato paste.

Cheese

Any kind, literally, but I stick to Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend.

Chicken broth paste or chicken bouillon

I usually do Better Than Bouillon chicken base because I like to avoid the MSG found in the regular chicken bouillon from the Knorr brand, but that’s actually what’s in my nana’s original recipe: Knorr chicken bouillon. I am not familiar with using that powder, so start with a small amount and add more if needed.

Elbow pasta

(Or literally any kind that sounds good to you.) When my mom began making Nana’s recipe, I remember going with her to the grocery store, and she’d let us choose whichever pasta we wanted for the mac n cheese.

Topping

It tastes delicious topped with a more dry, crumbly cheese like Parmesan or cotija cheese.

Here is the only issue…

Since this is a Nana recipe, there aren’t any exact measurements for the most part.

I know, I know… but what did you expect? It’s my grandma’s recipe, and honestly, the best recipes don’t come with measurements. HOWEVER… I will give you a rough estimate of how much to use of each ingredient.

Here’s the recipe 🤍

Ingredients

• 8-12 oz sour cream
• 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/4-1/2 cup of cheese (any kind literally, but I stick to Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend)
• About a spoonful or so of chicken broth paste or chicken bouillon
• 12 oz elbow pasta (or literally any kind that sounds good)

1. Boil your pasta according to package instructions. I typically cook it longer to make it softer for the kiddos.
2. In a blender, pour in your can of tomato sauce, most of your sour cream, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth.
3. Taste it, and if it’s too tomato-flavored, then add more sour cream. I prefer to lean more into the sour cream flavor. Add a bit more chicken broth if it needs more flavor.
4. Heat up a medium pot over low-medium heat and melt 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted, pour in your mac n cheese sauce and simmer slowly for 5-10 minutes.
5. Toss some of your drained pasta into the pot a little at a time to make sure the mac n cheese doesn’t get too dry.
6. Top with shredded cheese and give it a mix.
7. Serve warm and top with grated Parmesan or cotija cheese. Enjoy!

That’s it! I hope your children enjoy this recipe… it’s a hit with the adults too!

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Let me know what you think of it.

With Love,

Melissa