Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Stovetop Mac and Cheese is a creamy, comforting pasta dish made by cooking elbow macaroni and then stirring it with a cheese sauce, typically built from butter, flour, milk, and shredded cheese like cheddar. It's a classic American staple, known for its simplicity and rich, satisfying flavor.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is high in carbohydrates from the pasta and fat from the cheese and butter, providing a good source of energy and calcium. A typical serving can range from 400 to 600 calories, depending on the recipe's richness.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbs | 45 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
| Calcium | 300 mg |
| Iron | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 250 mg |
| Vitamin A | 150 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin D | 1 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.2 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 250 mg |
| Selenium | 20 mcg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, it evolved from a simple home-cooked meal into an iconic American comfort food, often associated with nostalgia and convenience. Nutritionally, its uniqueness lies in being a calorie-dense, high-fat food that is also a surprisingly good source of protein and calcium from the dairy components.
