Mac and Cheese Soup

Snuggle up with a big bowl of this creamy Mac and Cheese Soup—it’s everything you love about traditional mac and cheese, just in a cozy, slurpable form for cold nights. Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe uses real cheeses (no fake powdered stuff here!) and makes a super comforting dinner that kids and adults will both love. Serve it with crusty bread and a sprinkle of green onions, and you’re set for an easy, tasty meal.

This straightforward stovetop recipe lets the pasta cook right in the flavorful broth, helping thicken the soup naturally. A simple butter-and-flour roux builds the creamy base, while a mix of cheeses and seasonings brings classic mac and cheese flavors to life. No fuss, no fancy equipment — just a few pantry staples and a whisk.

• What you’ll learn: how to cook pasta in broth, make a creamy roux, blend cheese perfectly into soup, and combine all elements for the best bowl of mac and cheese soup.
• What to expect: a quick, 30-minute recipe that’s versatile and easy to tweak with mix-ins like bacon, roasted veggies, or a little spice.
• Quick tips: leftover soup stores well in the fridge but freezes poorly, plus helpful reheating instructions to keep the noodles perfectly tender.

Quick, Creamy, and Comforting

• Quick and simple. This mac and cheese soup is basically your favorite comfort food in soup form! By cooking the elbow macaroni right in the broth—no draining!—you get the starches released, which thicken the soup for a rich, silky texture. It’s done in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner; for another cozy, pasta-in-broth option, try the Best Pasta Fagioli Recipe.
• Creamy, filling, and satisfying. Nothing warms you up like a creamy soup on a cold day—think a comforting bowl of Creamy Potato & Hamburger Soup. This mac and cheese soup fills you up and comforts you without feeling heavy. It’s a go-to for winter evenings or busy nights when you want something simple but hearty.

• Super flexible. I love topping this soup with green onions and black pepper, but feel free to get creative! Just like traditional mac and cheese, you can add in your favorite extras—think roasted broccoli, crispy bacon, diced ham, or even a little heat with chili flakes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup (about ½ pound) elbow macaroni pasta, uncooked
• ⅓ cup butter, unsalted
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated
• ⅓ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon mustard powder
• fresh green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)
• black pepper, freshly cracked (for garnish)

Make the Soup, Step by Step

1. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat; add the elbow macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 8–10 minutes, then set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1–2 minutes until the roux is smooth and thickened.
4. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly until the sauce smooths and thickens.

5. Add grated cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella; reduce heat to low and stir in garlic powder and mustard powder, mixing until the cheese melts and the sauce is velvety.

   

6. Slowly pour the cheesy sauce into the pot with the macaroni and broth and stir gently to combine.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and cracked black pepper; serve warm.

Tips for Silky, Lump-Free Soup

This mac and cheese soup tastes amazing by itself or with a chunk of crusty bread perfect for dipping.

• Don’t overcook the noodles. Since the noodles finish cooking in the hot soup, you want to catch them at just al dente in the broth. That way, they won’t turn mushy after.
• Whisk the roux thoroughly. The key to many creamy soups—like Chicken Pot Pie Soup—is the roux: melted butter mixed with flour cooked until smooth. Whisk nonstop to make sure there are no lumps for a silky texture. If you prefer a silky soup without a roux, try Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup).
• Skip straining the pasta. As tempting as it is to drain the noodles, don’t! The starchy broth left behind is what thickens this mac and cheese soup so perfectly.

Mix-Ins and Flavor Twists

• Swap cheeses. Try mixing things up with melting cheeses like Gruyere, fontina, or provolone. Adding a spoonful of cream cheese can also add extra creaminess and tang.
• Mix in extras. This soup loves additions! Explore diced ham, crunchy bacon, or ground beef with sautéed peppers for a Philly cheesesteak–style twist—see this Philly Cheese Steak Pasta recipe for the flavor combo—plus roasted veggies like broccoli or fresh diced tomatoes. A toppings bar is a fun way for everyone to customize their bowl.
• Add some spice. Sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce to turn up the heat on your cheesy soup.
• Try different noodles. Elbow macaroni is classic, but feel free to use other shapes that hold sauce well like cavatappi, rotini, or orecchiette.

How to Store and Reheat

How to Store

Cool leftover mac and cheese soup to room temp for 1-2 hours, then keep it fresh in an airtight container in your fridge.

How to Reheat

Warm the leftovers gently on the stovetop or microwave, stirring often to keep the pasta from getting mushy or clumping.

How to Freeze

Unfortunately, creamy, cheesy soups like this don’t freeze well, so it’s best to enjoy fresh or refrigerated leftovers.

Troubleshooting and Common Questions

How do you prevent mushy noodles in mac and cheese soup?

Cook your noodles just until they’re al dente during the initial boil in broth—similar to how the pasta is cooked in our Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Orzo. Since the noodles soak up more liquid in the soup, they’ll keep softening. By catching them early and stirring the soup just once combined, the noodles won’t get overly mushy.

How do you get the cheese to blend smoothly into the soup?

Cheese can clump if you add it straight to hot broth, so the trick is melting it slowly into the roux base. Whisking it into the buttery flour paste first helps the cheese melt gently and smoothly. This way, your mac and cheese soup is creamy without unpleasant lumps. If you prefer an alternative path to silky, lump-free creaminess, our Cottage Cheese Parmesan Firecracker Chicken shows how cottage cheese can create a smooth sauce fast.

Can you make mac and cheese soup in a slow cooker?

You could, but it’s a bit tricky. You need to boil pasta and make a roux separately, which slow cookers can’t do well. Unless your slow cooker has a sauté function, you’ll want to stick to stovetop cooking and just use the slow cooker to keep the soup warm for serving.