The Creamy Ingredient You Need For Better Boxed Mac And Cheese

It's one thing to change the flavor of boxed mac and cheese. Everybody has their favorite method of jazzing up your average Kraft Blue Box, whether they use a few dashes of hot sauce or sprinkle in some garlic powder. It's another thing to change the texture: that smooth, pleasantly gloopy emulsification that we remember from countless childhood bowls. Whether or not it's your favorite thing in the world, it just seems like it should feel a certain way in your mouth. If you're going to change it, you'd better have a good reason.

Well, here's one: Not only can you make the texture of boxed mac and cheese richer and creamier, but you can also add some extra cheesiness and tang. All you have to do is add a few hearty dollops of cream cheese, and you can turn the quickest of easy weekday dinners into a luxurious experience.

Cream cheese isn't just something you spread on your bagel. When applied to something like boxed mac and cheese, it lends the dish a creamy, béchamel-esque consistency without the hassle of fussing over a roux and making sure it doesn't break. Not only that, but it gives the mac and cheese a light, pleasant tang that makes the ultra-processed gooey stuff from the box taste like something fresh.

Here's how it's done: Just assemble your boxed mac and cheese according to the instructions (which are listed on the box but, let's be real, you've probably memorized them by now). In addition to the butter, the milk, and the cheese powder, you're going to add a few solid spoonfuls of cream cheese, stirring until it's all melted and coalesced into gooey, creamy goodness. Yes, it's that easy — and that delicious!