This Canned Soup Is Your Secret Weapon For The Creamiest Mac And Cheese In Minutes

Mac and cheese is the generationally approved comfort food that never fails to hit the spot. Sometimes, though, a homemade version takes more time than you have. Thankfully, canned cheese soup, like Campbell's condensed cheddar cheese one, can help you make a rich dump-and-cook mac and cheese with just a few minutes of prep.

Adding canned soups to mac and cheese has been a game-changer for home cooks for a while. Cheddar cheese soup is especially useful as a creamy base that doesn't require you to build a sauce from scratch. The recipe works in the oven or on the stovetop, which makes it versatile for any kitchen setup. When gathering your ingredients, plan to use roughly 4 ounces of dry pasta per can of cheese soup. 

If you're baking the mac and cheese, you can mix the canned soup with your liquid in a casserole dish and then add the uncooked pasta. When placed in the oven, however, you'll need two cans' worth of ingredients to fill a 13-by-9-by-2-inch casserole dish for properly cooked mac and cheese. It's a good idea to cover the casserole dish in foil before placing it in the center of the oven for the initial bake (which should take about half an hour) to keep the noodles from drying out. You can then stir it and place it uncovered on the upper rack for the last few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken without burning. If you're cooking mac and cheese on the stove, you'll want to boil the soup (and any other liquids) before adding the uncooked pasta in. You can easily do a one-can portion in this case, but make sure to reduce the heat to low once the pasta is added in. 

Canned soup is often used to thicken and season mac and cheese dishes, and your cheddar soup is no exception. The balance of liquids in the mac and cheese dictates the consistency. The cheesy cheddar soup mimics the effects of béchamel, a sauce base that is often used in classic baked mac and cheese recipes to keep the dish thick and velvety. You can also opt for a mixture of half-and-half, milk, sour cream, and buttermilk in addition to the canned cheddar soup to ensure the mac and cheese remains creamy with a complex layer of flavors. This combination also gives you get a bit of tang to contrast the buttery, umami notes. 

The cheesy finish is one of the best parts about mac and cheese, so adding shredded cheese is another way to increase the flavor and texture. Depending on your preference, you can stir the cheese into the dish itself and/or sprinkle it as a topping. Cheddar cheese will no doubt work well here, but shredded Colby cheese also complements the canned cheese soup nicely — though it is milder, softer, and more moist than cheddar. Another cheese to sprinkle over your soup-enriched mac and cheese is a combination of cheddar and mozzarella for an extra stringy addition to your dish. Finally, use fried onions to top your mac and cheese with a flavor-filled crunch, or add some oil-tossed breadcrumbs for extra crispy texture. Either will seriously upgrade your mac and cheese.