I make the most banging mac and cheese and it only takes like 15 mins.

Make a white sauce - butter, flour into a paste, add milk and mix til smooth and slightly thinner than the eventual intended sauce.

Add grated cheddar, dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Boil the macaroni til al dente. Mix that shit up and top with parmesan. It is incredible every damn time. The issue is that most mac and cheese is made of shelf stable food adjacent powders.