It’s a MIRACLE. Macaroni and cheese that’s smooth, creamy, and gooey, is made in one pot, with only a few ingredients, and is every bit as easy as the blue box. I’m serious. I’m seriously serious about this Miracle Mac and Cheese.
I’ve seen versions of this recipe around the internet for a while and I really don’t know what took me so long to try it out, but thank god I finally did. This is going to be a new staple in my house and if you’re a fan of mac n’ cheese then you MUST try this today.
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Why this works:
If you try to melt cheese into milk, you won’t get very far. The water in the milk repels the fat in the cheese, and everything will just clump up instead of creating a creamy sauce. To get a creamy sauce you need an emulsifying agent. By simmering the pasta in milk for this recipe, you create a starchy milk slurry that helps emulsify the cheese into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Why I love Miracle Mac and Cheese
- It’s SUPER fast. Just as fast as the blue box, in fact.
- No unusual ingredients are needed (just milk, macaroni, cheese, and whatever you want to season it with)
- No flour-based béchamel sauce needed
- Easy to memorize
- Great for last-minute meals, uses only pantry staples
- The sauce is rich and creamy with less cheese than other mac and cheese recipes
Why I don’t love Miracle Mac and Cheese
- You really need to eat this one fresh because it doesn’t stay creamy when reheated
Since first discovering this Miracle Mac and Cheese method, I’ve found a new easy mac and cheese method that I like even better. The new method uses evaporated milk to emulsify the cheese, and the creamy texture holds up much better. To check out the newer version, see the Will it Skillet Mac and Cheese recipe.
If you’re looking for a traditional mac and cheese recipe that uses a roux-based cheese sauce, be sure to check out my Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe.
Miracle Mac and Cheese
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups milk, divided ($0.70)
- 2 cups dry macaroni (about 1/2 lb.) ( $0.65)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($1.25)
- 3/4 tsp salt ($0.04)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard, optional ($0.04)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, optional ($0.02)
- 10-15 cranks fresh cracked pepper, optional ($0.02)
Instructions
- Combine the dry macaroni and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot. Place a lid on top and bring it up to a boil over medium/high heat while occasionally stirring.
- As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender (about 10 minutes). Make sure to stir often during this process to keep the pasta from clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pot. Promptly replace the lid each time you finish stirring to help hold in the steam.
- Once the pasta is soft and has absorbed most of the milk, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and dijon, or the spices of your choice. If the mixture begins to look dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese until melted and creamy. Serve immediately.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!More Mac and Cheese Recipes:
- Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Pesto Mac with Spinach
- One Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
- White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
How to Make Miracle Mac and Cheese – Step By Step Photos
First, combine the dry macaroni noodles and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot. I prefer whole milk, but 2% also works.
Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the noodles are soft and have absorbed most of the milk (about 10 minutes), then turn the heat off. It is VERY important to stir often during this process and replace the lid as soon as possible after doing so. Once the pasta is tender, there should be a bit of starchy, milky sauce in the bottom of the pot.
I like to season the mixture before adding the cheese because I feel like it dissolves in easier. Season with whatever you like. A little bit of salt (.5 to 1 tsp) is pretty necessary, but after that just go with it. Even just a touch of onion powder would be great. The type of cheese you’re using will also dictate what seasonings to use. If the mixture begins to look dry here, add a splash more milk.
Add the shredded cheese and stir until it has melted in and created a smooth sauce. The residual heat should be enough to melt it into the seasoned milk mixture. I love that this recipe only needs 1 cup of cheese… most macaroni recipes require 2 cups, plus a béchamel sauce made with butter.
And then, like magic, you have a smooth, creamy, super cheesy macaroni and cheese! In less than 30 minutes! And no more steps are required than with a box mix… it’s a miracle.
Really easy miracle mac and cheese, made with just a few ingredients.
So easy and quick! sooooo good.
Looks like easy recipes with good results
Not bad but wasn’t the best.took a bit too long. But it’s still good
I can’t believe this recipe is 10 years old. I think I must have started cooking it when you first released it. Haven’t made it for ages but it was the first thing I felt like making after sinking a few too many g&ts today. It never fails!
I made this Mac and Cheese exactly as described except I added a little more milk and cheese. To quote my husband after he took his first bite, “Oh he** yeah! This is way better than Annie’s”. Needless to say no more boxed Mac and Cheese for us!
This was the best homemade Mac and cheese I’ve tried!! Other recipes have been a fail and I’d go back to the boxed stuff. This was so easy and it’s items I have on hand all the time. I couldn’t believe how good it was and my kids loved it too! We reheated ours the next day and it tasted great! Thank you!
I had to add more Mac and cheese because all I could taste was the mustard
This is sooooo good!! Super easy to make as long as you baby the pasta a bit at the end. The flavour is delish and I added a couple pinches of garlic powder. It has a really rich flavour without being too much
I’ve been making this amazing recipe now for 3 years and it’s now known in my house as Mom’s famous Mac n cheese! All other Mac n cheeses (store bought, at a restaurant or someone else’s recipe) get compared to it by my kids and none ever displaces the 10 out of 10 score they give this. Creamy & delicious, fun to make with kids, or great to try with different types cheeses mixed in. It’s memorised now and our household fav, thank you!
Wow! This is a great recipe! I’m not good in the kitchen but somehow I’m able to follow your instructions and make consistently satisfying meals. Thanks again!
Has anyone used cream instead of milk?
The water content of cream is lower than milk, so there won’t be as much for the pasta to absorb, so you may have trouble cooking the pasta.
Can this be made with plant based milk such as almond? I do eat cheese but don’t keep milk in the house because I don’t like the taste.
Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this one with a plant-based milk. It might be a little tricky with this one, since the milk is involved in emulsifying the cheese, so the plant-based milk might act differently.
Did you ever try this is plan based milk? I don’t keep any milk either but I was wondering if it creates enough of a starchy liquid anyway
I always use unsweetened almond milk and this Mac is #1 in my house!
I love the simplicity of the recipe. My son loves mac n cheese (I do too) – his “go too” is Velveeta Shells & Cheese. However I am always concerned about the sodium in any prepared box mix.
My question is, do you shred your own cheddar or do you use pre shredded? Many recipes warn against pre shredded cheese because it doesn’t melt correctly. I almost always have shredded cheese on hand, which would absolutely make this an easy meal or side dish.
I’ve used both. I’m sure it probably depends on the brand, too, as some probably use more cellulose (anti-caking powder) than others.
Loved this! Delicious and easy!! Made sure to simmer macaroni on low slowly to not stick or burn. Took like 12 minutes but I started tasting it at 8 until it reaches my desired doneness. YUMMMMMM
I made this! Had to add lots of extra milk not sure where I messed up but still turned out well! Serving with hotdogs :)
Going to try this with fresh pasta, will it work? It’ll cook faster, so perhaps will need less milk?
Yeah, I’m not sure how that would turn out without testing it first.
I’m so glad I came across this recipe! It’s now my favorite instant mac and cheese recipe for when I want something quick and delicious!
I was skeptical but this was delicious! I highly recommend including the “optional” items, they made the dish very flavorful, especially the dijon. I did make a double batch, and despite the note it reheated just fine. I put a tiny bit of milk in the bowl before sticking in the microwave and while it wasn’t exactly as creamy as day one it was still great!
This has become my go-to mac and cheese recipe! Don’t even bother with the boxed stuff or the “real thing” anymore. It’s a good happy medium. Reminds me of that Food Network show, Semi Homemade w/ Sandra Lee.
I must apologize for ever doubting you. I didn’t think anything could be easier than the box. This was easier than easy and tastier than tasty.
Thanks for this recipe can’t wait to try it. My recipe takes so long and we hate the box ones . So family are pleased I’ve found this easy one. Will let you know how it goes. Have already passed this onto a friend who was also looking for an easier homemade recipe that was quick to make. Many thanks will be in touch with the results.
Can’t wait to hear what they think!
This finally got my family to like mac’ n cheese. Thanks!
Hooray! Happy to hear it!
Good recipe: I love it.
I made this last night for a quick dinner with some homemade chicken nuggets (because even as an adult, this is one of my fav meals LOL) … my family & I loved this! It was so simple, so tasty … and i added a little bit of bread crumbs to the top before serving. It totally reminds me of home made mac and cheese that i bake in the oven, which obviously takes a lot longer. I will def be making this again!!
We love our comforts no matter what age!
I made this last minute and only had unsweetened almond milk on hand- delicious! I think with the almond milk, I’d skip adding the dijon because it kind of took over the flavor, but I’m really happy with this recipe! Will make again!
Good to know the sub worked out fine!
You’re going to die laughing, but I even once made it with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and it was still delicious!
That’s a win for sure! :P
hmmm I wonder if it would work with unsweetened coconut or coconut/almond milk I always have one or the other in the house. for my protien shakes and other treats I make. with my shake mix haha. I tend to eat more “dirty keto” or modified Atkins due to Epilepsy. So I try as much as. I can to adapt recipies and I have been able to adapt a lot of the budget bytes recipies to spect with a few modifications and they taste great.
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Woah. When they say it doesn’t keep, they’re not kidding. In the 10 minutes it took me to eat one serving, the rest of the mac and cheese in the pot was congealed and awful. So sad!
I liked it a lot! It tastes weirdly sweet to me–I wonder why? I didn’t have dijon or paprika.
You’re probably tasting the natural sweetness of the milk. The Dijon would definitely help cut the sweetness.
It was ok. Not a smooth creamy texture that you would expect! And very time consuming! Don’t be fooled, box Mac and cheese is way easier! I had to babysit this.
boxed might be easier but it contains numerous ingredients I bet you can’t pronounce. not sure why you would want to eat them or people would want to feed them to kids. if stirring and grating cheese is a hassle… our world is in trouble
I decided to make this with Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar, and let me tell you……OMG. So creamy and comforting, and EASY. This will be my go-to on busy days (or bad days, haha).
Thank you for this great recipe!!! It’s really easy and really good and creamy!!!
I pinned this recipe a long time ago and have used it as written many times. It’s easy and delicious. Fast forward to now… we have cut dairy out of one of my kiddos’ diet (to see if it helps with eczema flare ups) and we have been on the hunt for a dairy free Mac n cheese without much success until now. I’ve made several highly rated homemade DF recipes and have tried all the DF boxed versions that I could find, all of which have been rejected by the boss. We did just discover that he doesn’t mind the “Go Veggie” brand of DF cheese so I decided to try this recipe by using that “cheese” and cashew milk and he is currently on his THIRD bowl of it, lol. Everybody is happy. So for anyone that might be searching for a dairy free version, try this recipe making substitutions and it’s still easy and delicious! THANK YOU!!
That’s so awesome!! Thank you for sharing that variation, too. I’m sure it will be helpful to a lot of people!
Why did mine come out grainy? Please help! :)
Hmm, not sure. Did you use sharp cheddar? I’ve learned that sharp cheddar “breaks” easier than mild cheddar.
I find it comes out grainy if it is too dry. Mixing in more milk at the end might help.
Oh my goodness, what a great quick recipe – thanks! So much tastier than boxed stuff. I’m in Europe so I used a Swedish cheese (jämtgård) and it is awesome. Tack så mycket! (Thanks so much!) The kids are gobbling it as I type.
I had no idea what to make for lunch and remembered this recipe, had everything, and decided to try it out. It was a great recipe. Ended up adding in a few fried hot dogs and a can of chili. Super yummy lunch!
This is great! My picky 4 year old doesn’t like boxed Mac n cheese but he likes this!
This is one of our all-time favorite recipes – we make it frequently. The only changes I made are adding a little extra cheddar and a spoonful of Cheese Whiz (instead of adding salt). My husband now cooks this instead of buying Kraft Dinner.
I was so excited to make Mac n cheese for the kiddos when I found your recipe! It sounded good and I already had everything. BUT there are a few flaws. Who boils milk. I have never heard that before in my long long life. Also, putting pancake mix in Mac n cheese made it awful. I would never reccomend it, that was like mashed potatoes. So thanks a lot.
I’m not sure why you put pancake mix in this recipe, it’s not in the ingredient list or the instructions.
Finally a homemade mac n cheese that my kids and I loved. So fast and easy…. which is a must with 2 littles. Thank you for sharing!!
Made this for dinner tonight. I did need to add more milk because it cooked out pretty long before the pasta was cooked. It wasn’t bad, but also not something to rave about. I would make it again in a pinch but prefer a bechamel.
Just made this for lunch. My kids and I
love it. My son said he’s going to make it next time. Definitely a keeper in this house! Added a little more paprika and cayenne for some heat👍
Really bad. I had to throw it out. The cheese was all clumpy and it had no taste.
My result was tasty but the sauce was a bit grainy… any tips on how to fix that?
This one can get grainy as it cools. Since posting this recipe, I’ve discovered a version that I like even better. It uses evaporated milk, which helps emulsify the cheese better and prevent that graininess. Check it out (it can be made in a pot instead of a skillet).
This is definitely an easy way to make Mac and cheese, but whole family hates the paprika and it was too rich and we couldn’t eat it.
I didn’t have cheddar but still wanted the rich cheesy taste so I used the Colby and Tasty I had already and Parmesan. It turned out great!
My first time trying this recipe. We’ll its not bad cant complain i like it. I use to like the kraft dinner in a box but after what i read about it concerns me to even continue buying it so i opted for a homemade kind.
This has become my weeknight mac and cheese. Sometimes I cut the milk a bit and use water and chicken base for added saltiness. For a really easy mostly one pot meal I will add some canned tuna in the last couple minutes before I add the cheese and serve with frozen peas warned up with a little butter and salt.
Seriously saves me hassle of doing the full bechmel after a long day at work.
Not really my cup of tea and I LOVE BUDGET BYTES. (SERIOUSLY. Every recipe on here other than this one is beyond good)
It really tasted like noodles with cheese on them and less of a cheese sauce and I really tried to make sure I added enough milk.
There are amazing recipes on here so not the end of the world by any means, but wouldn’t make this again.
Multiple types of cheese and some Dijon fixed that problem for me. With just cheddar, it did feel a bit cheese on noodles for me too
Made this tonight and it turned out awesome!!! The only thing I didn’t differently was I also added a cup of parm cheese. It’s good without it but it makes it perfect
I am soooo going to try this. What seasonings would you recommend? Thx
Quick, simple, and tasty! I added a * little * bit of butter & will try it with different cheeses next time! Thank you!
Oh my gosh! This is exactly the recipe I have been looking for for years!! Even the “easy”recipes require more than I wanted to do for an easy recipe. This was easy, delicious, and, most importantly, a hit with me and my family! From this moment on, this is my go-to mac and cheese recipe. THANKS!!! :)
Oh my gosh! This is exactly the recipe I have been looking for for years!! Even the “easy”recipes require more than I wanted to do for an easy recipe. This was easy, delicious, and, most importantly, a hit with me and my family! From this moment on, this is my go-to mac and cheese recipe. THANKS!!! :)
I forgot to give it the 5 stars I meant to give! Hope that doesn’t mess it up!
This dish was very frustrating! No matter how much milk I added it was still dry. This recipe needs to be reviewed. Though the flavors were delicious the texture and dryness was less then desirable. Please add a lit more milk, butter, and cook longer.
Lot*
Do you know if non-dairy milk will work? I’m sensitive to cow’s milk, but not to cheese (it’s weird, the fermentation process changes things enough). I usually use rice milk (just water, rice, salt, and a little oil) because I’m also allergic to nuts, but I can also use pure coconut milk. Some recipes, the substitution is fine, others, not so much.
Unfortunately I haven’t tried any non-dairy milks with this method. I would aim for something high in fat, though, so it stays creamy.
I’ve been making this with Almond milk for quite a while now, and I find it works really well. No idea about Rice milk, but I think it might be too thin, so I would try coconut first. I’ve found this recipe is really easy to modify. Mostly, I make as directed (with Almond milk), then add layers of sauteed mushrooms, onions, peas, and cauliflower in a casserole, and put it in the broiler to crisp the top . For a topping, I usually top it with a mix of carmelized onion, mushrooms, cranberries, and panko bread crumbs.
Holy yum to a great, simple meal! This is becoming a staple and replacing blue box in my house. Made this a couple times and loved it. I saw in the comments non dairy milk doesn’t work, has anyone tried a different type of pasta like rice pasta, whole wheat, or lentil pasta? Thanks for this recipe and for your blog. Love the step by step with pics.
I LOVE this dish! I just made it (for the millionth time) but tried monterey jack instead of cheddar. Same spices. OMG delicious. So creamy!
Was skeptical, but came out great. Be sure to watch carefully as it comes to a boil. Stir frequently to keep
from sticking to pan.
I made this today, it was so easy and tasty! I added 1/2 bag frozen broccoli, finely chopped in an effort to get my toddler to eat a vegetable. Totally satisfied my craving for the infamous blue box but I feel a heck of a lot better eating something with such a simple and short ingredient list. Many thanks! I look forward to playing with it.
This was amazing!!! I love how no flour is needed. The mac and cheese was amazingly smooth and creamy. I added spinach, ham and egg.
lol, this is actually disgusting, dont make this. It’s pure awful. Actually, you know what, make it so you’re never curious about this recipe ever again.
This came out perfect. I’m thinking those who it didn’t come out well for missed something along the way. I followed the instructions exactly as far as cooking and I think it a great substitute for the traditional stovetop Mac and cheese. If anyone is contemplating making it due to the comments, I say go for it! It’s delicious. I used freshly grated Colby jack and added a pinch of ground mustard, smoked paprika, and tumeric. Thanks for the recipe!
I love this recipe! I’ve used it multiple times and it always turns out great. I substitute milk for soy milk and it’s still creamy and delicious. My only word of advice is to use unsweetened soy milk so you get more of the savoury flavour from the cheese.
Thank you for this recipe! I was looking for a good Mac and cheese recipe to make with barbecue ribs and this was perfect! The preparation was so easy and fast! I’m going to try some other cheeses and seasonings to mix it up, this will be one I make on a regular basis. Thanks for your recipes, I’m a big fan of your site!
Just gave this a shot!
My biggest suggestion would be to do a quick rinse in water on about half of the pasta. The starch flavour from the whole two cups of pasta is a bit overwhelming and takes over the whole dish. Other than that, I don’t have many complaints!
Gah. Terrible. We ended up having cheese toast. Much better.
I made this many times and it’s great ! But I tried boiling the pasta in water first for 10 minutes , drain then added one cup milk let it boil for another 5 minutes then added two kinds of cheddar , mustard , salt and paprika . I find this way the texture is better also less time stirring and watching the milk ! And my daughter loves it . Thank you for this recipe .
Twice I’ve made this and twice I’ve said the same thing, “Why did I make this?” and then the leftovers get thrown out. I don’t know if it’s because I used whole wheat pasta, but it was not smooth at all, just clumpy and tasted very starchy.
The whole wheat pasta is your problem most likely, as the cook time is different.
I just made this, and it didn’t turn out very well. I don’t know if maybe I screwed something up, but while what I got certainly looked just like mac ‘n cheese, it was almost tasteless, with just the bite of the sharp cheddar indicating that there was cheese in it at all. We tried adding more cheese and even butter, but it couldn’t be saved. Not giving a low rating because so many other people here seem to like it and that makes me think I did it wrong.
Maybe try a little more salt next time. Sometimes all you need for flavor to really “pop” is a pinch more salt.
I made it and it turned out great. I didn’t have any graininess, but I am wondering if that might come with using pre-shredded cheeses as they sometimes add anti-clumping agents and it might make it grainy. I forgot the dijon, but will try it next time.
I don’t think that it’s because of using pre-shredded cheese, I think it’s more because this isn’t a traditional cheese sauce. When you take short cuts the texture is a bit different. For me it was pretty smooth when it was fresh and hot, and the graininess only happened as it began to cool.
Just made this with some broccoli and Italian sausage. The mac and cheese texture is a little grainy, but for the low effort it took to make this, I don’t mind at all! Tasted awesome.
Pretty good. Left out the Dijon because it just sounded weird. This is a simple and plain basic macaroni. You really have to stir often or it will stick, and you’ll most likely need to add additional milk at the end to keep it moist and creamy. Inexpensive and quick.
What add-ins would you suggest to make it a more well-rounded dinner-meal or just get a few more vitamins in? It sounds absolutely delicious!
Broccoli florets would be awesome, or maybe some cooked chicken (or both!). :)
We love this stuff at our house! Definitely toddler approved! We’ve made it many times and have changed just a couple minor things to suit our taste. We only add 1/2 t salt – 3/4 t is just a tad bit too salty for us. We also leave out the optional ingredients (dijon mustard, paprika), but that’s mostly because I made it once with those ingredients while I was very sick with first trimester morning sickness. (BIG mistake!) For some reason that taste now brings me right back to those two months I spent over the toilet and it makes me sick just smelling it. Won’t be a problem for most people, but we just like it best plain and simple at our house.
I tried this last night but it didn’t turn out well for me. The texture wasn’t bad but I wished I hadn’t added the mustard, it gave it a really strange taste. I may attempt again in the future.
Hello! This is genius, cooking the pasta in milk!!! It looks amazing!!! I would however like to add more cheese and bake it so the top gets brown, will it mess up the recipe if I add extra cheese and just broil it till it gets brown?? I can’t wait to try a lot of your recipes!!!
If you’re just broiling it for a minute or two to make it brown, it should be okay. I’m not sure how this type of “quick” sauce would hold up to longer baking, though.
Would using whole grain pasta affect the recipe at all?
It may, but I haven’t tried it. Whole grain products tend to absorb more moisture, so that could affect the texture.
This was great! I added some parmesan cheese to it and it tasted gourmet.
I took a page from Beth’s book and added some feta to this too. The cheddar, Parmesan, and feta were wonderful together!
This was great. Not at all the consistency of traditional Mac n cheese, but delicious in its own right. I used half cheddar, half gruyere. It tasted like pasta mixed with fondue. yum!
For some reason, I’m unable to give it a star rating. For a quick and easy (and yummy) dinner, I’d give this five stars
Very clever with the makeshift bechamel sauce. And you’re lightening it up a bit as well, by not using the butter which is traditionally used in making a bechamel sauce. A few slices of plain old American cheese (I use Land O Lakes brand from the deli) thrown in before adding the cheddar (and letting it melt completely into the sauce first) will further help emulsify everything, if you’re having problems with any graininess.
This is my 2nd recipe from the site. The cheese “sauce” was perfect! Creamy and smooth even with pre-shredded cheese (maybe it was the extra fine that helped) but I think I did something wrong with the milk because it came out tasting foamy…weird. Everything else was great super smooth and creamy. I’m going to try cooking it on a lower heat or try the high altitude steps someone else recommended. Fab idea to keep it quick and cheap, my other version can cost up to $10 easy.
I have been following your blog for the longest time now! My first review! I’ve made so much from your blog! This recipe is so good that I couldn’t stop myself from eating the gooey macaroni off the spoon! Soo good!! :))
This came out great! I used a too small pot and ended up with a boil over mess, so next time I’ll use a much bigger one, but otherwise this just really rocked. I skipped the paprika, used just .5t salt, subbed a bit of dry mustard for dijon, and used 2 slices American cheese with the rest shredded jack. Not a bit grainy. Creamy and so cheesey tasting. It got thick as it cooled but with a little more milk stirred in was creamy again. 4 year old loved it and I wanted to lick the pot. And it was so quick and easy. Thank you Beth!
Whoops, silly me, I messed up on the comment above mentioning that the finished product while darned tasty was also grainy as it cooled. That didn’t fly with the kiddos. I love this recipe though, and wonder Miss Beth if you think using cooked pasta would eliminate that weird consistency – and if measurements of liquid would need to be changed as a result…? Way yummier than nasty old box stuff, but I just need to get a smoother consistency for a big win.
I think that graininess is just because it’s not a proper cheese sauce. The starch from the pasta helps make it smooth a little, but not as much as a real butter and flour roux does in a traditional mac and cheese recipe. So, I don’t think there’s a way around that part (the price you pay for it being so quick :( ). If you use cooked pasta, you’d definitely want less milk because none of that will be absorbed by the pasta. That being said, I’m not sure if the cheese will melt into the milk correctly (it may just clump together in a glob) without having some of that starch that dissolves off the pasta into the milk as it cooks. So, I’m not sure it would work. :/
Not a flaw with the recipe by any means but fyi to others, it doesn’t work at altitude. I live at over 5000 ft above sea level and the pasta always comes out crunchy With this recipe. Too bad, otherwise it’s perfect! Just be warned if you’re at high elevation like me.
I modified this recipe after reading these comments, since I am at a high altitude. As a result, it came out creamy with no grit! I cooked the pasta 3/4 way with water. Dumped all the water minus 1/4 or 1/2 cup for the starch and used a cup of milk or a little more to finish off the cooking (eyeballed it). When the noodles were done I poured most of the milk (left some to mix) to a reusable container, added 2 tbs of butter with mustard and spices. When I added the cheese and stirred, I re added some milk, I was able to mix that rue consistency without the grit! It took a few extra steps but worked great!
So. Good. It’s great with sharp cheddar or a mix of cheddar and monteray jack!
First time I’ve ever made a recipe from this website!! I added waaaay too much cheese but it was still delicious. I also used shells instead of the traditional macaroni noodles. Came out looking and tasting like my grandma’s. I’m so glad I’m learning how to cook. This was a great beginner’s recipe.
I absolutely loved, loved your recipes. I hate, hate prepackaged food so, this recipe was just for me. I made it for my toddler and I added some vegetables to it. He ate the whole thing. Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe.
I used extra-sharp cheddar and it was still kind of blande for my taste. I think I will use more cheese next time. And my pot still dried up a little even with all the milk, so less pasta. Maybe my pot let’s off more steam than yours :)
Instead of smoked paprika and dijon, I used regular paprika and spicy mustard. I used Mexican blend shredded cheese for the cheese. Threw in a whole cup of milk at the end and some flour to thicken it up, and a little butter for flavor (so bad, but so good). Followed the directions otherwise. It came out super tasty. The cheese melted just fine, so I’m not sure what other commenters meant about shredded cheese not working. Maybe it depends on brand?
First time I made it, was a bit grainy as it cooled. Fixed that, this time, by adding MORE MILK (like 1/2 cup) at the end so that the noodles can absorb it and it doesn’t dry out.
Also, this time, stirred in 1 cup of thawed peas (for color) at the end. It’s January in the Midwest and we’re longing for color.
Another hit out of the ballpark. THANK YOU!
This recipe is great! But I do have a suggestion, add different cheeses to the recipe to make the cheese sauce thicker.
You’re seriously missing out if you omit the Dijon and smoked paprika. Very easy if you’re vigilant about not letting it boil over.
This was so good and so easy it borders on ridiculous! My store was out of elbows (what the what?) so I used Rotini. I don’t think it matters, as long as it has good surface and nooks and crannies for the cheese sauce. Shells would probably be great, too.
If you are getting a grainy texture, please make sure you’re not using pre-shredded. They have something added to keep the shreds from sticking together in the bag (something akin to sawdust) and it affects both melting and texture. I used extra sharp cheddar and grated it on my box grater on the side with the teeny holes. It’s super fine, almost like hair, and it melts almost instantly. Ooey Gooey!
Also, you have to watch it like a hawk!! I have a bit of a mess on my stove because it boiled over. Oops!
Hands down, one of the best recipes I’ve ever gotten from the Internet – comfort food that’s easier than the fancy schmancy stuff but just as easy (if not easier) and healthier than that crap in the blue box!!! Wahoo!!
This was really good and cheap to make. I googled “cheap mac n cheese” and this came up. So many of the mac n cheese recipes are expensive to make. Thank you!
OMG!! Miracle Mac n cheese, indeed! My family loved this! Wasn’t grainy at all. To others that want to try this recipe, watch it like a hawk and it will turn out perfect (literally only took 10-15 mins). Shamefully, we did double the amount of cheese. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
I’ve just finished eating this – YUM! I made a few alterations – halved the recipe to make 2 portions (but instead made 1 greedy portion!) swapped macaroni for spaghetti as that’s all I had in the house, added some crispy smoked bacon and raw spinach at the end. I added a bit of water while it was cooking to loosen it up a bit. Incredibly sticky and gooey, perfect winter comfort food!
Waste of cheese. Much simpler to make a basic cheese sauce and turns out way better. Made it and threw it out. Didn’t even eat it.
What is a “basic cheese sauce”? The one made here seems pretty simple to me.
A real cheese sauce, I guess I should say. :) It starts with a flour-butter roux, then milk, then cheese. This one is MUCH easier.
I made this today, totally craving. Came out well. Used soy milk and it was great! You need to watch the pot because it will overflow, so keep stirring! I love this site, every time I need something quick and inexpensive to eat I come here and type an ingredient I have in my apt, never disappoints. Thank you again for helping a NYC gal eat more than just cereal all day!
I was craving some comfort food the other day and Mac & Cheese strongly appealed to me only I didn’t have the boxed kind and didn’t feel like making a roux. So I did a little research and found this recipe. Made it at ounce. It was very good although it had to be eaten very quickly (not a problem!) because it hardened up pretty fast. Then 2 days later, I was feeling like Mac & Cheese again but had no milk left in the fridge. I thought about the way this recipe come together and improvised. Came up with the most simple thing ever: adding 2 TBS of cream cheese (the softer kind) and all the seasonings to the barely drained pasta (so that there’s a tiny bit of water left to amp up the creaminess factor) and then stirring in the cheese. The texture wasn’t 100% the same as M&C but it was a pretty good dupe and so easy to make :)
I have made this many times, it always comes out so creamy and everyone loves it. We double the recipe and it only serves 6 here!
The only change I make is I use evaporated milk, and a few drops of tobacco.
Oh and for those who find it grainy, if you are using pre-shredded cheese the cellulose (the anti-caking agent, which is made of wood pulp) adds to that.
Since I have found this recipe I make it all the time when my friend comes over. She is a lover of cheese and yes, this recipe is ridiculously easy.
I love the paprika and dijon. Just. Wow. I also love to add onions and garlic, because they may or may not be my favorite foods (I do like 4x the garlic you usually do in your recipes and onions are the best) :P
Lastly, I just wanted to share that I love making this recipe with almond milk. It adds this nuttiness that is so subtle and delicious. Also, I usually use this recipe as guidelines. My friend and I usually add a lot more milk and cheese, oops :)
Omg. This is delicious. I made this recipe for myself, and it turned out wonderful. :] I didn’t use the paprika or the mustard. Super delicious, and full of comfort. Thank you!
Made this as a comfort food brunch. It will never serve 4 in this house :-) But that’s okay. I was over-generous with my “cup” of cheese, as I am wont to do with cheese in general.
Had to add more milk, and it was a bit grainy, but still stellar. I find most homemade mac’n’cheese will get grainy, so it doesn’t bother me and it’s not just this recipe that does it.
This is probably the only recipe of yours that I’ve tried that really didn’t work for me. :( I found that the cheese sauce was very sticky/clumpy and not creamy at all, even after I added more milk and even a little butter to try to loosen it up. It was edible, but not at all what I was looking for in a mac and cheese. I’ve had better success with this recipe (http://www.thekitchn.com/weeknight-recipe-easy-homemade-82588), which requires a bit more work but gave me better results.
Amazing!
Made two batches tonight. By the book is amazing with tuna fish.
With pizza cheese blend?
Add diced tomatoes, and pepperoni….pizza mac n’ cheese!
So good, but so far I haven’t been able to pull off the perfect texture. Gotta keep practicing with this one.
I’ve made this with almond milk! and it still turned out great, highly recommend it to lessen the fat content. I’ve yet to try it vegan cheese
I tried this and our whole family loves it! Even my husband who is very picky keeps asking for this. I did add in some additions to make it even better.
I added bacon and onions. In the same pot (dutch oven I used) I fried the onion with the bacon, took it out but didn’t remove the fat. then I stuck to this recipe and added in the bacon and onion along with the cheese.
Thanks again for your awesome site!
the only problem is i am eating the whole pot of mac and cheese. Better only make 1/4 of this recipe next time.
awesome. awesome awesome. I love mac and cheese. I used a little salt and pepper and garlic and paprika. The best mac and cheese i have ever had.
Thanks beth for your recipes.
Has any one tried this with gluten free pasta?
I made this with Mexican Blend cheese and it came out good for a quick mac and cheese. Mine was also on the sweet side and a bit grainy. Either way, it will be good for an emergency mac and cheese for the kiddos. Thanks!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it many times as it is a regular go to in my house when feeding my two year old daughter. Thank you for sharing!
This is a great, simple recipe. I wonder how horseradish mustard would work instead of dijon?
Interesting! I bet that would be good. :)
Totally loved the recipe. Just added salt pepper and bacon. Must eat while hot though. Gets tough when cold
A friend of mine made mac and cheese recently with poblano peppers and a dollop of greek yogurt on top. It was out of this world! I think I’ll give this recipe a kick by adding peppers :)
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it. I have been looking everywhere for a good pumpkin mac and cheese, but I haven’t found one yet. Do you think I could add pumpkin to this? What would you change if you were going to add in some pumpkin puree? Thanks Beth, your site is amazing! Can’t wait for the book.
I think I would try whisking the pumpkin into the milk before combining it with the pasta. That way it will all sort of cook together. I’ve never tried it, though, so I’m not 100% sure it would work! :)
Just finished making this recipe (currently eating it) and I absolutely love it!!
Okay, well I did find it to be too salty for my taste, but that is so easily fixed (next time I make it)
It was so easy, so creamy and way better than the box! I am always looking for things I can make in 1 pot because I loathe having to both cook AND wash dishes.
Awesome site!
This was so easy and amazing! I used 2% organic milk and think it was only a little tiny bit grainy. That may just be the pasta starch rolling into the milk??? Anyway it isn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, or the best mac & cheese, but it was the easiest and best we’ve ever had at home and I am craving it as I write this. THANK YOU for this website. I am obsessed. Thank you for all the veggie options. Keep em coming.
P.S. I’ve had problems with your website about every other time I try to access it. Some kind of DNS error. But the stuff on here is so damn brilliant that I’ll keep trying until I get it. :)
I used 2% organic milk, and my sauce also turned out grainy. I’m guessing that conventional milk would be better. I’ll try that next time, because the flavor was delicious and the simplicity can’t be beat!
I used skim milk and added 2-3 Tbl butter as the pasta boils. I tried adding the butter after, when I added the cheese, but it wasn’t as creamy a final product. Adding it during the cooking stage was perfect!
I made this for dinner last night and it was really awful. I don’t know what I did wrong. The milk made it taste too sweet and the sauce was pasty and grainy. Not good at all.
It might have just needed more salt to counteract the sweetness of the milk (the level of salt in cheese is quite variable, so it’s always best to customize the added salt). I’m not sure about the graininess, though. I have yet to experience that, although it seems a few other readers have. This recipe does not produce results that are exactly like regular mac n’ cheese, but it’s good in a pinch (at least to me). I think it might just be one of those recipes that some people like and others don’t.
I made this last night…it is as good as promised. I fear how much mac n cheese I may end up eating as a result. YUM.
I gave this a try last night and it certainly pulled together quickly, which was a blessing since my *original* dinner plan was taking MUCH longer than anticipated.
I used elbows, skim milk and a cup of mexican blend shredded cheese. I loved the speed with which I was able to make this, but I felt that the milk created such a sweet flavor in the pasta that it overwhelmed the cheese and seasonings. Kiddo enjoyed it and said he’d eat again, but still prefers the traditional method. All in all, I’d make it again for a quickie meal. Thanks!
It was good. Addmittedly (and expectedly) not as good as a more time consuming mac, but it is quick and easy. But BOY do you have to pretty much constantly stir when simmering.
I used farfalle, and instead of cheddar I did a mixture of shredded mexican style cheese and shredded jalepeno jack. The texture is perfect.
I used farfalle, and instead of cheddar I did a mixture of shredded mexican style cheese and shredded jalepeno jack. The texture is perfect.
This was good but I should have read the instructions more carefully. I’ll be more careful not to boil the milk too much next time. I waited for the milk to boil before adding the noodles.
Next time I’ll read the instructions more carefully!
Thanks for the awesome recipe – I made this two nights ago, and then tonight decided to experiment – I used shells instead of elbows, only added salt and pepper for spices, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and approximately 2oz worth of frozen spinach (defrosted and added to the pasta about half way through the simmer).
Has anyone tried freezing portions of this?
Yummy! I have a killer Mac and cheese recipe I should share sometime. Thanks for linking up at on the menu Monday Pinteresting ideas edition. :)
This looks so easy! I don’t eat mac n cheese but Dru loves it and the recipe I usually makes takes forever. Especially for something I don’t really eat so I’m totally trying this. Although it seems a little too easy to be true. Anyway glad I found this one.
Ashley
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! Just made it last night and added some steamed broccoli (you know, to be healthy haha). It was perfect!
Thank you again!!
This is amazing! I’m going to be making this from now on for my girls!! Move over ghetto processed mac and cheese! Miracle mac & cheese to the rescue!! Thank you! You’re an amazing lady! I can’t wait for your book!!
Why does it have to be “ghetto?” Why can’t it be trailer park? Or why do you have to use any kind of racial insult at all? Just wondering.
Thank you, this was awesome!!!:)
I made it with Whole Wheat pasta and low fat cheese. It was STILL good!
I quickly scanned the ingredients and when it was done thought you has sirracha sauce in it -you didn’t, but I tried it, and that was good too!
Perfect meal for when I am to tired to cook my darlings a meal at night. Thanks!
Barb
Delicious!!! Easy!!!! I used penne, that’s what I had. Extra sharp cheddar, 2% milk. A little prepared Dijon. Pepper, no salt. No salt needed. However, it doesn’t serve 4! I gobbled up half and looked longingly at the other half…decided to post while I let my conscience take hold:-) A terrific single gal recipe. Will definitely be making again.
Thanks for a great recipe! I don’t know why, but I never would have thought to cook it in milk! One of those “DUH!!!” moments!!!!!
Hi Beth,
What a wonderful recipe! I have celiac and it came out just perfect with brown rice macaroni noodles. Made it exactly as written and just like the other Canadian poster Autumn, I did use the additional .25 of a cup just like you suggested.
The sauce was just a creamy dream, and my husband gobbled it up saying ‘that was the easiest comfort food you have ever made’. He sits in our kitchen to keep me company and he was just getting settled in when it was already done lol.
Made this for the second time this morning when I woke up with a craving for mac and cheese. This time I added dry mustard instead of the dijon and frozen peas. Excellent!
I made this tonight because I had a serious craving for some comfort food and it was awesome! I didn’t have any cheddar but a mix of left over cheeses (M. Jack slices, mozzarella and parm) but it turned out yummy and I used some things up. The only thing I think I’d change next time is the paprika, didn’t really suit my palette but that’s just me. Thank you for this great recipe!!! :)
Love this recipe!!! I am a horrible cook and I was able to easily make this!!!! I also tried using half pepperjack cheese and half chedder and it turned out AMAZING!! Cheesey with a little kick!
Keep up the good work Beth!!!!
This is such a miracle that I even halved it to make a tiny pot, wandered away, ended up with milk all over my stove and it STILL came out delicious. I’m going to make this so many more times.
I just finished up eating a bowl of this. So yummy! Thanks again for another great recipe. I can’t wait to try this with a bunch of different cheeses. I always make the mac and cheese for the holidays. I thought I had found the perfect mac and cheese recipe, but this one beats it out for ease of cooking and real ingredients (the other used condensed cheese soup). Once again, thank you so much for posting this.
This recipe was so tasty!
I wonder if having to add a lot more milk is due to the heat being too high. It sounds like maybe the milk is boiling away before it has a chance to soften the noodles. Try turning the heat down to the lowest point that still has the milk bubbling (a very gentle simmer) and keep the lid on as much as possible between stirs. I’m not sure if that will help with the graininess, but hopefully!
Mine ended up being a little grainy… also, I had to add milk throughout the process because my noodles didn’t seem to cook sufficiently with the written amount. Perhaps they were too dry near the end to get a smooth texture? I added a lot already, though :\
Hmm, that’s strange. Are you using regular pasta? Did you keep the lid on between stirs?
Whoa, I had to add upwards for 4 cups of milk to this recipe. My noodles still aren’t done where I like them. I also added butter….
Thanks for another great recipe. I made it with half and half since I had some left over from another recipe and I used some Dubliner Irish Cheddar and it turned out wonderful. I also added a little water to it when I reheated it the next day since it was not as saucy the following day but the splash of water did the trick.
as above it is really tasty if you eat it later on or reheat it, but it isn’t very saucy. The boy loved it though, couldn’t get enough of it :)
Just made for the family, makes a very dense creamy mac and cheese. Using sharp cheddar definitely adds flavor and leave room to play around with the seasonings as suggested. If it’s coming out bland then you’re not adding enough flavor or your using bland cheese. Serve it up quick, it’s better fresh and just melted hot!
Just made this with penne as I had no macaroni, I used 2.5 cups of pasta. I didn’t keep the lid on as it just kept boiling and I was worried it would scorch. The pasta was firm but it was tasty :) I added a little water rather than more milk. I also added a good grind of black pepper and a squeeze of garlic paste. I topped it with a little grated cheddar an
d some parmesan and popped it in the oven for ten mins. This was really tasty and ill make it again :-)
Oh yeah I added cut up hotdogs too :-)
I hate wasting money, it irritates me to no end. And not even edible.
Horrible. I fixed it exactly as written with good ingredients and it had NO taste whatsoever. Heating up frozen dinner as I write this. Not only a wasteof money (I’m on a budget), but a waste of time also.
I made this tonight, used shells and doubled the recipe. Awesomesauce!
Jennifer – It might be because the heat is too high? I would suggest turning the heat off as soon as it’s done boiling and before you stir in the seasonings. That way it will have a minute or two to cool off just enough so the cheese doesn’t separate. Hopefully that helps!
Carol – Cute blog! Especially the name. Next time we have a NOLA blogger meet up, I’ll let you know!
Kchamp7 – Sure, I’d be flattered! Thanks!
Hi, my boyfriend and I run a blog at whatcanwecook.wordpress.com, and we’re both trying to learn to cook. We’re about to add a page about blogs we love, and I thought I would give a heads up about putting yours up there. Let me know if this isn’t okay with you! Love your recipes!!!
I can’t wait to try this – I hope it works with Lactaid milk!
Fellow New Orleanian,
Carol
http://www.sazeracsandstilettos.com
I think what the other commenter meant when they said “fuzzy” is what happened to me too. It was sort of grainy like what can happen when you make a regular mac n cheese recipe and the dairy/roux sort of “breaks”.
I used skim milk and followed the directions. Not sure what to try next. I wonder if the preshredded cheese I used had too much non clumping agnet. Any suggestions to keep from getting that grainy texture?
I absolutely love your website. I have made this dish several times. I love how you break everything down by cost. You are speaking my love languages!!!
This was fantastic!!! I added extra paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard powder, and onion powder. My one recommendation is to go EASY on the onion – I was a little heavy handed and it was a bit overpowering. That said I still loved this and will definitely make it again!! Second recipe I’ve tried from here and it was a winner, just like the first (chili cheese beef and mac)!
Made this a second time and used Diana’s tip of adding a cup Of water and cooking with the lid off. This worked perfect for me. I commented above that when I made it the first time it was a little dry. Yummy!!
Very easy. I found it needed more milk as mine turned out a little dry. Very good. Thank you!!
It is Food on Friday time at Carole’s Chatter. This week it is all about cheese. It would be great if you would link this post in to Food on Friday
The recipe certainly was easy, but mine ended up tasting rather starchy.
Thanks for the recipe! Love your quick, cheap, simple recipes.
I will always try a new recipe for mac and cheese! Yum!
this is revolutionary….. mac and cheese that’s not horrible for you?? you’re a goddess. I made mine with sauteed onions and mushrooms. yum!
Mushrooms and green onions…..why didn’t I think of that?
Hi Beth,
I tried this over the weekend and it worked really well. I can’t believe this method hasn’t been covered more!
I have a few recommended changes you may want to consider trying:
The first is to add 2 tbsp of butter. It not only adds flavour, but it will help contribute to the “roux”.
The second is to add about a cup or so of water, and then just leave the lid off. This way, you can stir more frequently and you don’t accidentally get pasta stuck to the bottom of the pot.
This recipe is genius. I’ve made it twice now, the first time with crumbled bacon & asparagus, and just now again, with some garlic and sriracha to make spicy mac! Both times I found the recipe very forgiving as long as I heeded your advice to stir often and keep the lid on so too much liquid doesn’t evaporate. Oh, and I also took leftovers to work for lunch the next day and they reheated surprisingly well with no weird changes in texture. Thanks, Beth!!
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I used skim milk like several other posters, and it worked out just fine. I also crumbled a little goat cheese on top just before serving. It was awesome! I suppose you could have mixed the goat cheese in also; I just thought of it at the last minute. Thanks for the great recipe, Beth!
Just made this, and its both super simple, and super tasty! The key is your cheese. Use a good quality cheddar cheese. And I agree, don’t skimp on the smoked paprika! It adds that something special. My husband threw in a can of tuna to make it more of a complete meal. Great on its own, or with some protein thrown in.
Too bad, all we have other than that is chocolate soy milk. Maybe I will make this for myself some night when he’s not around ;). Thanks!
Hmm, I really don’t know about coconut milk. Someone else already said that almond milk doesn’t work, so I would guess probably not.
Do you know if it would work with coconut milk? My bf is mildly lactose intolerant (mostly milk and cream affects him).
So glad you enjoyed it! Yours looks fantastic!
Anon – Hmm, I guess I don’t understand what you mean by a “fuzzy” texture.
Just found your excellent blog and I have only read a few recipes but can tell you are a good cook and that this is going to be somewhere i come back to again. Thank you. Like the succinct recipes too.
Aine (in Scotland, UK)
Mine had a fuzzy texture, very creamy but fuzzy, no matter how much more milk I added. I resorted to trying to fix it with butter with no luck either. Any idea where I went wrong :(
This was AMAZING. I used whole wheat elbows, skim milk, and regular sharp cheddar cheese, and it tasted very much like my beloved Kraft version. Thank you so much!
Anon – From what I’ve tried so far, cheddar definitely melts in the best. Mild or sharp, doesn’t matter. It melts in nice and smooth :)
I tried this with an Italian cheese blend too (it was all that was in the house) and it didn’t work very well. It started to separate, but it was still creamier than I expected. Is there a particular type of cheese that seems to work best?
This is the best homemade mac n cheese I have ever had! Shhhh… don’t tell Grandma!
Anon – I haven’t heard any reviews about soy milk, but a reviewer yesterday said that almond milk definitely doesn’t work… so I’d proceed with caution!
Do you think this would work with soy milk? I never buy regular milk, but I might have to for this recipe.
I wonder how this work with Lactaid milk; we had to switch recently for my daughter. I’m going to try it tonight. And we tried another of your recipe; the chilli cheese beef mac and my husband LOVED it; his comment “better than Hamburger Helper any day.”
I would just like to say that this is brilliant. And no mess!
AndiNeil – Woah, you’re right! My calculation was way off for the milk :P I’ll have to fix that when I get home from work today. Thanks!!
For anyone who uses almond milk? TOTALLY doesn’t work in this recipe.
I’ve switched to Trader Joe’s almond milk (from the frig section) about 18 months ago. This is the only thing it hasn’t worked with.
Wow, Beth, so much WIN!!
I doubled the recipe so my husband and I would have leftovers for lunches this week. I snuck a few bites of the finished Mac and Cheese and it was incredible!! Then, I added a little bit more milk and cheese, two drained cans of chunk light tuna and about a cup of frozen peas. I sprinkled some Italian seasoned bread crumbs on top and baked it for 30 minutes. My husband took one bite and said “Yes, I’m a fan. You can make this again any time!”
Thanks for yet another new favorite recipe that is quick, easy and oh-so-delicious!
I have a question… what kind of milk are you using? Because $1.40 seems awfully high for just over 2 cups of milk. We pay like $3.86 a gallon in Houston.
Ashlee – Depending on how much tuna and peas you add, you probably will need some more milk/cheese… but you may need to just experiment with it. I added about a half pound of chopped broccoli to my last batch and it was just on the verge of needing more cheese sauce :)
Beth, if I were to throw the finished product in a baking dish with some tuna, peas, and panko bread crumbs on top and bake it for a bit, do you think I’d need to add any extra milk or cheese?
Thanks Anon! I love mac ‘n cheese but I don’t buy milk.
I tried googling the answer to see if soymilk would work and a couple of people on other sites said that sweetened soymilk (the stuff I typically drink) makes the mac ‘n cheese too sweet or gives it an odd flavor.
But I’ll give it a try nevertheless! :) Thank you for your input!
Anonymous– I was just shy of 2 cups of milk so I added a quarter cup of unsweetened almond milk and it turned out fine. I’m not sure how it would work if they whole thing were almond milk. I read on the blog that the recipe is adapted from that several readers had success using soy milk and soy cheese.
I’ve done this before and it is **awesome** if you get it right. Be sure to hover over the stove the entire time!
Ive tried it using whole milk and skim milk and the skim is way way way less heavy and more delicious. Enjoy!
Do you know if this process would work with unsweetened almond milk?
I thought I would take this to another level by using an Italian cheese blend…WRONG! Main cheese is mozzarella and mozzarella=stringy. Had to do quite a bit to save it including a pat of butter and a spoonful of cream cheese. Also added peas, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Don’t do what I did.
Beth, this is great! I added frozen spinach and used whole wheat pasta, to up the nutrition content even more. Thanks!
Made this last night. I doubled the recipe and served it to my husband and I, our daughter and two of her friends. I served it alongside a simple tomato salad of chopped tomatoes and basil drizzled with olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Only one serving of leftovers at the end of the feeding frenzy. It was delicious and easy. I think next time I’m going to experiment with adding broccoli, chopped green onions, peas. The spinach is a good idea, too.
YESSS I’m so happy! I literally made your mac n cheese with broccoli yesterday and while it was delicious and I have plently of time to cook, I love ‘simple’. Totally doing this method with the leftovers are gone. (i too love that this uses half the cheese! its expensive, and fatty)
I was a little skeptical about this (due to my abilities, not yours!) but it turned out perfect. I will say that I wasn’t initially going to add paprika but realized in the end that it is key!
I am thinking next time I make this I will add peas or tuna (or both). Grape tomatoes might be good too. The possibilities are endless. It really turned out wonderfully and thanks to you I think I have another easy meal in my arsenal. My boyfriend will be delighted.
I really like the simplicity of this recipe. And, you managed to both simplify the recipe and make it less expensive. When I did my “Cheap Bastid” version of it, I didn’t come close to your price although I since have managed to get it down to about $4. Good job.
This. Is. Genius.
Add in a tin of tuna, along with some chopped onion, frozen peas and sweetcorn, and it’s a one-pot wonder meal that’s healthy to boot.
Top Tip: try adding a bit of old-fashioned curry powder when you add the spices (a teaspoon or so, keep it subtle). You won’t be sorry.
Andria – Thanks for the typo alert! And I love that you added extra veggies and lentils for your little one :D
Cortney – Genius! I’m definitely going to try to make an alfredo this way!
I wonder…do you think this would work as an alfredo sauce, too? It would certainly cut down on the calories usually in an alfredo sauce…
First time commenter, long time follower and I’ve made tons of your recipes and have never been disappointed. This one was AMAAAAAHHHZING and super easy. Also all of the ingredients are almost always on hand. Gonna wear this one out, I can already tell! Thank you! For my one year old son, I mixed in spinach, green peas and leftover lentils (from your lentil taco recipe my family had yesterday) and he went berserk over it! (Also, typo alert I think in step two, it says 10-2 minutes, I’m assuming it was meant to say 10-12 minutes).
As soon as I saw this post, I was off to the kitchen. Made it exactly as written (well, without the extra spices…I’m kind of a mac n cheese purist–lol) and it’s quite good. I did have to add some extra milk at the end to make it creamier, and I’m a butter fiend, so a little of that went in, too. Very, very good recipe. Thanks!
oh yes, this is the only way i cook mac and cheese now. it’s so good!!!!!
i don’t always comment, but i pin and try (eventually)!! so many of your recipes!! also, i have almost used a bottle of srichacha sauce since february!! so awesome! thank you, thank you, thank you!
Made this tonight and it was fantastic. I only had 2 cups of milk (between homo/skim/cream) and it definitely could have used another 1/4 to 1/2 a cup. But the flavour was amazing. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much – perfect for the rainy Canadian day we had today.
oh man, so brilliant and so easy!!! i have to try this soon, even though i technically shouldn’t have too much dairy..
You’ve convinced me, I’m off to make this for dinner tonight!
If you’re using pre-shredded cheddar, that will likely also add to the creaminess, because the pre-shredded cheddar is coated with a cornstarch so that the shreds don’t clump.
I just made this for lunch for myself, my mother, and my niece. Had to scale up the milk significantly, used a total of about three cups and my mum still said the pasta was too firm (but she likes hers mushy, so I ignored her). My niece and I loved it! I made it with cheddar and parmesan, but will skip the parm next time unless I can get fresh, because the green can stuff doesn’t mix in well.
Will skim or lowfat milk work?
I don’t have any shredded cheese. Do you think regular sliced cheese would work if I tear it into tiny pieces?
Oh boy! I hope you’re right, this sounds awesome!!
I despise roux (can’t stand the flour-y taste) so I’m excited to try this!
Sounds like you need to cook the flour and butter longer before adding the milk. If you cook it for several minutes, it will not taste like flour. :)
This looks much, much better than a one-pot mac and cheese recipe i tried recently. it used the same method – cooking the pasta in the milk – but turned out much less creamy than i had hoped and how yours seems to have come out. once i added the cheese, the moisture seemed to disappear and i was left with pasta that just tasted like cheese…had i known to add a little extra milk, i probably could have saved the dish. can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Wow I’ll totally be trying this! I just made my first pot of homemade mac n cheese last week with bechamel method. My son loves mac n cheese. Now if only I could locate some wholegrain Spiderman pasta. Lol…
I recently tried 2 different crock pot recipes for mac and cheese to blog about in the future, as I’d had always done the stove top bechamel method, but this looks even better & quicker – so will try this and include a mention. I agree a tad of hot sauce is good, and I always, also add a tad of nutmeg.
Fewer steps than the box, even….because you don’t have to Dig out the colander and drain the water off! We will be trying this SOON!
Yum! The macaroni and cheese recipes I’ve seen often require condensed milk, which I don’t often have around and leads to another trip to the grocery store (more impulse buys), so I’m pleased to see that this has simple staple ingredients. In fact I might go make it right now…
Yum Beth, you’ve done it again! Can’t wait to try this!
Genius!
This looks delicious. Also, added plus is it is way healthier than and bechamel sauce recipe I’ve tried- only milk, no butter, less cheese, even less flour. Hmmm… If I use whole wheat pasta I could almost call this health food! :D
If you use veggie pasta (Barilla has three great veggie blends) it can be even healthier :)
I’ve wanted to try that product!
They are delicious and the texture is very similar to regular pasta, I highly recommend them.
See now…that is exactly what I did, Barilla veggie rotini – before even reading the comments! I got so excited when I read the recipe that I didn’t get that far down the page lol. :) I can’t figure out why mine got kinda gritty…it started out super creamy and awesome but as it cooled just a little (enough to eat it!), it started getting gritty and clumpy! :( Help me, Beth! Where did I go wrong? (sigh) Definitely need to know how to get this recipe right next batch…can’t afford to give up on a cheap AND healthy mac’n’cheese recipe!
I think it does just naturally get a little clumpy as it cools. You pretty much have to eat it straight away when it’s done. :P
Awwww :( Guess that means next time I won’t double the batch to save some for later lol! Lesson learned – but at least it reheated pretty well with some extra milk added in! Thanks Beth :)
WOW This is definitely a miracle!!!!! so easy! Thanks Beth!