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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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.
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!