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.
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.