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.
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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.
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.