This stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is a perfect classic – and it just happens to be made in one pot. Butter, flour, pasta, milk, cheese and a few seasonings is all you need to make this epic classic that’s on the table super quick!
MY GO-TO MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
Of all the versions of Mac and Cheese I have, this Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is the one that I use most frequently because the effort vs output is off the richter scale.
It would be easy to assume that I make this in one pot for convenience. But I swear to you, that’s not the reason why. Less washing up is a side benefit.
The reason I make this in one pot is because the starch released from the pasta mixes in with the sauce and emulsifies it, creating a cheese sauce that is silkier and clings better to the pasta than making it the traditional way (i.e. cooking the sauce and pasta separately).
This isn’t just a theory of mine, it’s the proper way to make Italian pastas. The way Italians have been making it ever since the dawn of time. Every single pasta recipe on my blog is finished off by tossing the almost-cooked pasta in the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Doing this thickens the pasta sauce and it clings to every strand of pasta so you don’t end up with a pool of pasta sauce at the bottom of the bowl. I chatter on about this technique in every single pasta recipe I share. (See all my pasta recipes here!)
And by applying this same technique to Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese, the sauce comes out really luscious. Silky and glossy, and it clings to every macaroni. No gluggy sauce!!!
HOW TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE
It starts with a traditional roux made with melted butter and flour which is the thickener for the sauce. Add seasonings, milk, cheese, then add the pasta.
And it all cooks together at the same time! Because the sauce thickens as it cooks, it needs to be stirred frequently. Not constantly, but pretty frequently. A leisurely stir every now and then, taking a sip of wine in between and flicking through a magazine.
Now that’s a nice vision of preparing dinner, isn’t it?? (Just to be clear, that’s not what it’s like for me most nights….I wish it was!!)
I thought a cooking video would be especially useful for this recipe so you can see the thickness of the sauce when you take it off the stove. If there is one tip I’d give for Mac and Cheese – any Mac and Cheese, even baked ones – it’s this: take the sauce off the stove BEFORE it’s the consistency you want. The sauce continues to thicken as you stir it and serve it. And it thickens really fast.
So take it off the stove earlier, and if it’s still too thin for your taste, pop it back on later.
I know there are many fancy schamcny Macaroni and Cheese version “out there” in this big wide world. Truffled, Lobster (yes, really!), multiple types of cheeses, loaded with cream. The list goes on and on. And I’m definitely partial to playing around with Mac and Cheese myself.
But a real classic Macaroni and Cheese is something that everyone should know. I realise I’ve completely contradicted myself here because this is a one pot version which isn’t traditional! But the end result is absolutely bang on traditional. 😉 – Nagi x
THE MAC & CHEESE COLLECTION
- This Stovetop Mac and Cheese – one pot, 20 minutes
- Baked Mac and Cheese – huge reader favourite!
- Chili Mac
- Shrimp Mac and Cheese – outrageously delicious!
- Chicken and Broccoli Mac & Cheese
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
1 minute cooking video tutorial. Dozer fans – don’t miss him bombing the shot at the end!
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Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 50 g / 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk (full fat preferred but low fat is ok)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 250 g / 2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni , uncooked
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Gruyere) , shredded (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
Seasonings (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium pot or large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add about 3/4 cup of milk and mix into butter mixture – it will become a slurry pretty quickly.
- Add remaining milk and mix so the slurry mixes in. Then add water and Seasonings.
- Add macaroni and mix. Stir occasionally as it comes to heat. When you see wisps of steam as you stir, lower the heat down to medium low.
- Stir regularly as it cooks for 9 – 10 minutes (it will bubble gently), or until the sauce thickens and the macaroni is just cooked – tender but still firm. It should still be saucey at this stage and thinner than you want.
- Take it off the stove and stir the cheese in quickly. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. <- In this step, the sauce thickens and reduces considerably.
- Serve immediately!!
Recipe Notes:
* Pasta keeps cooking in the sauce after you take it off the stove. So take it off when it is still a teeny bit firm!
* The sauce thickens ALOT after you take it off the stove when you stir the cheese in and simply by stirring it. It is better to take the pot off the stove too early than too late. TROUBLESHOOTING:
* If you take the pot off too late at the sauce becomes too thick, just add a splash of milk or water. Easy fix!
* If you take it off too early, just pop it back on the stove. 3. I make my stovetop Mac and Cheese in one pot because I think it comes out better, using just the traditional ingredients. The reason is because the starch in the pasta releases into the sauce as it cooks, making it silky, glossy and it clings to the pasta. This is a technique used by Italians for all their pastas. Read more in the post! 4. My Baked Mac and Cheese is made differently, but you can bake this one too. Mix panko breadcrumbs with butter and parmesan, take the pot off the stove before it’s done but enough sauce has reduced so the breadcrumbs will stay on top, then pop under grill/broiler for a few minutes. During this time the pasta will continue to cook. This recipe is very forgiving so don’t stress if your timing is a bit out! 5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. I only use a pinch of salt in this because I find the cheese is salty enough.
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
His tail gets in all sorts of trouble. It can clear a coffee table of wine glasses, brush through cheese platters. And gets caught in things like a crack in the leg of this table.
The perils of having long hair, hmm?
I just made this recipe! Delicious and simple, but then all your recipes are! Can you freeze it?
Thanks Nagi.
UNBELIEVABLE!! Finally nailed Mac n Cheese thanks to this PERFECT recipe and tips – my kids (17 & 12) LOVED it!! I told my 12-year-old son who loves to cook that Recipe TIn Eats is the only place we will head for every single recipe because we know it’s going to be simple yet detailed, and PERFECTION!
Lovely dish! I was out of powdered mustard, so used 1.5tsp of dijon mustard. We had a block of ‘Mersey Valley’ cheese that I cut up finely and added-delicious!
Great recipe, perfect ratios and timing.
Hi Niga,
This recipe was quick and easy
Can I freeze left overs ??
Yum 🤤
Nagi, you’ve done it again! I normally make the baked version but was short on time, so I made this one. It was perfect. To replicate the breadcrumb topping, I melted butter in a pan, poured in some panko crumbs with some dried Italian herbs, then toasted until brown and sprinkled over the top. Served with a garden salad. Winner!
Made this for my wife in hospital. she hates their food. She loved it, it tasted so good and it’s so easy that’s tonight’s meal for me. Love how can change the recipe for serving size, just discovered that little slider.
This is a keeper! We used fusilli because we didn’t have elbow macaroni and my husband said it was the best mac and cheese he’s ever had. Bonus that it’s so easy to make!
I’m not a cook, Even slightly. I’m still very much in the beginner phase and managed to mess up pretty easily by adding more pasta when I added more milk to unthicken it a little bit more…
But apart from the unevenly cooked pasta which was all my own fault, this was actually really simple and fun to make, and the sauce was delicious. This was my first attempt at this dish. It won’t be my last. Thank you for sharing!
WOW!!! We just made this last night. It was amazing. I even had some for breakfast and now it’s almost gone. I want more leftover!! 🙂 Can this recipe be doubled? Have you done that before?
Tastes lovely, and if you have a non-floury pre-shredded cheese (Anchor seems to do ok), it takes only a little longer to throw together than a box of Kraft. So…goodbye Kraft?
This was great! I know it says stovetop, which I did make it on the stovetop, but then I finished it in the oven with some seasoned panko on top for about 30 mins @425 and it was FANTASTIC! I didn’t have elbows so I used what I had which was orecchiette and it worked perfect. Definitely do the garlic/onion/mustard/paprika powders!
My family and I LOVE this recipe!!! It’s my ‘go-to’ for easy weekday supper. I make it with skim milk, mozzarella and cheddar. It turns out so creamy you’d think there was full fat cream in it! Also, the last time I made it I added steamed chopped cauliflower to it (at the same time as the cheese is added). It was the best yet!!! I love your recipes and all the great tips and tricks, Nagi!
Overall, this turned out great! Added chicken and peas to complete the meal.
I WILL say though – we used fresh mozzarella and cheddar, but only used the garlic powder (skipped onion and mustard powders). We found that the flavour was just missing something…was it the other spices we didn’t add??
A delicious one pot comfort food. I made this recently when in Scotland and it was delicious. Back home in Australia I whipped it up with pantry and fridge staples but unfortunately the Tasty Cheese I had on hand didn’t give the depth of flavour that I’d enjoyed so much in Scotland. A definite family favourite but I’ll avoid Tasty Cheese (as advised in the recipe notes by Nagi) in future.
This recipe is a favourite of mine to bring to a pot luck, the pot always comes home empty!
It’s my little girl favorite pasta. She will asked for it every second day, it’s so easy and delicious she will cook it with me. Thank you! Nagi 🩷
I am 68 and this is the first time I have made Mac Cheese. I only had Mainland Colby so just used that. It was great. Partner loved if too. Going to make the baked one next.
I have your book and am steadily trying the recipes. Well done!
You are my first port if call when I am looking for a recipe.
This recipe is so good! I messed it up and it still came out really well. I normally do a traditional recipe but this was so much easier (and honestly better) so I don’t think I’m ever going back.
So easy and tasty!
Thank you as always, for your notes! Addressed my issue – initially a little thick- but the addition of some milk as suggested, fixed that right up!
I upped all seasons to 1tbs each and it’s so creamy and delish!