I have all kind of macaroni and cheese recipes on the blog, and today I have a Creamy One Pot Macaroni and Cheese to add to the collection. This is a great recipe to make for lunch when your kids are in the mood for something simple, hot, and filling, and you need something that comes together in without any fuss. This recipe is so easy and we loved the extra creamy results.
This recipe is extra easy because you cook the macaroni right in the milk that helps to make the sauce. There’s no water to boil or noodles to rinse. You just cook it all in one pan and it’s done in about 15 minutes. This is literally just as easy as that blue box stuff, but it tastes like real food and doesn’t have a fluorescent orange glow to it. Trust me, that fake mac ‘n cheese is just gross once you start making your own.
My other stove-top macaroni and cheese recipe is still a favorite, but I don’t always have canned milk on hand. The difference between the two is that this recipes makes a really thick and sticky macaroni and cheese (it almost has the texture and taste of baked macaroni to me), and the other recipe has almost a runny sauce to it. They are both excellent but different enough that I wanted to share both recipes.
If you try this one pot macaroni and cheese, let me know what you think! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #blessthismesseats on Instagram. I love to see your kitchen skills in action!
Creamy One Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- More salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot add the milk, butter, and macaroni noodles. Turn the burning on to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce the heat if the milk seems to stick to the bottom of the pan and stir often until the noodles are cooked though, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and salt until everything is melted.
- Depending on the type and sharpness of cheese you may want to add up to another cup of cheese. Taste it and see. I used a moderately sharp cheddar and liked it at about 1 and 1/4 cups of cheese. If I had used something milder I think I would have used more. I’ve made this a handful of times and each time I seem to use a different amount of cheese, depending on my mood and how much cheese I have in the fridge.
- Serve right away.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 4
For this one pot macaroni and cheese, I recommend:
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Now I just need to try this recipe in the slow cooker! That would be a fun recipe to have on hand.
It’s wonderfully snowy here and we are so excited. It’s a wet heavy snow that is just about the opposite of our normal light and dusty ski snow. Our power lines and trees aren’t sure what to make of it, but I’m excited to take the kids out and make a snowman and sled this afternoon. I just made a batch of our favorite homemade hot cocoa mix, and they are looking forward to the treat after the snow play.
My mom also made some kind of snow ice cream when I was a kid. If I can dig that recipe out, I might try it too and share it with you later in the week.
Have a great day friends! And thanks for being here.
Yummy! This looks delicious and easy! I always have these ingredients on hand so I can make this anytime! Great recipe!
That looks delicious! And I would be totally interested if you come up with one for the slow cooker!!!
This is seriously THE best macaroni and cheese ever! I have tried so many recipes and they never quite turn out. I was in the mood for some comfort food today with all the snow, and when I saw your recipe I had to try it. It was so creamy and just the taste I have been looking for. You made my day! Thank you 🙂
Such a fast turn around!!! I’ll take it! I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know, totally made my day.
We always made snow ice cream with some snow, some white sugar and some canned milk…..now I am drooling!
Us too! I found the recipe and I’ll post it later today!!! It was better than I remembered!
This looks so great. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight. Delish and the kids are asking for seconds!
I did not think this recipe was good. The consistency was weird , I am assuming from the boiled milk. Definitely NOT the best Mac n cheese recipe.
Next time try the whole milk! It doesn’t curdle like a lesser fat milk…
This is such a great recipe! I have been making it a lot and experimenting with adding veggies, meat, and different spices. It’s so versatile and even amazing just as written. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hurray for great reviews!!! Thanks girl!
This was fantastic! We made this last week and it was perfect.
This was awesome! This is so much easier than making a roux in one pot while you boil the pasta in another pot. We used whole wheat macaroni, and roughly doubled the recipe. Also, we didn’t measured anything, and we added some seasoning (garlic powder, mustard powder and cayenne). Thank you so much for posting!
Hooray for a great review! Thanks for taking the time to comment and I’m so happy you liked it. We love this recipe too.
This is now the go to recipe for mac and cheese. NO MORE BOX MAC AND CHEESE!
You can use whole wheat elbows, heavy cream and at least four types of cheese. Try coconut cream also. Thanks so much.
Chef Jerry, executive chef San Remo in Palm Beach
Oooo coconut cream sounds amazing!
My macaroni is more on the al dente side (we normally have it a little softer), but it taste great. I’ll make it again. Thanks for an easy recipe!
Next time add a 1/2 cup more milk and I think it’ll be more to your liking. Thank you for the feedback!
This looks so good, but I tried to make it once && the cheese curlied. What can you do to prevent that from happening? Also can you tell me why it happened?
Sometimes that happens when your cooking temperate is too hot for the cheese or the milk that you used broke. I have the best luck using whole milk instead of say skim. I hope it still tasted good even if it looks bad!
Making some tonight for the first time. Looks simple enough so I’m hoping it turns out really good. Plus, I’ll have leftovers all this week, that’s if I don’t eat the whole thing for myself. 🙂
We made this tonight! It’s definitely a comfort food! We used Cheddar, Provolone and Parmesan. The kids LOVED it!
My kids love it too, it’s forever a favorite here. You’re cheese selection sounds amazing!
6/18/17
Gonna make this today. No cheddar cheese. I use whatever I have on hand. Mixed cheese ends. Will post the outcome.
My husband loved it, but I wasn’t a big fan. Not enough flavor, and a bit to thick. Still a good quick recipe!
★★★
Is the milk mixture supposed to cover the macaroni completely or are you supposed to see some sticking out while it’s simmering?
It’s so good isn’t it! I’m glad you liked it!
This looks like cheesy comfort food perfection! My boys would be very happy to see this on the dinner table tonight! 🙂
first of all, it looks great; haven’t had a chance to try this but i will next week {10/14/17} …
second, i love your directions: *Turn the burning on . . .* lol …
I’ve never tried Macaroni & Cheese but after trying this recipe I completely understand what the fuss is about! Amazing!
I’m looking forward to eating my way through your other posts! Keep up the incredible work! x
★★★★★
Your site is fantastic Melissa! And can we say wow- 5 kids and a farm! Love it! Thank you for visiting my site too:-) I just bought some gluten-free noodles so I’ll have to try this! My boys love a good cheesy dish!
this was my first “one-pot” mac and cheese, and I’ll be sticking to the classic method. the sauce turned out very thick, glue-y and overly starchy (even after being cut with some canned tomatoes it was way too much). the flavour was there (after some spices and mustard were added) but the texture was just… no. on the plus side, now I know if I made something not very good my boyfriend will actually tell me lol!
★★
Sorry it didn’t turn out for you. If you are looking for a more traditional mac and cheese recipe you will love this one, I actually prefer it to this recipe – https://www.blessthismessplease.com/easy-homemade-macaroni-and-cheese/ it’s much more saucy!
Made this for lunch. Added corn with the macaroni and spinach with the cheese. Delicious!
★★★★★
I halved it, used half n half plus a little water when it got too thick. Used colby jack. The trick is SIMMERING, NO BOIL,and it will work out! Even used Tinkyada Gluten free pasta!! Thank you!! Super excited,and the kids are too! I can make 4x the amount that is in a box of Annies gf mac n cheese!!
★★★★★
I made this and it tasted fine but the texture was kind of chalky? Almost as if there was flour in it.
Any suggestions?
★★★
I’d cook the noodles at a lower temperature and use a milk with a high fat content!
Just made this for my family. One kiddo had some dental work so needed something soft in a pinch. Even my picky 11 year old loved it! (She swore off M&C 8 years ago!) This one is rich in flavor as well as filling unlike the boxed stuff! Will keep and make again!
★★★★★
SO happy to hear that it worked out well for you and that your little people ate it too, always nice when dinner isn’t a struggle!