This One Pot Macaroni and Cheese is so easy! Cook the macaroni right in the milk that's used to make the sauce. Creamy, delicious & ready in 15 minutes!
In a large pot add the milk, butter, and macaroni noodles. Turn the burner on 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 through, about 15-18 minutes. Slow and low is your friend here. If you cook this too fast and hot, the milk will curdle.
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.
Serve right away.
Video
Notes
Don't boil the noodles; just simmer them gently, or the milk will curdle, and your mac and cheese will have a gross texture.
Whole milk is the best choice for creaminess, but 2% will also work.
I've made this a handful of times and each time I used a different amount of cheese, depending on my mood and how much cheese I have in the fridge. The milder the cheese, the more I think it needs to get a good cheese flavor.
If it has too much liquid, bring the contents back to a low boil and cook until the desired consistency, stirring constantly.