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Home Collections Winter Warmers

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

By:Nagi
Published:2 Nov '16Updated:13 Nov '20
298 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

A silky, glossy cheese sauce with tender, never mushy macaroni in just 20 minutes!

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!

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

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!!!

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

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!!)

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

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.

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

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

 

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
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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This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 18 mins
Dinner, Side
Western
4.89 from 85 votes
Servings5 -6
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 1051
Recipe video above. This classic Macaroni and Cheese just happens to be made in one pot! Though made with the usual ingredients, the sauce is extra silky and glossy, and it clings to the macaroni without having to make make the sauce super thick because the pasta is cooked in the sauce. So there's no risk of gluggy Mac N Cheese or overcooked pasta. 

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:

1. I like to use a mix of mozzarella (because it melts so well) and some cheddar or tasty cheese for flavour. But you could just skip the mozzarella - I don't recommend using just mozzarella (not enough flavour).
Other options: Gruyere, Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Provolone can be used in place of the cheddar.
AUSTRALIA: Do not use Tasty Cheese! I have found that some brands can result in the sauce being a bit floury. Some are ok, some are not - safer to say don't use Tasty Cheese! 
2. This recipe is pretty forgiving as long as you take it off the stove before the sauce reduces so much it disappears! The liquid to pasta ratio is such that by the time the liquid reduces down to make a sauce, the pasta is just cooked.
REMEMBER:
* 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:

Serving: 211gCalories: 472cal (24%)Carbohydrates: 46.3g (15%)Protein: 19.9g (40%)Fat: 22.9g (35%)Saturated Fat: 14.1g (88%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.8gCholesterol: 67mg (22%)Sodium: 343mg (15%)Fiber: 1.7g (7%)Sugar: 5.9g (7%)
Keywords: Mac and Cheese
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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?

This Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is all made in one pot! The sauce is incredibly silky, cheesy and the pasta is cooked to perfection. On the table in 20 minutes! recipetineats.com

mac-and-cheese-stovetop_-6 mac-and-cheese-stovetop_-7

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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298 Comments

  1. Mooshie says

    January 21, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    5 stars
    I really loved this, however, I did think it was a little bland at the end. I know you’ve said to add “cups” of cheese, however I prefer the weight in case I went too little? Either way the consistency and dish is really beautiful, I just added some garlic salt at the end and that made it 100% perfect.

    Reply
  2. Paige says

    January 9, 2021 at 9:28 am

    We love this mac and cheese! Quick, easy, foolproof, delicious. I’ve made it with elbow, cavatappi, and radiatore. Made it with and without the recommended seasonings. It is delicious every time. Added bonus- leftovers reheat beautifully. We add a little butter and a splash of milk and heat in the microwave. A quick stir and the sauce is beautiful again. Thanks for such a great recipe.

    Reply
  3. Amber says

    November 22, 2020 at 3:23 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    Can I use cheddar cheese powder instead?
    i only have cream cheese and mozzarella at home as cheddar is hard to come by in my country.
    I haven’t tried the recipe yet and I’m curious

    any helpful replies will very much be appreciated 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 23, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      Hi Amber, unfortunately not as it will make it grainy. Is there any other tasty/gouda type cheese you can get your hands on? N x

      Reply
  4. Alison Jones says

    November 15, 2020 at 4:57 am

    Hi Nagi, is it dried pasta you’re using??

    Reply
  5. Norma says

    October 23, 2020 at 4:34 am

    As I’m diabetic and can’t have pasta, do you think this would work with cauliflower and, if so, how much cauliflower?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 23, 2020 at 7:55 am

      Hi Norma, it won’t work as written sorry as all the liquid ratios and cook time will be different. N x

      Reply
  6. Sally says

    October 19, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    Nagi, Would this work with a bit of sneaky veg mixed in at the end? If so what do you think would work? (Other than mushroom please). Thanks, Sally

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 20, 2020 at 10:53 am

      Hi Sally, you could add some veg here – some greens like broccoli, peas or even chopped carrots/capsicum would work! N x

      Reply
      • Sally says

        October 21, 2020 at 9:25 pm

        I put some frozen peas and grated carrot in at the end, and it was absolutely gobbled up by my 3 kids. Thank you very much Nagi, another winner from your site!

        Reply
  7. Ewa says

    August 12, 2020 at 12:19 am

    As I can’t get anywhere onion and mustard powder… can I do it with fresh garlic, onion, and simply add a little bit of mustard? Or that’s the wrong idea?

    Reply
  8. Bill Hankes says

    August 6, 2020 at 5:13 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is now may favorite for mac ‘n’ cheese! I’ve played with two other stovetop recipes (seriously, why bake?!). One was a hit and the other a gloppy mess. I was skeptical about this one-pot approach of adding uncooked pasta and water, but it seemed to make sense, and frankly, this site has never let me down (though I’m still having trouble with my Pad Thai). The result was a creamy delight that I topped with fresh Dungeness crab meat. As the recipe points out, the dish firms up quickly. In the future, I might let it settle just a bit before serving. But it was a hit. For cheese, I used equal parts mozz, and sharp cheddar, and then about a half part of gruyère.

    Reply
  9. Georgia Hennigar says

    July 24, 2020 at 3:00 pm

    Hi! You mention not to use tasty cheese (Aus) – but I thought Cheddar was a type of tasty cheese? What brand of Cheddar do you use? Thanks! Love all your recipes – you are literally the only place I go to for recipes as I have never had one not work.

    Reply
    • Beth says

      August 10, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      Confused about this point as well!

      Reply
  10. Ada Jane Eckersley says

    July 8, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Hi Nagi, i want to adjust this recipe for 2 people. it goes from 2 cups Milk to .8 cup (does that mean 3/4 cup or what exactly is .8 of a cup) same with cheese it goes from 3/4 cup to .3 cup. is that 1/3 cup?? thanks

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 8, 2020 at 7:07 pm

      Hi Ada, yes just use the closest – which is 3/4 milk and 1/3 cup of cheese. N x

      Reply
  11. Priscilla Katuramu says

    June 24, 2020 at 8:13 pm

    Hi Nagi. This looks delish but I’d like to make it with sliced mushrooms. Would you recommend separately frying the mushrooms then adding them with the cheese at the end or adding them together with the pasta and letting them cook in the sauce?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 25, 2020 at 2:09 pm

      Hi Priscilla, I’d cook them separate first to get them golden and reduce the water content in them and then add them with the cheese into the Mac & Cheese. N x

      Reply
      • Priscilla says

        June 26, 2020 at 3:47 am

        I did just that and it worked out really well. Was also surprised how the sauce really came out just like it does from the oven but so much quicker! Thanks for the recipe

        Reply
  12. Judy says

    May 26, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    5 stars
    Super easy, super nice!! Thank you

    Reply
  13. CC says

    May 12, 2020 at 6:14 am

    If I want to use a full pound (454g) uncooked pasta, do I need to modify ingredients, and if so, what are the increased amounts?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 12, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Hi CC – yes you will. You can click on the servings and when scaling up it will change all the ingredients for you. N x

      Reply
      • CC says

        May 12, 2020 at 12:47 pm

        Thanks, Nagi! I was so excited to try this, I completely overlooked the “scaling up”! I’ll let you know how it goes. Cheers! -CC

        Reply
  14. Tatiana Verovich says

    April 12, 2020 at 5:56 am

    5 stars
    Was hesitant to try this one pot since I’m used to doing the pasta and sauce seperately. Turned out perfect thank you! And my boyfriend thanks you since he does the dishes!

    Reply
  15. Skylar says

    April 8, 2020 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe, super creamy sauce! I did end up using just mozzarella as I didn’t have any other cheeses at the time. Adding extra garlic helped with the flavour, and made up for just having mozza

    Reply
  16. Colleen says

    March 12, 2020 at 3:00 am

    5 stars
    Everything I have made from your blog has been delicious, including this Mac and cheese! This one is super simple to make and easy to clean up (only one dirty pot)!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 12, 2020 at 9:07 am

      YES! And don’t we all LOVE a one pot recipe! 🙌

      Reply
  17. Eva says

    February 4, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    5 stars
    Hello Nagi,

    What kind of pot is that your using ? Any links where to buy it from ?

    Reply
  18. laura marlow says

    January 30, 2020 at 7:00 am

    I need to take this to a tennis match. It will be chilly out – and it takes HOURS to play all the matches – so I was thinking I’d put it in a crockpot on ‘warm’. Will it overcook? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 30, 2020 at 2:56 pm

      Hi Laura, it should be ok on a “keep warm” setting 🙂

      Reply
  19. Shiven Bansal says

    January 14, 2020 at 12:39 pm

    5 stars
    First time making macaroni cheese and this was unbelievably simple; also came out just as I had hoped for it to

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 14, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      I’m so glad you loved it Shiven!!

      Reply
  20. Beth says

    January 11, 2020 at 1:41 am

    5 stars
    I made this recipe for supper last night. It was delicious, comforting!!!! Didn’t realize this could be done stovetop!!! Many thanks for such a wonderful recipe!!…. I have many more of your recipes I look forward to trying!!!…..

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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