Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is an easy, decadent meal that is done in about 15 minutes. The perfect fix for your comfort food cravings!
If you prefer a zesty tomato based macaroni dish, check out my One Pot American Goulash recipe. Fast and full of flavor.
A while back, I posted a recipe for making creamy macaroni and cheese entirely in the microwave (Creamy Microwave Macaroni & Cheese).
My inspiration for the recipe was the fact that our daughter was visiting from college, where her dorm room has a mini fridge and a microwave. I wanted her to be able to make a comfort food meal that reminded her of home—right in her dorm room.
Now, I've been hearing from readers who have the reverse situation: their kitchen has no microwave.
One reader even adapted the recipe for her stovetop (snaps to you, Debbie!). So, I figured that it was high time to post the stove-top version of this recipe.
What's great about Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Full disclosure: I am fully aware that this recipe will never win over the Kraft Dinner-heads. I'm okay with that.
This stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe is incredibly creamy and full of fantastic, cheesy flavor.
What the recipe doesn't have is preternaturally orange "cheese sauce mix" with scary-sounding substances that aren't found together in nature.
Instead, we use a mix of cheddar and deli counter-quality American cheese. Yes, it's still "process cheese", but it IS real—AND it makes cheese sauces creamy like no other cheese. I explain this more in Perfect Loaded Nachos.
It's like magic: the pasta cooks in water and just a bit of skim milk.
Then you add in the cheeses, and the whole pot transforms into a creamy dream—no additional cream needed! (If you like the one-pot meal strategy, be sure to check out my how-to article, Mastering Easy One-Pot Meal Recipes)
The fact that the pasta cooks right in the pan adds some starch—but it also means that we don't have to make a roux with butter and flour to thicken the sauce.
We get further calorie savings by using skim milk rather than cream or whole milk: amazingly, the flavor doesn't suffer.
Important notes on making Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Never use pre-shredded cheese!
Bags of pre-shredded cheese contain other ingredients like cornstarch to prevent the shreds of cheese from clumping together.
This will destroy your sauce.
Instead, you can shred your cheese in advance to save time.
Add the cheddar cheese off the heat
Cheddar cheese is notorious for misbehaving if it gets too hot.
You are well aware of this fact if you've ever tried making (for example) a cheese dip by microwaving actual cheddar cheese (rather than the stuff in the box): you end up with a greasy, clumpy mess.
Although I melt the American cheese into the pasta and sauce while the pot is on the heat, I remove the pot from the heat before adding the cheddar.
Then I lid the pot for a few minutes after mixing in the cheese.
What emerges is unbelievably creamy and delicious.
Making Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Believe it or not, once you have the cheese grated, this dish comes together in about 15 minutes flat.
First, bring the liquids to a boil and mix in some salt and pepper.
Then, add in the dried pasta. Let it simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until al dente (soft, but not completely mushy: it should still have a tiny bit of chew), about 10 minutes, or according to package directions.
Mix in the mustard, onion powder, and Sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce).
Then add in the American cheese and stir to combine. Remove the pot from the heat and mix in the cheddar. Lid the pot and let sit for 3 minutes. Finally, give the pasta a final stir and serve!
This recipe yields 6–8 "by the books" servings of pasta. Pasta servings tend to be somewhat small, so if you're planning to serve 8 people, the servings would be more appropriate for a side dish.
On the other hand, if you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the microwave: just heat at 50% power until warmed through and stir well.
That's all there is to it! This is my go-to, basic macaroni and cheese recipe. Feel free to mix in some crumbled bacon, cubed ham, steamed broccoli, or whatever extras you're in the mood for. I hope you love this comfort food fix!
—xoxo Michelle
P.S. For more pantry meal ideas, check out Easy Pantry Meals – Living Out of Your Pantry (and refrigerator and freezer)!
Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy One-Pot Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese is an easy, decadent meal that is done in about 15 minutes. The perfect fix for your comfort food cravings!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups skim milk
- ¼ tsp. salt (or to taste)
- ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- ½ tbsp. yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp. Sriracha (optional; see Recipe Note #1)
- 8 oz American Cheese (good quality, about 2 cups, shredded; see Recipe Note #2)
- 8 oz medium cheddar cheese (about 2 cups, shredded; see Recipe Note #1)
Instructions
- Add the water, milk, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Stir in macaroni and turn heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is cooked to your liking, about 10 minutes (or according to package directions) for al dente. DON'T DRAIN!
- Add in the mustard, Sriracha, onion powder, and American cheese. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until the cheese is completely melted. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the cheddar cheese. Mix well (the cheese doesn't need to be completely melted). Cover the pot and let stand for 3 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot and stir the macaroni until sauce is smooth (if it's thin, that's okay: it will thicken up as it cools down). Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Notes
- I've had feedback that this makes the mac too spicy. I've never noticed more than a mild kick, but in light of that feedback, I'd suggest starting with a small squirt and add more to the final dish to taste. Or, omit it altogether if you're sensitive to spicy foods.
- Absolutely **DO NOT** use pre-shredded cheeses: these contain other stuff, like cornstarch, to prevent shreds from clumping together. This will destroy any cheese sauce. You can shred the cheese in advance and refrigerate in separate containers or zip-top bags.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1.5 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 22g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate: if you are tracking this information for medical purposes, please consult a trusted external source. Thanks!
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Julie says
Where do you get blocked American cheese? I can't find it even at the deli counter. Would you substitute it with more cheddar cheese?
Phil F says
Hi! Yes, not all stores will carry the block American cheese. We find it at our local grocery, where we're able to ask them to slice us off a hunk. But we've looked at other stores and haven't been able to find it in any form other than slices. You definitely want to avoid the Kraft singles, but we have made this recipe work with better-quality slices (many delis have this when they don't have the solid block). I would recommend calling in advance to a few groceries' delis to see if they have American cheese in either block or slices. There's also an Amazon option here. However, the easiest option will probably be to use regular Velveeta in place of the American cheese. It's not quite the same thing, but should still result in a smooth, creamy sauce.
Janet says
I made it and it's way too spicy for me. I wonder if it's supposed to be a teaspoon of siracha (sorry can't spell it). I made a mistake and drained most of the liquid (just out of habit). Next time I'll try a small squirt of chili so it's kid-approved and I just like mine more cheesy tasting and no burn.
Thanks
Janet
Michelle says
Hi, Janet—I'm sorry you found it too spicy! I'll make a note in the recipe to start out with less and add more to taste. For that amount of pasta, liquid, and cheese, I've never noticed more than a mild kick, but admittedly, I AM a chili head. The liquid that doesn't soak into the pasta makes the base of the cheese sauce and gives it extra creaminess, so definitely don't drain. Thanks for the feedback, and I hope you'll give it another go with just a squirt of the hot stuff. 🙂
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery says
YUM! Love the idea of putting siracha in a mac & cheese - Peas would love it & I will def do it next time!
Michelle says
Thanks, Midge! Somehow the sriracha and mustard are just MAGIC at punching up the cheesy flavor!
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
Oh my. This looks like the ultimate mac and cheese! So deliciously thick and cheesy - YUM!
Michelle says
Thank you, Cat! My favorite part is that it's a HUGE hit with the kids. That's always a big win in house with picky eaters—especially when there are fugitive veggies hiding inside! 😛
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
I remember my first time in America as an au-pair (over 20 years ago now!) and how I fell in love with Kraft Macaroni Cheese from the box. I thought that this little sachet with magical powdery mix that transformed simple macaroni into cheesy sensation was just the best! Now I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole lol!
I absolutely love your stove top macaroni and cheese Michelle and how low maintenance it is! So wonderfully creamy and cheesy too, perfect comfort food!
Michelle says
Thank you so much, Jo! I had my Kraft Dinner phase as well, but I'm like you now! 🙂
Mandy says
Love that this only takes 15 minutes Michelle - great recipe!
Michelle says
Thank you, Mandy!
Monika Dabrowski says
Looks fantastically creamy! Great comfort food, I could serve it in my house every day of the week and no one would complain! Thanks for bringing it to #CookBlogShare
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Monika! The same absolutely goes for my family!! 😉
Corina Blum says
This sounds so good! I didn't have a microwave when I was a student but macaroni cheese on the stovetop was one of those recipes I used to make a lot when I was a student. Your recipe looks lovely and creamy and it's great that it used skimmed milk too to make it a little healthier. Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Michelle says
Thank you, Corina! I'm addicted to mac and cheese, so anything I can do to lighten the caloric load makes me happy. 😛
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Wow this looks so gorgeously cheesy!
Michelle says
Thank you, Kat! Oh, it IS! 😀