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One Pot Mac and Cheese

February 15, 2021 By justalittlebitofbacon Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Click here for details.

One pot mac and cheese is simple, doesn’t make a mess of your kitchen, is all done on the stove top, and will have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes! All of this without worries about overcooking/scorching the pasta or fussing about the amount of water you’re using.

Top view of a bowl of creamy mac and cheese topped by breadcrumbs.

Hello, all.

Time for another easy dinner in my weeknight cooking series!

Better One Pot Method

It’s hard to go wrong with mac and cheese and when you can make it one pot it’s even better. Am I right? šŸ™‚ But the methods I’ve tried over the years were never quite right. The sauce was over starchy or gluey. The pasta was too soft. The pasta burnt. (That was fun!) The recipe was fussy.

Time to try something different.

The different I’ve come up with is this: Cook the pasta and then let it rest while you make the sauce in the same pot. All the problems in the one pot method go away without any extra cleanup AND you have the initial cooking time to get things prepped for the cheese sauce.

Top view of a pot of mac and cheese. A hand holding up a spoonful of pasta.

What do you need?

  • Pasta – One pound of your favorite variety though I would recommend staying away from penne or ziti.
  • Cheese – A pile of cheddar and a smaller pile of parmesan.
  • Milk – I use whole milk. You can switch to 2% or go for it and add a little heavy cream into the mix.
  • Spices – Dry mustard, paprika, and cayenne.
  • Butter – For the roux.
  • Flour – For the roux and for the cheese.

Ingredients for the recipe.

How to make this

To make one pot mac and cheese, cook your pasta, then drain and set aside. Make the sauce in the pot, add back the pasta, and cook them both together.

1. Parcook the Pasta

Cook it up as you normally would in salted water until it’s almost done. You want it a little underdone here, about 2-3 minutes, so that it won’t be overdone once you’ve cooked it with the sauce.

Tip: Use only enough water for the pasta, not a full pot. This will concentrate the starches and make the sauce better.

When you drain, remember to save some of the water!

2. Make a Roux

Melt butter, add flour, whisk whisk whisk.

Step by step on how to make the recipe.

3. Make the Cheese Sauce

Once you have the roux, add the milk and spices and get it all nice and thick.

Then – And This Is Important – let it cool off a little. A few minutes (when it gets below 180F) is all it takes. Now add your cheese and whisk it smooth. If you think it’s getting a little too cool, move it back to the burner for a moment as you add and whisk.

4. Marry it all Together

Pour the pasta back in along with some of the water and bring it all to a simmer. Once the sauce is all creamy and the pasta is done to your taste, it’s time to eat!

Tip: Crispy breadcrumbs add a nice crunch. I have the directions for making them on a sheet pan in the notes of the recipe.

A bowl of pasta in a creamy cheese sauce topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

More One Pot (or Pan) Meals

  • Chorizo and Sweet Potato Bake
  • Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
  • Lamb Meatballs and Rice
  • Ground Beef Skillet Pasta
  • Shrimp, Asparagus, and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner  

If you try my recipe for One Pot Mac and Cheese, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Stay Safe, Annemarie

Homemade, easy, and fast! My one pot mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and made right on the stovetop for a family pleasing weeknight dinner. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #macandcheese #pastarecipes #pasta #dinnerrecipes
Print Recipe

One Pot Mac and Cheese

Homemade, easy, and fast! My one pot mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and made right on the stovetop for a family pleasing weeknight dinner.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mac and cheese, one pot, stovetop
Servings: 6
Calories: 725kcal
Author: justalittlebitofbacon

Ingredients

  • 16 oz short pasta
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 5 tbsp all purpose flour, divided
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of kosher salt and cook the pasta in the water 2 minutes less than the package directions. Scoop out ~1 1/2 cups of the water and drain the pasta.
  • Put the pot back on the heat, bring it down to low, and add the butter. Add 3 tablespoons of the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
  • Add one cup of milk and whisk vigorously until it is bubbly and thick. Add the remaining milk and bring to a simmer. Add the spices - mustard, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
  • Take the pot off the heat and let it cool until it's under 180F when checked with a thermometer.
  • Mix together the shredded cheeses with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Add cheese by the handful to the hot milk while whisking constantly.
  • Once you add the last handful, add the pasta back to the pot with 1 cup of the reserved water. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is thick and creamy and the pasta is cooked through.

Notes

  • Smooth Sauce: To guard against broken cheese and a grainy sauce, make sure the milk temperature is below 180F and that the cheese is mixed with flour.
  • Pasta: For best results use a variety that can't all stick together during the rest while you make the sauce. Use elbows, rotini, cavatappi, fusilli, shells, or similar. Stay away from penne or ziti.
  • Breadcrumbs: If you love crispy crumbs, take panko or dry breadcrumbs and toss them with some olive oil. Then bake in a 400F oven on a baking sheet until browned, about 7 minutes. (Once cooled they can be stored in a sealed container in the pantry.)
Creamy pasta in a bowl and in a pot with text overlay - Mac and Cheese.
Close of up a bowl of creamy pasta with text overlay - One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese.

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Filed Under: 30 minute meals, main courses, pasta love, quick dinners, recipe, vegetarian, vegetarian mains Tagged With: cheese, paprika, parmesan cheese, pasta

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Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

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