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.
Servings 6
Calories 725kcal
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.)
Nutrition
Calories: 725kcal