Mac and cheese with a stainless steel spoon in a round white bowl with a golden edge next to a white and blue towel on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Easy One-Pot Mac and Cheese

You can have mac and cheese on the table made from scratch in less than 30 minutes. It’s as quick as a box, but much better for you!

Jump to Recipe

Over the years, I’ve made a variety of mac and cheese recipes. We’ve done both a macaroni casserole and slow cooker mac and cheese. Both of those take time, though, and I wanted something quick. My boys are some of the only few kids I know who don’t like mac and cheese, but my nephews love it.

Making your own mac and cheese doesn’t take much longer than making it from a box with this recipe. And, as is always the benefit to cooking from scratch, you have control over what goes into it. I said my nephews love mac and cheese, but one of them has a lot of allergies and intolerances. Making this from home allows us to make sure it’s cooked only with things he can eat.

I made this with almond milk since that’s what we usually have on hand. But you can make it with any type of milk that you prefer. It just may change the consistency a bit.

Easy One-Pot Mac and Cheese Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 lb macaroni pasta
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation

In a large stockpot, stir the milk, water, and salt together and bring to a boil.

Warm milk in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Stir in the pasta and reduce the heat to medium.

Warm milk with macaroni noodles on a cooking spoon over a stockpot on a wooden surface

Simmer while stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes, until pasta is al-dente and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Cooked macaroni noodles in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Remove the stockpot from the heat and stir in the cheeses and pepper, stirring until just melted.

Cooked macaroni noodles topped with cheese in a stockpot on a wooden surface

Serve immediately with extra pepper if desired. You could also add some red pepper flakes if you want a bit of a kick to the mac and cheese.

Mac and cheese with a stainless steel spoon in a round white bowl with a golden edge next to a white and blue towel on a wooden surface (vertical)

Easy One-Pot Mac and Cheese Leftovers

Leftover mac and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in a saucepan and add a splash of milk to help thin out the cheese while it warms up.

Recipe

Originally Published On: June 14, 2021

Updated On: April 29, 2021

Mac and cheese with a stainless steel spoon in a round white bowl with a golden edge next to a white and blue towel on a wooden surface

One-Pot Mac and Cheese

You can have mac and cheese on the table made from scratch in less than 30 minutes. It's as quick as a box, but much better for you!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Diet
Vegetarian
Keyword:
cheddar cheese
|
cheese
|
cream cheese
|
mac and cheese
|
macaroni
|
one pan
|
pasta
Dietary Needs:
Egg-Free
Cooking Method:
One-Pan Meals
Servings: 4
5 from 3 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 lb macaroni pasta
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated (about 1 cup))
  • 1 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, stir the milk, water, and salt together and bring to a boil
  • Stir in the pasta and reduce the heat to medium
  • Simmer while stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes, until pasta is al-dente and most of the liquid has evaporated
  • Remove the stockpot from the heat and stir in the cheeses and pepper, stirring until just melted
  • Serve immediately with extra pepper if desired
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Nutrition Facts
One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 362 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 618mg26%
Potassium 166mg5%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 380IU8%
Calcium 338mg34%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

One-Pot Mac and Cheese FAQs

Do I have to use almond milk for this recipe?

No, you can use any milk that you prefer. The cheese sauce may have a slightly different consistency based on the type of milk used.

Is mac and cheese gluten free?

Unfortunately, it is not because of the noodles. If you purchase gluten-free macaroni noodles, though, then it would be gluten-free.

18 thoughts on “Easy One-Pot Mac and Cheese”

    1. My boys don’t eat it either! I don’t know what we did wrong. I lived on mac and cheese as a kid. It’s more for my husband and me when we make it.

  1. Melanie williams

    Ooo mac and cheese yes please. sometimes simple home cooked foodie recipes can be the best and most comforting too x

  2. Thank you so much from the bottom of my foodie heart. I miss eating Mac and Cheese and the box meals have disappeared in Japan. Now I got a recipe to try and it is better!

    1. I wouldn’t have thought about that! I’m sure it’s hard to find those comfort foods from home sometimes. Hopefully you can find the ingredients for this and enjoy it again 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    Kiddos LOVE mac & cheese. I also really enjoyed it till I went low carb. But once in a while i sneak something in.

  4. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

    5 stars
    What perfect timing!!! I’ve been wanting to have mac and cheese for a while but didn’t have a recipe. This is a great comfort food.

  5. It looks creamy and delicious! My daughter loves mac and cheese, I will have to try this out instead of getting the boxed stuff.

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