One Pot Mac and Cheese
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Super simple One Pot Mac and Cheese! Tender elbow pasta is coated in an extra cheesy, rich and creamy sauce leaving every bite indulgently delicious. It’s one of the best mac and cheese recipes you’ll make and no one will have any idea how easy it was to prepare – all done on the stovetop in one pan!
Over the years I have perfected my baked mac and cheese but I usually reserve making it for holidays and family gatherings. So it’s left me wondering if there was room to modify it for a simple weeknight version cooked completely on the stovetop.
After attempting a few versions this is the winning one pot mac and cheese recipe, and I’ve even prepared it gluten free as well with a few adjustments.
The secrets to an excellent one pan mac and cheese are to:
- Cook the pasta in a combination of simmering water and milk for the base of a creamy sauce.
- After it’s cooked you don’t drain anything you need the starches to bind the sauce and cheese.
- From there you’ll add just enough heavy cream and some good quality American cheese. They’ll add thickness and help stabilize the sauce.
- Then to really amp up the cheesy flavor you’ll include both extra sharp cheddar and Gruyere cheese at the end.
This mac is brimming with flavor and sure to satisfy those cheese cravings. With a whopping four and half cups cheese you know it’s going to be good.
It’s pure comfort food for a cozy meal on a long day, a dish people of all ages will thoroughly enjoy. It’s a chefs kiss recipe! And bonus it actually reheats quite well, our family loves the leftovers of this for days until it sadly disappears.
One Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe Ingredients
- Milk: Use whole or 2% milk fat for best results.
- Water: This is also used in addition to the milk to soak into and cook the pasta.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: These spices help amp up background flavor. You could also include a little mustard powder or cayenne pepper if those are flavors you like in your mac and cheese.
- Elbow pasta: I recommend sticking with elbow pasta, aka macaroni, for this recipe for that authentic bite.
- Salt and black pepper: I’ve listed suggested amounts in the recipe below but feel free to adjust to your taste.
- Heavy cream: This thickens and boosts the richness quite a bit. In a pinch you could try evaporated milk, it would just be less creamy.
- American cheese: I recommend a good quality American cheese cut from the deli at your local grocer. This is a key ingredient for binding the sauce, it also helps it reheat better.
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese: If you want a milder flavor you can use just “sharp” rather than extra sharp, but I’ve found that additional aging does make a difference here in a great way.
- Gruyere cheese: This adds another layer of unique cheese flavor and this is the cheese that adds that stretchy stringy, photo worthy cheese pull.
How to Make Stovetop Mac and Cheese in Just One Pot
Simmer liquid and seasoning: In a 12-inch saute pan or a large pot bring water, milk, onion powder and garlic powder to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook pasta in simmering liquid: Add pasta, salt and pepper. Stir and cook, uncovered, until just al dente, while stirring every 2 minutes. Reduce heat slightly as needed while simmering, cook about 7 to 8 minutes total.
Add thickening ingredients: Reduce heat to low. Pour in cream, add American cheese and butter. Stir to melt.
Stir in other shredded cheeses: Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese. Stir a few times then let rest 1 minute for cheese to melt then toss to fully melt and blend the sauce. If needed thin with a splash of milk and season with more salt.
Storage and Reheating
- This one pan macaroni and cheese should be kept in the fridge an an airtight container after it has cooled slightly.
- It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual servings on a microwave safe dish at 50% power until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Helpful Tips
- Use a heavy pot: I like to use my cast iron braiser for even cooking (an enameled cast iron pot is another good choice). A heavy pan will more evenly distribute heat.
- Stir during cooking: Stir the pasta occasionally as it cooks so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick to the pot.
- Load up on the cheese: The key to a good macaroni and cheese is to add plenty of cheese and a variety of them. You may think the amount included here is overboard but it’s the best amount.
- Don’t use pre-grated cheeses: Freshly grate your cheeses for homemade macaroni and cheese. The store-bought pre-shredded varieties are coated in starches and don’t melt as smoothly.
- Serve shortly after preparing: Mac and cheese is best served soon after it’s made for the best texture to the sauce, or reheat it gently to thin the sauce back out.
Add a Bread Crumb Topping
Want to include a crisp bread crumb topping? Simply pan fry one cup of panko bread crumbs in 1 Tbsp melted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Toss them occasionally until golden brown. Add them to your plated mac and cheese servings.
Making Gluten Free Mac and Cheese in One Pot
Use these amounts for a gluten free macaroni and cheese recipe.
Also adjust pasta cook time to about 6 minutes, add parmesan in place of gruyere cheese so sauce isn’t overly heavy (as gluten free pasta tends to be a bit more delicate).
Check cheese labels to ensure there are no wheat additives.
- 2 cups milk and 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder and onion powder
- 12 oz. gluten free elbow pasta (recommend Barilla Gluten Free)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 oz. American cheese, shredded or cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 (6 oz) cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup (slightly packed) finely shredded parmesan cheese
- If using bread crumbs (as mentioned above) use gluten free. I recommend Target brand.
More Cheesy Pasta Recipes to Try
- Alfredo Sauce for pasta
- Chili Mac and Cheese
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Taco Pasta
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Follow Cooking Classy
One Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more to thin if needed
- 1/2 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder
- 16 oz. dry elbow pasta (tested with Barilla)
- 1 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 oz. (1 cup) American cheese, shredded or cut into small cubes
- 2 cups (8 oz) Extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) Gruyere cheese, shredded
Instructions
- In a 12-inch saute pan or a large pot bring water, milk, onion powder and garlic powder to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add pasta, salt and pepper. Stir and cook, uncovered, until just al dente, while stirring every 2 minutes. Reduce heat slightly as needed while simmering, cook about 7 to 8 minutes total.
- Reduce heat to low. Pour in cream, add american cheese and butter. Stir to melt.
- Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese. Stir a few times then let rest 1 minute for cheese to melt then toss to fully melt and blend the sauce. If needed thin with a splash of milk and season with more salt.
Notes
Gluten Free One Pot Mac and Cheese
Use these amounts for the recipe, adjust pasta cook time to about 6 minutes. Add parmesan listed instead of Gruyere. Check cheese labels to ensure no wheat additives.- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder and onion powder
- 12 oz. gluten free elbow pasta (recommend Barilla Gluten Free)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 oz. American cheese, shredded or cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 (6 oz) cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese