Special Equipment Used In This Recipe
- Box Grater remember, the best mac starts with freshly shredded cheese!
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Post has been updated in September 2019 with new photos and additional information.
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Creamy One Pot Macaroni And Cheese
I have all kind of macaroni and cheese recipes on the blog, and today I have a Creamy One Pot Macaroni and Cheese to add to the collection. This is a great recipe to make for lunch when your kids are in the mood for something simple, hot, and filling, and you need something that comes together in without any fuss. This recipe is so easy and we loved the extra creamy results.
This recipe is extra easy because you cook the macaroni right in the milk that helps to make the sauce. Theres no water to boil or noodles to rinse. You just cook it all in one pan and its done in about 15 minutes. This is literally just as easy as that blue box stuff, but it tastes like real food and doesnt have a fluorescent orange glow to it. Trust me, that fake mac n cheese is just gross once you start making your own.
My other stove-top macaroni and cheese recipe is still a favorite, but I dont always have canned milk on hand. The difference between the two is that this recipes makes a really thick and sticky macaroni and cheese , and the other recipe has almost a runny sauce to it. They are both excellent but different enough that I wanted to share both recipes.
Making It Ahead Of Time
Like most baked pasta dishes, mac and cheese is perfect for making ahead of time. Here are a few tips:
- The sauce can be made ahead and stored, covered in the refrigerator, for two days. Warm the sauce before mixing with cooked pasta.
- Mac and cheese can be made ahead, spooned into a baking dish and stored, covered in the refrigerator, for two days. Cold macaroni and cheese may take a little longer than 30 minutes in the oven to be fully heated and cooked through.
- You can also freeze stovetop or baked mac and cheese for up to two months. To reheat, defrost overnight and bake or warm on the stove until heated through. Or bake from frozen. It will take about 1 hour.
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Why Use The Instant Pot For Mac And Cheese
Obviously Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is pretty straightforward and simple and thats kind of the point, in my opinion? I creep around on the internets and lately Ive seen people chatting about how frustrating it is when people just use the Instant Pot for basic recipes like Mac and Cheese.
Excuse me but Id like to respectfully disagree. Theres a reason why people use the Instant Pot for basic recipes like mac and cheese, and its because, especially in this case, the mac and cheese your Instant Pot can give you is NEXT LEVEL GOOD. I am not food-sciencey enough to tell you how or why this works, but the texture of the creamy sauce that you get a little melted butter, and cheese, and milk?
It just works differently in the Instant Pot! You cannot replicate this on the stovetop with the same ingredients and I do not know why. Starch? Pressure? Does it matter? The IP holds the magic.
The Instant Pot is so good to us.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Who can resist a creamy and cheesy macaroni and cheese? Mac and cheese is like comfort in a bowl for me. Made in less than 10 minutes, you can get this delicious protein packed pasta recipe in the pressure cooker ready for dinner in a flash.
You only need a couple of ingredients and it’s all made in one pot! While a boxed mac and cheese would require you to get a second pan out to make your chicken, this recipe’s all done in one pan! Want a side dish to go with your Instant Pot chicken mac and cheese? Try my air fryer garlic bread!
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I Have Too Much Liquid
No, you don’t, really. Once your pasta is al dente, you are done with the free liquid. So you MUST drain it. Don’t worry about getting every drop of the liquid out. Just use a cup and remove the liquid you can easily remove before adding the cheese.
Should I cook longer to get rid of the liquid? No, drain per the instructions.
My pasta is mush. Your pasta is cooking too fast. You need to look for al dente.
My cheese looks bad. Some cheap cheese will separate quickly. Get better cheese.
Can I Bake This Recipe
At this point of stovetop mac and cheese, you can choose to transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, top with more cheese and other toppings of choice, bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes for a baked mac and cheese. This is another fantastic option. Adding buttered bread crumbs and bacon is another winning option before baking to add a nice crunch. Try adding cooked beef or chicken for more dinner options too.
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White Wine Mac And Cheese
White Wine Mac and Cheese is elegant, flavorful, and completely comforting! It has a delicious blend of creamy cheeses, fresh thyme, and your favorite white wine for the perfect grown-up mac and cheese recipe!Even better? Its ready in just 30 minutes!
If its wrong to enjoy wine and cheese and carbs in any and all forms, then I dont want to be right. And if youre right there with me, then youre in the right place.
My favorite type of meatless meals are, in fact, those that involve wine, cheese, and carbs. Like, hello Red Wine Spaghetti and Creamy Garlic Pasta. The combination is one of total comfort, and quite frankly, outta this world.
Combining white wine with creamy, flavorful cheeses, and pasta is absolutely magical. For those nights when you need a grown-up dinner thats nostalgic of your childhood favorite, but better, this is it. Its cozy, comforting, gourmet-esque, and the best home-cooked meal that hits the spot.
Even better? Its pretty simple to make. Whether you are looking to enjoy it as a main dish for dinner or a side to other favorite main dishes, its quickly going to become a go-to recipe.
By Step Photos: How To Make Easy Homemade Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a separate pan or a skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter.
Add ¼ cup of flour, cook and stir for about 1 minute to form a roux.
In a medium pan, heat milk until it boils.
Pour hot milk into the hot flour-butter mixture gradually, while whisking. Continue cooking the mixture, constantly stirring, on medium or high heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens – about 1 or 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add salt, nutmeg, black pepper, 1 and ½ cups cheddar, and ½ cup Gruyere, or pecorino Romano, or Parmesan. While off heat, whisk until all cheese is melted and the cheese sauce has even consistency. Set aside.
Bring a large saucepan with water to boil. Add macaroni, cook 3 minutes less than indicated in manufacturer’s directions, so that pasta is still undercooked inside. The pasta will continue cooking as it bakes. Transfer macaroni to a colander and rinse under cold running water really well. Running the pasta under cold water will stop the cooking and will wash off the excess starch. Drain pasta well.
Add drained macaroni to the cheese sauce.
Butter a 1.5-quart casserole dish. Pour the pasta with cheese sauce into the prepared dish.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar and ¼ cup Gruyere .
Bake for 30 minutes, until browned on top. Transfer dish to a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then serve.
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Best Cheese To Use When Making Mac And Cheese
As a mac and cheese lover, you cant resist gooey, melty cheese and your favorite noodles. Maybe youve tried lots of recipes or have an old standby you bring out whenever youre craving this comfort dish. If you want to try something new, consider the best cheese to use when making mac and cheese.
With help from this guide, you may discover new favorites and the best cheese for mac and cheese. Get ready to create delicious dishes with velvety cheeses that make your mouth water!
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Can I Make This Macaroni And Cheese Ahead And Bake It When Im Ready
Yes you sure can. Just let it cool down, put some plastic wrap right against the surface of the mac and cheese and stick it in the fridge. If you have a few minutes to bring it out and let it warm slightly before you bake it, do that. But if you cant, just bake it till the center is hot and the edges are bubbling.
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How Do You Make Baked Macaroni And Cheese From Scratch
Directions Prepare pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat whisk in flour until smooth. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
How To Make Mac And Cheese Sauce
Step 1: Make Roux by this point, you already know the ins and outs of a roux and how to make it , so were going to skip to step 2.
Step 2: Whisk in Milk slowly add milk to the roux, whisking constantly so it doesnt burn. Continue to whisk for around 4-6 minutes, or until things begin to thicken.
Dont rush this process. we PROMISE things will thicken!
Step 3: Remove from Heat once things are thick, turn the heat off.
Step 4: Whisk in Shredded Cheese then, add shredded cheese, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and whisk until the cheese melts.
Give your cheese sauce a taste and add more hot sauce, as desired.
Step 5: Enjoy! mix mac and cheese sauce with macaroni noodles and serve immediately.
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Goes With Anything Salad
First up in our what to serve with mac and cheese: something that goes with anything. Meet our Goes with Anything salad! Crisp veggies the perfect pair against the rich cheese. This salad features a rainbow of veggies: radishes, carrots, red and green onion, and tangy jarred pepperoncini. The salad dressing is customizable: here wed recommend Healthy Ranch, Best Balsamic Vinaigrette, Easy Honey Mustard, or Homemade Caesar.
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Macaroni And Cheese Pizza
Pizza + mac and cheese = the combo you never knew you needed. Its a match made in heaven! Were excited about this one, guys! It may sound a little weird but stick with us. This isnt just tasty, its also foolproof.
If youre looking for a simple recipe to serve as your guide, this mac-n-cheese pizza from Allrecipes is easy as pie. Pun intended!
You can make this your own by adding your favorite proteins, veggies, and sauces, so be creative! But if youre not feeling adventurous, all you really need is an easy pizza crust recipe and some macaroni and cheese. Seriously. Thats it.
Pssst Looking for a quick and easy homemade pizza sauce? Try this one! Its to die for.
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Can I Freeze Macaroni And Cheese
I get asked that a lot and my answer is always no. As the pasta and cheese sauce sit, it will thicken and when you thaw it and bake it, the creamy consistency is just gone. Its thick and gloppy. Plus if you freeze it and its still a bit warm, water crystals will form and then thaw into your dish and could make it separate when you bake it. Besides, its so fast to make, theres not really a reason to freeze your macaroni and cheese.
Reheating It In A Crockpot
You might find this option quite strange as you normally cook soups with a crockpot. However, substituting an oven and a microwave with a crockpot to reheat mac and cheese is also a great idea.
It will take you some effort to check out the heat and stir the food, but the creamy mac and cheese will satisfy you a lot. Now, lets see what you will do to reheat mac and cheese with a crockpot.
Step 1: Preheat the crockpot to medium heat
Step 2: Spray some nonstick cooking oil on the interior side of the crockpot to avoid the cheese sticking on it during the reheating process.
Step 3: Put the mac and cheese in the crockpot and add some milk to it. The milk ratio in a crockpot is the same as that of the oven and microwave.
Step 4: Use a lid to cover it and stir occasionally until the whole mac and cheese warm through. You can keep the lid on the crockpot to maintain the food temperature until it is served.
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Making Standard Kraft Macaroni And Cheese
Upgrading Kraft Macaroni And Cheese
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Where Can You Find Kraft Mac N Cheese
Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pasta and save. Editors Note: For Chicago homeowners. Melt 3/4 of the butter in a saucepan and gradually add it to the milk over low heat. Add the cooked noodles and spices, stir and cover the noodles. Pour the coated noodles into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
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Keys To A Perfect Cheese Sauce
The only tricky part of making a cheese sauce like this is incorporating the milk into the roux. These tips will set you up for success.
- Start with warm milk. Warming the milk a minute or two in the microwave will help it blend into the warm roux more easily.
- Add the milk slowly. Add the milk slowly while whisking the roux. At first, the roux will thin out, then it will clump up. You might think all is lost at this point, but persevere. Continue whisking the milk and it will loosen into a creamy sauce.
- Let bubble until slightly thickened. Once all the milk is added, let it bubble, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Youre looking for a thickness thats somewhere between heavy cream and buttermilk. Stir in the grated cheese, let it melt, and youre almost ready for mac and cheese bliss.
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