Stovetop Mac And Cheese Recipe

Easy, one-pot creamy stovetop mac and cheese with minimal ingredients. You won’t need packaged macaroni and cheese after preparing this at home!

This easy homemade mac and cheese recipe only requires one pot, so even the busiest families can whip it up in no time.

You can whip it up in under half an hour using only a few simple ingredients. Without the artificial additives and preservatives, it takes the same length of time as the packaged varieties.

Key Ingredients Ingredients – Keep It Simple

This stovetop mac and cheese can be a stand-alone dish that’s prepared in one pot (as we have done in this dish) or can be a two-part dish. We will explain below. 

Keep the ingredients simple by adding in as little as possible, although to make it a little “fancy” there are always some variations (explained below). 

This dish is also budget-friendly. It can be easily made for under 15 dollars. The ingredients were purchased from Walmart, and the remaining ingredients were already available in my kitchen.

Macaroni (Elbow Macaroni – $0.98): For this mac and cheese dish, I have tested countless varieties of noodles, and each time, it has been a smashing success. We used cavatappi pasta, bow pasta, rigatoni, etc, but our favorite pasta to use to make this recipe is the elbow macaroni or the cavatappi pasta. We love the curls and it’s pretty enough just in case you want to serve it at a party.  

Butter (Did not have to purchase): Adds richness to the dish.  I recommend you use unsalted butter as it allows you more control of the sodium intake.

Milk (12 Fl. oz. Carnation Milk – $1.72): This recipe calls for some sort of liquid dairy, but any will do. Keep in mind that the creaminess of your homemade mac and cheese will be directly proportional to the fat content. Any milk, whether it’s 2%, whole, evaporated milk, half-and-half, or cream, will do! In this recipe, we used evaporated milk for added richness and smooth texture. 

Heavy Cream (16 oz. $3.37): Help to make the dish ultra-creamy.

Yellow Mustard (Did not have to purchase): Although I already had this ingredient on hand, in our location, a 20 oz. squeeze bottle will cost about $0.98.

Cheese ($7.48 Total): If you want your mac and cheese to stay smooth and creamy, I recommend purchasing a block of cheese and shredding it by hand. Doing so guarantees that your cheese sauce is free of stabilizers and chemicals. I purchased the mild block cheddar cheese for $2.00 and the Velveeta cheese for $5.48

Seasoning and Olive Oil: I did not have to purchase salt and pepper.

The total cost for this one-pot stovetop mac and cheese is $13.55.

How Do You Make Stovetop Mac and Cheese?

In twenty minutes or less, you can have this delicious homemade mac & cheese on the table.

Cook The Pasta: Begin by cooking the macaroni with salt to taste and about 1 tsp. of olive oil. We recommend cooking the pasta just about al dente (7 minutes) over medium heat.

After the 7 minutes, add the milk and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted. Then add the Velveeta cheese.

Continue to stir until the cheese has melted. Reduce the heat to low and add the unsalted butter and the yellow mustard. Adjust the seasoning if desired. Allow the stovetop mac and cheese to simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat, or until it starts to thicken and become creamy. Serve warm and enjoy.

Recipe Variations and Tips

You can use elbow macaroni or any small tube-shaped pasta for mac and cheese.

Add 1 tablespoon of mustard for depth of flavor.   

Since both white and black pepper come from the same plant, the choice between the two is mostly subjective. Peppers are made from the plant’s fruit, which is then processed in a way that gives them flavor and color.

White pepper is a bit hotter than black pepper, but black pepper has an intense flavor. 

You need Classic sharp or mild cheddar cheese to make your stovetop mac and cheese. From there, feel free to add other cheese. For example, you can add a combination of white cheddar cheese, mozzarella, gruyere, provolone, brie, parmesan cheese, asiago, and goat cheese. 

We recommend using fresh cheese and grate it yourself. If pre-shredded cheese is all you have on hand, then use it. Be mindful that pre-shredded cheese has a mixture of natamycin and powdered cellulose. Although we used pre-shredded cheese in this recipe, we strongly recommend you use freshly grated cheese. 

Follow the directions on the box when cooking the pasta for best results. I always like to cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than the recommended time to avoid overcooking.

Do not overcook the pasta, as it will make the ending dish soft and mushy.

Salt the water to provide flavor and add oil to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other. Try to avoid constant stirring as well.

Take your time with the dish. We recommend cooking the dish on medium or medium-low heat. 

Adjust the salt level and cheese as needed.

There are many ways you can alter the recipe to jazz it up. Here are some options. 

• Milk products: Instead of using evaporated milk, use whole milk or two percent milk. However, in our opinion, evaporated milk, when combined with heavy cream, will give the dish the best creamy consistency. 

• Season to your taste. This dish is very simple. It is seasoned with mustard, salt, and pepper. However, feel free to add seasoning like paprika. Cajun seasoning, dry or fresh chopped herbs, or Dijon mustard. Different seasonings. Prepare this dish to your taste preference. 

• Add vegetables: Consider adding broccoli, and spinach. Feel free to add onions, chicken, broccoli, or peas. This is a great way to sneak protein and veggies into this dish. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Pasta Recipes To Enjoy 

Baked Mac And Cheese With Broccoli

Cajun Chicken And Shrimp Pasta

Rasta Pasta Recipe

Smoked Mac And Cheese

Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

Air Fryer Lasagna

Basil Pesto Gnocchi

Instant Pot Chili Mac And Cheese

Creamy Shrimp Scampi Linguine

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