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a spoon inside a bowl full of mac and cheese.
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4.48 from 138 votes

Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Easy silky, cheesy Stovetop Mac and Cheese that can be made from scratch and ready in 20 minutes all in one pot! With so much flavor, creamy texture and a definite comfort food, your kids will just love it! And so will you.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 30 minute meals, mac and cheese, one pot meals
Servings: 6
Calories: 496kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce elbow macaroni dry
  • 12 ounce evaporated milk (1 can)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ teaspoon mustard dry
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 4 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 10 ounce cheddar cheese shredded
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare the Pasta: Boil the macaroni according to package instructions, for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
  • Combine the ingredients for the sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, dry mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
  • Combine the pasta with everything else: Drain the pasta and return to pot. Melt in the butter, then stir in the egg/milk mixture. Turn the heat down to low, then stir in the cheese and cook for another 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Video

Notes

  1. Cheese Options: Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Havarti, Emmental, Fontina or Gouda.
  2. Egg free version: If you don't like eggs, you can simply omit them from the recipe, the eggs will just make the sauce thicker and creamier.
  3. No evaporated milk? No problem: Feel free to use regular milk or half and half in place of the evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is often used to provide a creaminess or body without the fat of real cream.
  4. My cheese sauce turned out grainy, what did I do wrong: Some kinds of cheese just do this probably because overheating the cheese has denatured the protein. Some cheeses are improperly aged and contain emulsifiers that break down when heated causing a gritty texture. This can also happen if you're heating it over too high heat, so sometimes it's best to turn down the heat and do this slowly. Overheating cheese will curdle and string it every time. Use top quality cheeses, well aged that melt smoothly. 
  5. Tip: Grate the cheese yourself instead of using pre-grated. In my experience grating the cheese myself helps with having the cheese melt nice and smooth. 
  6. How do I store mac and cheese leftovers: Store mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but make sure it's cooled completely before storing it in the fridge. Mac and cheese can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 507mg | Iron: 1.2mg