Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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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.
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe
Nothing beats a good mac and cheese made from scratch! While we’ve all had the instant kind, the homemade kind is literally life changing. We’re talking stuff that dreams are made of.
While you might shy away from making this at home because of time constraints, don’t worry. I have a 20 minute recipe for stovetop mac and cheese for you today that’s kid friendly and so so good. It couldn’t get any easier and beats the box kind any day! I mean, come on people, it has real cheese, lots of it!
- Ready in JUST 20 Minutes
- All made in JUST One Pot
- Extra Kid Friendly
- Ingredients you Already Have
We’ve got macaroni, butter, and lots of cheese coming together in mouth orgasm inducing combinations cooking up on the stovetop today! Yeah, I can get a little crazy when it comes to mac and cheese and that’s because it’s one of my favorite comfort foods ever.
Mac and cheese, at least the box version, is something most of us used to live on during college, but then I learned to make it myself, thanks to Alton Brown, who is my favorite food network chef ever, and I never looked back. I never even bought a box of mac and cheese again. What can I say besides thank you, Alton Brown!
- Pasta – I like to use the elbow macaroni pasta, but you can use any kind of small pasta or even spaghetti to make your recipe.
- Cheese – Even though I used cheddar cheese here, you can confidently work with whatever cheese you have handy that melts well and has a saltier taste such as Monterey Jack, Gouda, Fontina or Havarti.
- Seasoning – salt and pepper is just fine to add onto this recipe, but if you prefer anything extra like chili flakes or Italian seasoning, go ahead.
- Eggs – I used 2 large eggs to whisk into the base sauce.
- Milk – Evaporated milk works great in the base sauce, but any kind of milk works well too.
- Hot Sauce – I love to use any kind of hot sauce I have handy just to add a bit more flavor to the whole dish.
How To Make Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cheese to use for mac and cheese?
Nothing beats a good sharp cheddar because it’s firm, rich, mellow, great melting power and a smooth flavor. A good sharp cheddar is the crowd favorite. Other cheese you can experiment with that are also great are Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Havarti, Emmental, Fontina or Gouda.
Why use evaporated milk for mac and cheese?
Evaporated milk is often used to provide a creaminess or body without the fat of real cream. You can use regular milk instead.
What can you serve with mac and cheese?
Here are some sides that you can serve along with this dish:
Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies
The Ultimate Roasted Broccoli
Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
Expert Tips
- If you don’t like eggs, you can simply omit them from the recipe, the eggs will just make the sauce thicker and creamier.
- You can use a variety of cheeses that work great for this recipe: Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Havarti, Emmental, Fontina or Gouda.
- 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.
Leftovers
Fridge
Store this stovetop 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.
Freezer
Yes, you can freeze macaroni and cheese. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also store it in a baking dish covered tightly with aluminum foil. Bake, frozen and covered with foil at 350 F degrees for 1 hour.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
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Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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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)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
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.
Notes
- Cheese Options: Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Havarti, Emmental, Fontina or Gouda.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
