This Mac and Cheese is smooth, creamy, cheesy and delicious. Better still, it’s all made in one pot!
If you’ve never made one pot mac and cheese your life is about to change for the better. And possibly your waistline. But it’s oh so worth it. Follow me…
Creamy Mac and Cheese
We’ll get into the ‘one pot’ aspect in just a sec, but first things first, let’s talk about the creaminess.
What makes this Mac and Cheese so creamy?
- One Pot – The starch from the pasta helps the sauce go nice and glossy/creamy because it’s all cooked in one pot!
- Milk/Cream – The pasta is cooked in milk and heavy cream, which alongside the starch, helps form an ultra creamy base for the sauce.
- Cream Cheese – One of the cheeses used in this recipe is cream cheese, which adds to the creaminess of the sauce.
Look I’m always down for a baked mac and cheese with a crispy crust, but sometimes you just can’t beat a velvety stove stop mac and cheese. Just look at that gooey goodness 😍
One Pot Mac and Cheese
Why make Mac and Cheese in one pot?
- No need to make a roux to thicken the sauce, the starch will do it for you.
- The excess starch helps create a glossy/velvety sauce which coats the pasta much better.
- Less washing up!
What cheese to use in stovetop Mac and Cheese?
- Cheddar – I actually prefer a medium to mature cheddar with this recipe. Usually I like the strongest cheddar going, but here I find it distracting. I slightly milder cheddar has create a creamier flavour.
- Gruyere – This adds a gorgeous nutty flavour.
- Mozzarella – Offers a slight cheese pull and adds creaminess.
- Cream Cheese – Adds creaminess.
When it comes to making the mac and cheese, depending on how thick your macaroni is and when you take the pot off the heat, you may find the sauce is either slightly too thin or thick. This is very easy to adjust. Just add milk a splash at a time to thin out, or just simmer for an extra min to reduce the sauce.
Process shots: add dry macaroni, milk, cream, chicken stock and seasoning to pot (photo 1), simmer and stir until the pasta is al dente (photo 2), add cream cheese (photo 3), stir to combine (photo 4), add cheese (photo 5), stir to combine (photo 6).
Serving Mac and Cheese
I tend to serve this as a main, but you can serve it as a side too. Goes great with Fried Chicken or Chicken Tenders (Spicy or Baked!). I also most recently served this with Pulled Pork which was incredible!
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Deliciously Fun Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Smoky Chipotle Mac and Cheese
- Spicy Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese
- Brie Mac and Cheese
Alrighty, let’s tuck into this creamy one pot mac and cheese shall we?!
How to One Pot Mac and Cheese (Full Recipe & Video)
Ultra Creamy One Pot Mac & Cheese
Equipment:
- Large Pot & Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock)
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients (check list):
- 1lb / 500g Dried Macaroni
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups / 625 - 750ml Milk
- 2 cups / 500ml Chicken Stock (not piping hot!)
- 1 cup / 250ml Heavy/Double Cream, at room temp
- 2 1/2 cups / 250g Medium Cheddar (see notes)
- 1 cup / 100g Gruyere, grated
- 1/2 cup / 50g Mozzarella, shredded
- 4oz / 125g Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper
Instructions:
- Into a large pot add your dried macaroni, then pour in chicken stock, 2.5cups/625ml milk and cream. Add in mustard powder, salt, white pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Give everything a stir, then bring to a gentle simmer over low-medium heat and cook until the macaroni is al dente, stirring somewhat frequently. The sauce should be fairly thin at this point (pasta will continue cooking slightly).
- Turn off the heat then stir in cream cheese. Add cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere and give everything a good stir until evenly combined.
- If the sauce is still too thin/pasta not fully cooked just pop on low heat for a couple mins. If it's too thick just add milk a splash at a time.
Quick 1 min demo!
Notes:
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
If you loved this Creamy Mac and Cheese Recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
20 Comments
Amy
September 3, 2023 at 8:06 amHey there, just made this for the first time and it is probably the best mac n cheese I’ve had. Added some veges to make it an easy complete meal and will defo be a repeat in our house. Will be sure to look through more of your recipes to see what other wee gems there are.
You have a new fan in New Zealand!
Chris Collins
September 3, 2023 at 5:19 pmSo great to hear this went down well, Amy! Hope you get to enjoy some more recipes đŸ™‚ C.
Kevin Parsons
May 9, 2023 at 12:48 amTurned out great but my sauce was grainy, like the milk curderled while simmering…any ideas why?
Chris Collins
May 9, 2023 at 10:21 amHi Kevin, sometimes this can happen if the stock is boiling hot and the milk is fridge cold, or if you’re simmering very aggressively. Using whole milk can help prevent it from curdling too. Also, the graininess could be the cheese. I recommend using Medium strength cheddar. Sometimes ultra sharp/mature cheddar can turn the sauce grainy. One final thing is I recommend freshly grating your own if you can. Hope this helps! C.
Sue O'Connor
April 22, 2023 at 4:51 pmI first made this for a family dinner about a year ago and now its requested at every meal I make! So easy, so creamy, so yummy!
Chris Collins
April 23, 2023 at 10:23 amHi Sue! This is so lovely to hear. Thanks so much for popping back for a review đŸ™‚ C.
Nick Dransfield
April 20, 2023 at 5:43 amYet again a simple recipe but great results. Never thought of cooking macaroni cheese like this but there were clear plates all around the dinner table! Thanks yet again Chris
Chris Collins
April 21, 2023 at 5:30 pmThanks so much for the review, Nick! Glad to hear mac n cheese went down well đŸ™‚ C.
Barbara Brady-Smith
April 18, 2023 at 8:03 pmDoubled this for Easter as a side dish. Ended up the main dish for most of the kids. Huge hit! I told everyone it had no calories. thanks for another great recipe!
Chris Collins
April 19, 2023 at 10:15 amSo great to hear, Barbara! Thanks so much for the review! C.
DAVID SCOTT JEFFREY
August 12, 2022 at 3:44 pmDELICIOUS RECIPE!! Thanks much for sharing!
Chris Collins
August 12, 2022 at 7:40 pmThanks David! đŸ™‚
S.E
June 21, 2022 at 11:47 amSo easy and a hit every time I make it! Use a spiral macoroni, A+ for sure!
Chris Collins
June 22, 2022 at 1:20 pmGreat to hear! đŸ™‚
Amber J
March 26, 2022 at 6:01 amSuper easy and quick. And so creamy. The better half said it’s his new fav way of doing Mac n cheese. I think it’s faster than the box stuff
Chris Collins
March 26, 2022 at 12:08 pmSo great to hear it went down well, Amber! Thanks for the review đŸ™‚
Doug
February 3, 2022 at 12:03 amHow well does this do if it’s cooked the night before and warmed in the oven the next day?
Chris Collins
February 7, 2022 at 5:53 pmI’d definitely make this one fresh if you can, Doug!
Will Santos
September 7, 2021 at 11:41 pmIt was De. Licious. What a huge difference it makes using this cheese combo. This is a great meal. Feeds 5-6 for about $26. And that’s splurging a little bit more.
Chris Collins
September 8, 2021 at 11:44 amGreat to hear, Will! Thanks for popping back for a review đŸ™‚