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MIRACLE MAC AND CHE ESE

$2.72 RECIPE / $0.68 SERVING

BUDGET BYTES » RECIPES » PASTA RECIPES » MIRACLE MAC AND CHEESE

JUMP TO RECIPE  GROCERY LIST  FAVORITES

It’s a MIRACLE. Macaroni and cheese that is smooth, creamy, and gooey, is made in one pot,
with only a few ingredients, and is every bit as easy as the blue box. I’m serious. I’m Seriously
serious about this Miracle Mac and Cheese.

I’ve seen versions of this recipe around the internet for a while and I really don’t know what
took me so long to try it out, but thank god I finally did. This is going to be a new staple in my
house and if you’re a fan of mac n’ cheese then you MUST try this today.

Originally posted 6-5-12, updated 10-25-18.

ONE POT MIRACLE M AC AND C HEESE

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WHY TH IS WORKS:

If you try to melt cheese into milk, you won’t get very far. The water in the milk repels the fat
in the cheese, and everything will just clump up instead of creating a creamy sauce. To get a
creamy sauce you need an emulsifying agent. By simmering the pasta in milk for this recipe,
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you create a starchy milk slurry that helps emulsify the cheese into a smooth, creamy sauce.

WHY I LOVE MIRAC LE M AC AND C HEESE

It’s SUPER fast. Just as fast as the blue box, in fact.

No unusual ingredients needed (just milk, macaroni, cheese, and whatever you want to
season it with)
No flour-based béchamel sauce needed
Easy to memorize
Great for last minute meals, uses only pantry staples
The sauce is rich and creamy with less cheese than other mac and cheese recipes

WHY I DON’ T LOVE M IRACLE M AC AND

CHEESE

You really need to eat this one fresh because it doesn’t stay creamy when reheated

Since first discovering this Miracle Mac and Cheese method, I’ve found a new easy mac and
cheese method that I like even better. The new method uses evaporated milk to emulsify the
cheese, and the creamy texture holds up much better. To check out the newer version, see
the Will it Skillet Mac and Cheese recipe.
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MIRACLE MAC AND CHEESE

Miracle Mac and Cheese is a quick and easy way to make
creamy macaroni and cheese, in one pot, with only a few
ingredients, and no processed cheese! 
PREP TIME: 5 mins
COOK TIME: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 25 mins
SERVINGS: 4
PRINT RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS GROCERY LIST 

FAVORITES
2 1/4 cups milk, divided ($0.70)
2 cups dry macaroni (about 1/2 lb.) ( $0.65)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($1.25) 4.32 from 77 votes
 3/4 tsp salt ($0.04)
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1 tsp Dijon mustard, optional ($0.04)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika, optional ($0.02)
10-15 cranks fresh cracked pepper, optional ($0.02)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the dry macaroni and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot. Place a lid on top
and bring it up to a boil over medium/high heat while occasionally stirring.
2. As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer, stirring often,
until the pasta is tender (about 10 minutes). Make sure to stir often during this
process to keep the pasta from clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Promptly replace the lid each time you finish stirring to help hold in the steam.
3. Once the pasta is soft and has absorbed most of the milk, season with salt, pepper,
paprika, and dijon, or the spices of your choice. If the mixture begins to look dry,
add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk.
4. Turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese until melted and creamy. Serve
immediately.

NOTES

Adapted from Revolutionary Mac & Cheese from Macaroni & Cheesecake
See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!

NUTRITION

Serving: 1 Serving・ Calories: 409.48 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 50.3 g ・ Protein: 18.4 g ・

Fat: 14.78 g ・ Sodium: 784.28 mg ・ Fiber: 1.88 g
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclaimer here.

The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love. As an
Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

MORE MAC AND CHEESE RECIPES:

Creamy Pesto Mac with Spinach

 One Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
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Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

HOW TO MAKE MI R AC LE M AC AND C HEESE –

STEP BY STEP PHOTO S

First, combine the dry macaroni noodles and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot. I prefer whole
milk, but 2% also works.
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Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. As soon
as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the noodles are soft and
have absorbed most of the milk (about 10 minutes), then turn the heat off. It is VERY
important to stir often during this process and replace the lid as soon as possible after doing
so. Once the pasta is tender, there should be a bit of starchy, milky sauce in the bottom of
the pot.
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I like to season the mixture before adding the cheese because I feel like it dissolves in easier.
Season with whatever you like. A little bit of salt (.5 to 1 tsp) is pretty necessary, but after
that just go with it. Even just a touch of onion powder would be great. The type of cheese
you’re using will also dictate what seasonings to use. If the mixture begins to look dry here,
add a splash more milk. 
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Add the shredded cheese and stir until it has melted in and created a smooth sauce. The
residual heat should be enough to melt it into the seasoned milk mixture. I love that this
recipe only needs 1 cup of cheese… most macaroni recipes require 2 cups, plus a béchamel
sauce made with butter.
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And then, like magic, you have a smooth, creamy, super cheesy macaroni and cheese! In less
than 30 minutes! And no more steps required than with a box mix… it’s a miracle.
 

Really easy miracle mac and cheese, made with just a few ingredients.

POSTED ON OCTOBER 25, 2018 IN PASTA RECIPES, QUICK 266 COMMENTS »

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266 COMMENTS ON “MIRACLE MAC AND CHEESE”
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« Older Comments

WENDY —
05.31.21 @ 12:04 PM REPLY

Has anyone used cream instead of milk?

BETH - BUDGET BYTES —

06.01.21 @ 8:20 AM REPLY

The water content of cream is lower than milk, so there won’t be as much for
the pasta to absorb, so you may have trouble cooking the pasta.

WENDY —
04.14.21 @ 8:45 PM REPLY

Can this be made with plant based milk such as almond? I do eat cheese but don’t
keep milk in the house because I don’t like the taste.

BETH - BUDGET BYTES —

04.15.21 @ 7:49 AM REPLY

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this one with a plant-based milk. It might be a

little tricky with this one, since the milk is involved in emulsifying the cheese,
so the plant-based milk might act differently.

PAMELA EMMETT —
04.08.21 @ 4:22 PM REPLY

I love the simplicity of the recipe. My son loves mac n cheese (I do too) – his “go too”
is Velveeta Shells & Cheese. However I am always concerned about the sodium in any
prepared box mix.

My question is, do you shred your own cheddar or do you use pre shredded? Many
recipes warn against pre shredded cheese because it doesn’t melt correctly. I almost
always have shredded cheese on hand, which would absolutely make this an easy
meal or side dish.
 BETH - BUDGET BYTES REPLY
—
04.09.21 @ 9:50 AM

I’ve used both. I’m sure it probably depends on the brand, too, as some
probably use more cellulose (anti-caking powder) than others.

IVIS SUAREZ —
04.07.21 @ 6:44 PM REPLY

Loved this!  Delicious and easy!!  Made sure to simmer macaroni on low slowly to not
stick or burn. Took like 12 minutes but I started tasting it at 8 until it reaches my
desired doneness.  YUMMMMMM

ANNE MARIE —
03.02.21 @ 9:52 PM REPLY

I made this! Had to add lots of extra milk not sure where I messed up but still turned
out well! Serving with hotdogs :)

BRAD —
02.04.21 @ 7:48 AM REPLY

Going to try this with fresh pasta, will it work? It’ll cook faster, so perhaps will need
less milk?

BETH - BUDGET BYTES —

02.04.21 @ 10:14 AM REPLY

Yeah, I’m not sure how that would turn out without testing it first.

RABIA SHAIK —
01.15.21 @ 1:22 PM REPLY

I’m so glad I came across this recipe! It’s now my favorite instant mac and cheese
recipe for when I want something quick and delicious!
 SARAH —
08.28.20 @ 1:01 PM REPLY 

I was skeptical but this was delicious! I highly recommend including the “optional”
items, they made the dish very flavorful, especially the dijon. I did make a double
batch, and despite the note it reheated just fine. I put a tiny bit of milk in the bowl
before sticking in the microwave and while it wasn’t exactly as creamy as day one it
was still great!

LAUREN —
08.24.20 @ 6:45 PM REPLY

This has become my go-to mac and cheese recipe! Don’t even bother with the boxed
stuff or the “real thing” anymore. It’s a good happy medium. Reminds me of that
Food Network show, Semi Homemade w/ Sandra Lee.

« Older Comments

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