Creamy, cheesy, and ready in 20 minutes, this stovetop mac and cheese for two is homemade comfort food made simple. It’s a beginner-friendly, one-pan recipe that's easy to clean up with no baking required. A small batch recipe for two, but simple to make for larger needs.
🧀Ingredients
Elbow macaroni—other small pasta will work
Milk (whole or 2%)
Butter
Cheese—usually mild or sharp cheddar, or Velveeta
Pantry Ingredients—garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard, salt, black pepper
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Featured Comment by RG:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Easy and good. "
You and your family deserve better than that blue box with powdered cheese. This easy stovetop mac and cheese is homemade from scratch using simple pantry ingredients for a creamy, cheesy sauce and tender pasta. There is no need to make a roux and not bake it in the oven.
It maintains extraordinary creaminess by not cooking the cheese but adding it at the end. In addition, cooking the pasta in the milk thickens the milk by releasing starch and adding creaminess.
👨🍳How to Make Creamy Mac and Cheese
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
1. Combine all ingredients except the cheese in a nonstick saucepan. Simmer until the pasta is tender and the liquid is mostly gone. 15 to 18 minutes
2. Remove from heat, add cheese, and cover until the cheese melts, then mix.
Helpful tip: resist the temptation to turn up the heat. If you are getting pasta sticking to the pot, turn it down, or the milk may curdle.
😊Make it right every time
A non-stick saucepan is suggested.
The cooking time can vary due to variations in pasta and your definition of simmer.
Whole milk is commonly suggested, but 2% or even fat-free may be used. Add a few teaspoons if using fat-free for more butterfat and creaminess.
For the best creaminess, shred your own cheese. ¼ cup of shredded cheese is 2 oz of solid cheese.
Pre-shredded cheeses commonly have an anti-caking agent to prevent sticking but can also leave some graininess when melted. I find this more common in generic cheese and I have better results with brand-name cheese.
🤔Options and variations
Almost any dry pasta should work except ones that are very quick to cook.
You can use other cheeses. Velveeta is one of my favorites, and it melts well. Gruyere or Gouda are also good choices. Adding Parmesan cheese can add more flavor.
The mustard powder is optional, but skip it if you don't have it or don't want to use it.
Add meats like shredded pulled pork, beef, or chicken. Also, cubed ham or crumbled bacon adds great taste.
Add Panko breadcrumbs or make a Parmesan Breadcrumb topping and brown under the broiler.
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⬇DON'T MISS more tips and options are below the Recipe card!⬇
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese for Two
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ teaspoon butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shape cheddar cheese - or Velveeta
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a small, nonstick saucepan, combine 1 cup of milk, 1½ teaspoons of butter, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of dry mustard. Add 4 ounces (about 1 cup) of elbow macaroni.
- Bring to a light simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Keep uncovered and stir frequently for about 15-18 minutes, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, leaving a thick consistency. If not tender to your taste, cook until tender and add a little milk if needed, and continue to cook until tender.
- Remove from heat and discard most of the unabsorbed liquid. Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese or 2 oz of chopped Velveeta.
- Cover the pan and let the cheese melt. Stir, then serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Most dry pasta should also work if you're using a nonstandard type; check early—it will probably take about the same time as indicated on the package to cook or a little longer.
- The endpoint of cooking pasta is that it is tender but not overcooked, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- If there is still significant fluid when the pasta is tender, cook for a little longer or drain some of the fluid.
- If the pasta is not tender and the liquid is almost gone, add more milk as instructed.
- Use the cheese of your choice.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
❓FAQs
They can be gluten-free depending on your choice of ingredients. This recipe is easily made with gluten-free pasta.
However, be sure to check any shredded cheese, as it will rarely contain flour.
Sometimes, yes, but mostly no. If the pasta is used in a hot dish with a sauce, there is no reason to rinse it either before or after cooking—the starch in the boiling water will help the sauces adhere to the paste.
But for cold dishes like pasta salads, rinse the pasta before cooking will decrease the starch in the pasta water.
👍Other mac and cheese choices
Check out other easy mac and cheese recipes, such as Roadhouse Mac and Cheese, Mac and Cheese with Egg, Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Uncooked Pasta, and Chili Mac.
⬆️How to increase the size of the recipe
This small batch recipe yields 2 servings; however, in our household of two, we prefer to have leftovers. I always make the 4-serving version.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings from 2 to the number desired (4,5, or 8).
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- Cook for the same amount of time.
🍽️Serving
Serve as the main dish with a crisp green salad or hot vegetable. It is an excellent side dish for almost any casual meal.
Kids will love mac and cheese with hot dogs or chicken, such as Grilled Chicken Tenders, Baked Chicken Tenders, or Stovetop Chicken Tenders. Or with dummies like Grilled Chicken Drumsticks and Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks.
❄️Storing and reheating leftovers
Store sealed in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. But mac and cheese does not freeze well.
Reheat covered in the oven or the microwave.
Originally Published December 20, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
RG says
Easy and good. Thanks for sharing this. We added some leftover bbq meat which gave it a little something extra. i might even add spinach next time.
C. Matusiak says
In the instruction number 4, and also the recipe steps before the recipe, it says "When the pasta is tender, and the milk mostly absorbed, add 1 cup of cheese (your choice), remove from heat and cover for minutes."
Would that be a few minutes, 10 minutes, or what? I'm one that follows a new recipe exactly the first time around and would like this missing piece of information.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi,
Welcome to the blog.
A "few minutes" here means 2-3 minutes only until completely melted and able to be combined. I'm not cooking the cheese which I find makes it stay creamier.
Hope that helps.Thanks for asking and the rating.
Dan
Charlene says
Thank you Dan - it is a very clear response - I agree, it has to be the milk. I am going to try this recipe one more time with regular milk - the picture of it looks so good!
Charlene says
Hi Dr. Dan,
I have made this recipe twice now and have been disappointed with the results. I think it is because I am using Lactose Free milk - the mac and cheese tastes like it has sugar in it as a result. I am going to try it one more time with regular milk to see how it goes because usually your recipes are great! Just thought I would pass the info on about Lactose Free milk.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Charlene,
Sorry it didn't work well but it may be the milk.
A brief doctor discussion. All dairy has sugar called lactose. Lactose is what is called a disaccharide which is two molecules of sugar (glucose and galactose) stuck together. Most people have an enzyme called lactase to break the lactose in half so you can absorb it. If not broken up, it will ferment in the intestine and produce gas and diarrhea. So one molecule of lactose becomes two molecules of other sugars. You body detects the sweetness by number of molecules not weight. So lactose from milk has been pretreated with the emzyme lactase doubling the number of sugar molecules and making it sweeter.
I know, clear as mud but I must have explained it a thousand time to people with lactose intolerance.
So if the problem to your taste is sweetness, it probable is the milk. Otherwise maybe a different recipe.
Dan