3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe
This creamy, homemade macaroni and cheese has fewer ingredients than the boxed version, and comes together in the same amount of time.
Dish: Mac and Cheese
Variant: Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Total time
- 15 min
- Active time
- Unknown
- Yield
- Serves 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Equipment
- 1 required
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Ingredients and Constraints
Ingredients
Ingredient watchpoints1 watchpoint
Short requirements and tradeoffs to check while gathering ingredients; detailed source notes stay expandable.
Cheddar Cheese
6 ounces (170g) grated mild or medium cheddar cheese, or any good melting cheese, such as Fontina, Gruyère, or Jack
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: cheddar cheese; any good melting cheese; such as Fontina; Gruyère; Jack
Additional ingredient notes
Notes
If you are willing to kick the total ingredients up to more than three, try a good dash of hot sauce, some mustard powder, or a little knob of butter stirred in with the evaporated milk.
Required setup
Equipment
Before You Cook
Constraints, controls, and warnings to review before starting.
Decisions before cookingDetails1
Reviewed comparisons and tradeoffs that affect the path before the first active step.
Key #1: Use Less Water
Easy: more concentrated starch.
As the pasta cooks, it sheds starch.
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Source video
Source video
Method Timeline
Cook
ActiveCook
15 min
Source Recipe JSON-LD cookTime.
Finish
ActiveFinish
Not listed
Final serving step and finishing actions from the source directions.
Step 1
Place macaroni in a medium saucepan or skillet and add just enough cold water to cover. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, stirring, until water has been almost completely absorbed and macaroni is just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes.
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Image detailsElbow macaroni cooking in a pot of water.Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik · 3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese RecipeDev reference Checks1
TimingInfoTimingabout 6 minutes
Target: 6 minute
Expected state: Continue to cook, stirring, until water has been almost completely absorbed and macaroni is just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes.
Troubleshooting1
CautionMushy PastaStep 1Pasta gets mushy
The macaroni loses its bite before the sauce turns creamy.
The pasta cooked past just shy of al dente before the evaporated milk and cheese went in.
Prevention
Stop the first step when the water is almost absorbed and the macaroni is just shy of al dente.
Recovery
Move straight into the milk and cheese step and serve as soon as the sauce is creamy.
Inputs and tools5
Uses
- 6 ounces (170g) elbow macaroni
- Salt
Equipment
Techniques
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
Step 2
Immediately add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continuously, until cheese is melted and liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with more salt and serve immediately.
2 minSeasonServe%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Aformat(webp)%2F__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2017__01__20170105-3-ingredient-macaroni-and-cheese-03-composite-21c5e640d35b4a5d83b94a5fd1459bf3.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Image detailsA four-photo collage showing cooked pasta, evaporated milk, cheese, and the sauce coming together.Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik · 3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese RecipeDev reference %3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Aformat(webp)%2F__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2017__01__20170105-3-ingredient-macaroni-and-cheese-09-6bfdebad34a14a4da78bea6c863d4cdd.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Image detailsClose-up of the finished mac and cheese in a pan.Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik · 3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese RecipeDev reference Show 1 more media item
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Image detailsA collage showing evaporated milk and cheese added to cooked pasta to make the creamy sauce.Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik · 3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese RecipeDev reference Checks2
TimingInfoTimingabout 2 minutes
Target: 2 minute
Expected state: Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continuously, until cheese is melted and liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes longer.
ServiceMain recipeSource service instruction
Immediately add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continuously, until cheese is melted and liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with more salt and serve immediately.
2 minInputs and tools5
Uses
- 6 ounces (180ml) evaporated milk
- 6 ounces (170g) grated mild or medium cheddar cheese, or any good melting cheese, such as Fontina, Gruyère, or Jack
- Salt
Techniques
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
Learn More
Extra cooking notes, tests, and source details kept out of the step-by-step method.
Testing notes
Useful tests and side-by-side notes after the method is clear.
Key #2: Use Evaporated Milk
Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.
Of course, it also turns out that Pillsbury has a recipe that's almost completely identical, save for a few differences (less cheese, more pasta, longer cook time).
Recipe structure
Components and intermediate outputs created by the method.
Main recipe
Recipe card ingredients and steps.
Serves 2
Extra useful notes
Short source-backed recommendations and facts that do not need a step.
If you are willing to kick the total ingredients up to more than three, try a good dash of hot sauce, some mustard powder, or a little knob of butter stirred in with the evaporate
If you are willing to kick the total ingredients up to more than three, try a good dash of hot sauce, some mustard powder, or a little knob of butter stirred in with the evaporated milk.
Recipe Utilities
Account actions, source details, export, and reporting stay available without interrupting the cooking flow.
Source and Origin
Origin declaration
Adapted from source
Imported from the Serious Eats page for dev review.
Copy risk: Unchecked
3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe
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