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elbow macaroni in a thick glossy cheddar sauce inside one ordinary cooking pot, with soft sauce collecting between the noodles
Melissa Hart

One-Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese

The pasta cooks in the liquid that becomes the sauce, so the starch stays in the pot instead of going down the drain. Stir along the bottom frequently. Milk can catch before the noodles are done, especially in a thin saucepan. The mixture should still look loose when you turn off the heat and add the cheese. A short rest thickens it without another round of hard boiling.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz elbow macaroni
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 can evaporated milk 12 oz
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 oz medium cheddar cheese finely grated
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water reserved if needed

Method
 

  1. Put macaroni, water, evaporated milk, salt and dry mustard in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring.
  2. Lower the heat and cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring along the bottom often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened but still flows. If the liquid becomes too thick before the noodles soften, add reserved water 2 tablespoons at a time.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until melted.
  4. Add cheddar by handfuls, stirring until smooth, then add black pepper.
  5. Let stand for 2 minutes, stir once more and serve directly from the pot before the sauce becomes too thick.