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High Five Recipe: Creamy Mac and Cheese

April 27, 2009 by Laura 251 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

High Five Recipes 2

I’ve been searching my whole life (give or take) for a good homemade mac and cheese recipe. The recipes I’ve come up with in the past are decent….but not great.

A couple of months ago, a friend told me how she makes it. I adapted it a bit and now we can’t seem to get enough! It is THE creamiest mac and cheese ever.

Here’s the secret:  Cook your pasta in MILK instead of water. The milk makes it super creamy. The starch from the pasta thickens the milk into a sauce. Add your cheese after the pasta is finished cooking.

macandcheese3sm.JPG

Uh-huh…comfort food at it’s best.

Creamy Mac and CheeseYum

5.0 from 1 reviews
High Five Recipe: Creamy Mac and Cheese
 
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Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups whole wheat pasta
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • ½ t. sea salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (I use white cheddar)
Instructions
  1. Mix pasta, milk and salt in a large sauce pan.
  2. Cook over medium-high heat STIRRING ALMOST CONSTANTLY until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).
  3. Remove from heat. (IMPORTANT!)
  4. Add cheese and stir until melted.
  5. Serve immediately.
3.4.3177

Be very sure to remove this from the heat before you stir in the cheese. Otherwise you’ll have a gritty mess. :)

macandcheesesm.JPG

You can use any shape of pasta you want. I have found that elbow noodles cook quite a bit faster so I use those when I need a quick lunch.

Every time I make this, we can not believe how creamy and delicious it is. My lifelong search for awesome homemade macaroni and cheese has come to an end. We should have some sort of mac and cheese ceremony.

The Creamiest Mac and Cheese

 

If you haven’t ever tried cooking your pasta in your milk, you must do this! You can enjoy it for an easy meal as is. Or you can use this base recipe to make:

  • Easy Tuna Casserole
  • Cheeseburger Macaroni
  • Three Cheese Garlic Chicken Pasta
  • Baked Three Cheese Chicken Pasta

Life as you know it just got better. Serve any of these with a salad and some steamed veggies. It’s amazing!

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Filed Under: High Five Recipes, Recipes, Side Dishes and Snacks Tagged With: creamy, mac and cheese

Comments

  1. Whats Cooking says

    April 28, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    Like you, I’ve been searching for a healthy version for a VERY LONG time and although I make my own healthy versions I’m not totally happy with them so I’m incredibly excited to try this mostly because I totally trust you! =0) THANKS FOR SHARING!

    Reply
  2. Brianna @ Heart(h) Management says

    April 28, 2009 at 9:50 pm

    Laura! You wicked woman! Here I am nearly 30 weeks pregnant. I’m trying to watch my (steadily climbing!) weight gain. It’s late at night. I’m hungry. And now THESE pictures.

    I can never forgive you. ;)

    Reply
  3. Brianna @ Heart(h) Management says

    April 28, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    Oh, for next week, how about Justus’ shaved ice? They both sound good, but it’s getting hot around here and shaved ice sounds just about right.

    Reply
  4. Pam Smith says

    April 29, 2009 at 5:25 am

    YUM!! I love Mac & Cheese so can’t wait to try out this recipe.

    My vote for the next High 5 is Justus’ shaved ice. It would go well with the 80 plus degree weather we are having here.

    Reply
  5. soonermomof7 says

    April 29, 2009 at 6:35 am

    Looks delicious! Thank you for sharing.

    My vote for the next High 5 recipe is Justus’ shaved ice. It’s hot in GA and that sounds cool and delicious.

    Reply
  6. Mary Ellen ~ Carolina Momma says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:04 am

    I always add milk to my homemade mac n cheese, but never thought to cook the pasta in milk! I’ll have to try this!

    Reply
  7. Melinda says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:17 am

    Oh my…. Oh my oh my oh my…. That looks incrediably yummy. I may just have to fix that for lunch.

    Today.

    Yum.
    Melinda

    Reply
  8. Emily Kay says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:26 am

    you want to know what is weird? I am sitting down at my computer to take a quick break and eat a little something while the kids do a project. I pull up my fave blog and lo and behold-it is a post about mac and cheese. one of my fave foods. you wanna know what is in my bowl RIGHT NOW? Mac and cheese left over from supper last night. It is healthy and made with whole wheat. But, this looks great…I will have to try this! Thanks, Laura! And, avocado dip AND shaved ice sound like great summer recipes to me:) I hope we get to see both before it is said and done! Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Lizzie says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:47 am

    MMM I’m going to have to try this. I was thinking a little garlic would be yummy too;)

    Reply
  10. Barbara says

    April 29, 2009 at 8:05 am

    HOW do you stay so thin?!?!?!?! I think we’re going to have to have this for lunch today!

    Well, it’s still cold in Michigan, so I’m voting for Lime Avacado Dip, but I’m equally interested in Justus’ Shaved Ice, because I’m sure we’ll be making it throughout the summer when it finally does get hot here.

    Reply
  11. De'Etta @ Choosing Joy says

    April 29, 2009 at 9:27 am

    I’ll be giving this a try. My kids love Annies Arthur Mac and Cheese…and haven’t liked ANY of the many recipes I’ve tried. Maybe this one is it.

    I vote for Lime Avocado Dip – already make shaved ices. LOL

    Reply
  12. Josette says

    April 29, 2009 at 9:52 am

    Ok. I just had to try this and it is delicious!!! Thank you it’s definetly a keeper for us. It’s too bad my boys don’t like mac n’ cheese or is it? hee hee.

    Reply
  13. Sarah @ The Homemaking Housewife says

    April 29, 2009 at 11:18 am

    Thank you so much for this! I just made Mac N Cheese last night for dinner and while it was good, it wasn’t great. It had a lot more ingredients as well. I will definitely be trying this the next time I make it!

    Reply
  14. Jessie says

    April 29, 2009 at 12:39 pm

    oooh, thank you, thank you – I too have been scouring the web for a good mac and cheese recipe and I think this one will be it! I will try it very soon.

    Reply
  15. Christy says

    April 29, 2009 at 6:31 pm

    I’ve been on that lifelong search too! lol A good mac and cheese recipe has eluded me for so long. I’ll have to check this out.

    Reply
  16. Jen says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    How did you know I was thinking about mac and cheese today?! :)

    Reply
  17. Meg says

    April 29, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Yup, it’s on my menu for next week. :) Tasty tasty looking stuff!

    And I’m all for the shaved ice! Yay for warmer weather! :)

    Reply
  18. Cynthia says

    April 29, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    That looks wonderful…and easy, too!

    Reply
  19. vehement flame says

    April 30, 2009 at 8:58 am

    I vote for lime dip! I always make martha stewart mac n cheese – but this looks way easy fr quick lunches- no draining , minimum pots, too easy!

    Reply
  20. Emily Kay says

    April 30, 2009 at 3:40 pm

    ok, I made this. Wow. So simple but SO good! I did have to add more milk while it was cooking because it seemed like it was cooking out too fast. But, It is some of the best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had!

    Reply
  21. Mrs. Team S says

    May 4, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    We have made this twice in the last week. Yummy! I love it when I have all the ingredients on hand. Please keep the High Five recipes coming!

    Reply
  22. Whats Cooking says

    May 4, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    Just made this but I did it with brown rice pasta which takes longer to cook so I had to use quite a bit more milk but it turned out wonderful!

    Have I mentioned lately that I love you?! Thanks for another HEALTHY and awesome recipe!

    Reply
  23. Kathy says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:23 pm

    OK, I must be a little dense, but I tried this and ended up with a huge mess of what looks like….blobs of yuckiness…and doesn’t taste any better. What did I do wrong? I tried it with parmesan, but when that didn’t work I tried cheddar and ended up with the same problem. Now I just have lots of ruined ingredients…and a scowl on my face….and no dinner :(

    Reply
  24. Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home says

    May 12, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    Awesome, Laura! I was a little bit skeptical, but I was craving mac and cheese after a stressful morning running about, and this recipe popped into my head. I did it using brown rice pasta, and I probably could have used another 1/2 cup of milk, as the noodles were just slightly underdone.

    Nonetheless, it was wonderful and creamy, and oh-so-simple. Yay for that! :)

    Reply
  25. Wendy @Sun-Kissed Savages says

    May 16, 2009 at 11:38 am

    I’m making this right now. It should be done in 5 minutes…can’t wait!
    I just discovered your blog, thanks to a friend, and I can’t get enough. Do you have your own cookbook out??

    Reply
  26. Julie says

    May 23, 2009 at 8:18 am

    I’ve never thought about cooking the noodles in milk. I will definitely try that next time!

    My not so secret ingredient for homemade mac and cheese is worcestershire sauce. So yummy!

    Reply
  27. Multi-Tasking Mommy says

    June 4, 2009 at 6:27 am

    I just have to say thank you for this. This is the first “new” thing (and admittedly not too different) that I have made for dinner in a while that I got all thumbs up for–even my hubby’s who is a crazy picky eater! Believe it or not there are some versions of mac n cheese that he won’t eat.

    The only question I have for you is how you managed to not burn the milk on the bottom? I did stir a lot, but I had to switch pots half way through and I had to a lot more milk and cook it for about 30 minutes….weird eh?!

    Thanks for this recipe though :) We loved it, you are right…so creamy and healthier than our usual mac n cheese recipe.
    Otherwise, it was SO yummy!!!!

    Reply
  28. Kika says

    June 23, 2009 at 11:01 am

    I like a tuna casserole I make but it uses a can of creamed soup which, I just realized, has MSG in it. What do you do to replace this can of soup which is found in casseroles?

    Reply
  29. Sarah says

    July 20, 2009 at 10:34 am

    I”m so excited to make this. I love mac and cheese and this is SO EASY!!

    Reply
  30. Natasha says

    July 25, 2009 at 2:12 pm

    Thanks for the recipe! I just made it, using mozzarella cheese. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t think I would recomend the mozzarella (that just happened to be what I had on hand). As it cooled down while I was eating it, the cheese kind of clumped up together with almost a grainy texture. Still tasted good, but both the hubby and I think next time we will try a different kind of cheese. I just pulled up a stool and stirred away. I had to add extra milk, but that may have been because I didn’t measure the pasta very well. Overall, pretty easy and yummy! Thank you!

    Reply
  31. Carrie says

    August 16, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    Thank you for this recipe. I have been looking for a quick and easy mac and cheese recipe. This seems to fit the bill. I just made some and am waiting for the DH’s opinion. I thought it tasted great. The kids are not mac and cheese eaters but maybe this will change their minds.

    Reply
  32. Amy says

    September 12, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Yum – this is the best mac & cheese recipe ever! I made it with brown rice pasta, skim milk and cheddar and it was delicious! I may add a dash of garlic or onion salt next time to add a little more savory to the flavor. This recipe could not be easier! It definitely thickens up when it cools, so it should be eaten right away. Mmmm, my tummy is happy :)

    Reply
  33. Joanna says

    October 9, 2009 at 7:49 am

    I tried this the other day and it was AMAZING! Can’t believe how easy and delicious. Who needs Kraft when you’ve got this!! I’ve been telling my family and friends all about it. :)

    Reply
  34. Lindsey @ The Herbangardener says

    October 28, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Well, your friend is a genius! I just snarfed a pan of this mac-n-cheese, and I, too, couldn’t believe how creamy it was. Almost too thick, so I added a little more milk at the end. (I probably should have used less pasta…I made a third of a recipe and didn’t measure exactly. Next time I’d do 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup pasta, 1/3 cup cheese, & a pinch or two of salt.) I used half parmesan cheese, half white cheddar. OH YUM! Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe!

    Reply
  35. Jennifer says

    November 2, 2009 at 8:31 am

    I tried this recipe twice… The first time, I think I had a little too much pasta and it turned out a little dry. I made it for the second time last night and it did not turn out well. I think maybe because I had my burner too hot? I don’t know if the milk got scalded and that was the problem? I used cheddar and the sauce was grainy. Like the cheese didn’t melt well. But, I used that cheese again this morning and it melted fine. I think this is a great recipe when it works, but you really have to watch it.

    And, what do I get for my supermom efforts? From DH: “Can’t we just have the boxed kind?” Blah.

    Reply
  36. Princessperky says

    December 29, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    I made it and burned the pot, but I think a lower heat and maybe using my cast iron will help next time (cast iron at least would clean out the burn part better)

    Suggestion to all who had troubles, if you scald the milk it will not ‘incorporate’ the cheese as well. Also the quality of the cheese will make a huge difference. Though I am by no means an expert, just a suggestion.

    To the Tuna casserole question, use the same recipe but add tuna and not cheese (or both), it worked great last night. (with peas)

    I think next week I will try it with some onions cooked in the pot first (in olive oil will prep the pot for not burning, unless someone knows something about olive oil and milk?)

    Reply
  37. Hamons Family says

    January 6, 2010 at 9:15 pm

    We had this tonight and my daughter liked it (she’s nixed all other attempts)! I’ve tried many recipes to replace the boxed versions and this recipe is finally one we can keep. I love that it uses ingredients I already have on hand, tastes great and is easy to make. My daughter loved helping make it from shredding the cheese to stirring the noodles. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
  38. Sara says

    January 9, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    I am new to your blog but have tried this recipe twice now and have to say that it is amazing! So quick, easy, and delicious! It is a new favorite; thank you.

    Reply
  39. Jenna says

    January 11, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    Just wandered over from moneysavingmom, and I am so glad I did!!! I have been hunting for an easy (fewer than 3 cheeses and no heavy cream) AND yummy M&C recipe for years. I am making room for this in my menu plan this week. Thank you!!

    Reply
  40. cwaltz says

    January 11, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    Hooray! You fixed the link(I’m visiting from money saving mom). Mac and cheese is sooooooo my go to comfort food during the winter. I can’t wait to give this a try.

    Christine

    Reply
  41. Swappin' Spoons says

    January 18, 2010 at 7:14 am

    I just discovered your site and I love it! I must say I have NEVER thought about cooking my noodles in milk before—I will have to try this next time. I have a delicious Mac and Cheese soup recipe—all six of us love it, for it to be healthy someone would have to tweek it though. When we lived up north and snow stayed on the ground, for MONTHS at a time, I would prepare this soup a lot. I consider it the ‘ultimate comfort food’! LOL! Here is the link to the mac and cheese soup recipe http://tinyurl.com/yjls8js

    Reply
  42. Sommer says

    January 18, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    I just made this tonight and even though I followed the recipe exactly the sauce turned out kinda grainy… the flavor was awesome though so I think I might try it again and cook it on a lower temp for a little bit longer and hopefully that will help with the graininess!

    Reply
  43. carringt0n says

    February 2, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    Laura you’re a genius! I’ve made creamy mac and cheese before but it’s taken hours (i exaggerate, but you get the point) to get rid of the floury taste in the bechamel. Not to mention if i want M & C, i’m NOT in the mood for ‘cooking.’ You bypassed the flour thing by boiling the noodles directly in the water! Thinking outside the norm!! Chef Batali frequently puts a scoop of pasta water in his sauces to thicken it up – this is similar. TYVM for sharing and i’ll be checking this site again.

    Reply
  44. Brenda Dupuis says

    March 11, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    I am a new comer to your site, & loved it! You have some great recipes & tips. I tried the creamy mac & cheese. Noodles worked great in the milk. You do have to stir constantly to keep the milk from scorching. I also lowered heat some. I did have the grainy consistency that some mentioned. I am wondering if the cheese I used was the cause? Is the white better to use than tradition yellow which is what I had at the time. I will try again!
    Thanks for a great site. I look forward to browsing through it a lot.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 18, 2010 at 2:48 pm

      I think the grainy thing can be a result of the variety of pasta and yes, the variety of cheese. I’m not sure white is better for the recipe to succeed (just for health since white doesn’t have food coloring!). ALso, it’s super important to remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheeese, although you probably did that part! :

      Reply
  45. Lisa Goehring says

    April 13, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    I am going to try this tonight…what a great idea! You can make yummy mac n cheese from leftover pasta too. Toss the cold pasta with some flour, add some milk and heat on medium. Stir frequently to prevent scorching and to know when/if more milk is necessary. Once heated through, add some grated Parmesan and sliced American cheese. Turn off heat and cover to let American melt. Stir before serving. My guys like to add some garlic or onion powder because they are weird, um, I mean creative. Of course the amount of flour and milk changes based on how much pasta you start with, so you just have to eyeball it.

    Reply
  46. debra griffiths says

    June 14, 2010 at 1:47 pm

    It’s wonderful but what, NO BUTTER!? I made it & towards the end of the pasta being done, I added 3 T. of butter, yes! It was very yummy.
    Thank You,
    Debra

    Reply
  47. Sommer says

    July 21, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    I just made this again (for like the 20th time) and I did an alfredo version that rocks! I crushed one clove of garlic and added it to the milk and noodles and instead of cheddar I used parmesan – OMG! It is SOOO good, topped it with some fresh basil and grilled chicken and it rivals any restaurant alfredo I’ve had! LOVE it, thanks again!

    Reply
  48. Debbie M says

    August 10, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    I just tried it and it was delicious and creamy, but then got a little grainy as it cooled. So, it sounds like everyone else’s, but I used skim milk.

    I’ll be trying it again adding garlic–and I’ll be trying Sommer’s idea for an alfredo version as well. I will not be adding butter–it is not needed.

    Reply
  49. Elaine Cagner says

    August 29, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    I made this the other day and I’m sorry to say I thought it was pretty awful. The milk seemed to separate when I cooked the noodles in it, and just a minute or two after mixing it up it was hardening into one big gluey glob. Disappointing.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 30, 2010 at 10:29 am

      Sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t work for you. :(

      Reply
  50. Gwen says

    September 2, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    I just tried it, with my family giving thumbs up by all!!! They didn’t even notice it was whole wheat pasta they were eating(for the first time ever :) ) Thanks for the great recipe!! :)

    Reply
  51. Marianne says

    October 7, 2010 at 5:33 am

    This is a great recipe, my picky mac and cheese eaters ate it without complaint! Love it!

    Reply
  52. Briana says

    October 24, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    That really is brilliant. I must try this.
    It’s hard to believe this hasn’t been thought up and widely publicized before now. :)

    Reply
  53. Sacha says

    November 1, 2010 at 11:36 am

    I just made it. It tasted good but looked curdled instead of creamy. What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 4, 2010 at 12:58 pm

      Hmm, maybe your heat was a little too high?

      Reply
  54. Paula says

    November 2, 2010 at 7:11 pm

    Can I use skim milk instead of whole milk?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 4, 2010 at 12:58 pm

      I think it should work. It just might not be as creamy.

      Reply
  55. Angela says

    November 18, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    Every time I have made this, I have used brown rice elbow noodles and they never cook all the way. I tried adding more milk and cooking longer, but that didn’t work either. Any suggections?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 24, 2010 at 3:11 pm

      I don’t have any experience with brown rice noodles, so I don’t know what to suggest???? Maybe someone else who has brown rice knowledge will happen upon this comment and shed some light on the situation. I’d LOVE for this recipe to work for you with those noodles!

      Reply
      • Lindsay says

        November 28, 2010 at 9:39 pm

        Brown rice noodles do not have the starchiness of whole wheat noodles; they also do not soften in the same way that wheat noodles do. Rice absorbs so much more water than wheat when it is cooking, so I think you would have to greatly increase the milk. Perhaps you will need to make more traditional mac and cheese with a roux and added milk and cheese (bechamel) and then add your cooked rice pasta. It won’t be a High 5 recipe then :)

        Reply
  56. TaraLee says

    November 29, 2010 at 5:01 pm

    Finally the secret!!! I had mac n cheese like this once in my life and the person would not tell me the secret and I have been trying to figure it out!! Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
  57. Cherry says

    December 3, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Just made this recipe,adjusted it for my own satisfaction, 2 1/2 cups of liquid….. used 2% milk and a tad of water, and just less than 2 cups of large elbow macaroni….then I used fine shredded sharp cheddar and a blend of monterrey jack, asadero and quesadilla queso cheeses… did not have a lot of liquid left once the pasta got cooked… but the result is yummy….next time I’ll use a bit more liquid… but I’m happy with the results…. gonna have a nice ham steak to go with….

    Reply
  58. Paula says

    December 13, 2010 at 10:44 am

    This was soooo good!!! My picky eater who will only eat mac and cheese from a box even liked it!! Thank you, thank you!!!

    Reply
  59. Angela W says

    December 19, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    We are having this for supper tonight- I added a little chopped up green onion, garlic powder, and paprika.

    Reply
  60. Malina Rose says

    December 20, 2010 at 10:11 am

    Went looking for a creamy mac & cheese recipe & stumbled upon your High 5 site. Love the idea!!! Please sign me up & put me on your mailing list. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 20, 2010 at 9:43 pm

      You can sign up for my email list here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=heavenlyhomemakers/PDxF&loc=en_US

      Thanks, I’ll be glad for you to join our group!!

      Reply
  61. Kellie says

    January 23, 2011 at 7:25 pm

    I am eating the leftovers right now! I just add a little more milk and heat it again. I actually mixed some pureed sweet potatoes ( or you could use butternut squash) in with the cheese when I originally made it to sneak some more nutrients into the recipe. It’s really the only way I can get veggies in my 2 year old. He had no clue!!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      January 27, 2011 at 12:21 am

      What a GREAT idea Kellie!! :-)

      Reply
  62. Tammy says

    January 26, 2011 at 10:59 pm

    I just tried homemade mac-n-cheese for the first time tonight. Unfortunately, this recipe was not the one I used! What we had was good, but a LONG time was spent stirring butter, flour, milk, then cheese. This seems brilliant – even though it’s pretty constant stirring, at least it is all one pan and it’s all done at the same time! Can’t wait to try this one next!

    Reply
  63. Holly says

    January 27, 2011 at 9:16 am

    Mine got gummy… and my noodles didn’t cook so i had to keep adding more milk— what did i do wrong? should i par-boil; the noodles in water first?

    Reply
    • StephDMonsi says

      January 27, 2011 at 2:52 pm

      You may not have had the heat high enough. I know I am always nervous about scorching the milk but try turning the heat up just a bit and use a spatula to constantly stir the noodles. Start timing the noodles once the mixture returns to a boil. Different time for different noodles. (And if you have an electric stove, try a double boiler.) Best of luck!

      Reply
    • Laura says

      January 27, 2011 at 8:41 pm

      Yes, I was going to suggest turning the heat down while cooking this so that the milk doesn’t evaporate before the noodles are cooked all the way.

      Reply
  64. Brenda says

    January 27, 2011 at 9:49 am

    just made this and it is delightful! This is our cure to boxed mac and cheese!!! I used medium shells and added about a tsp of prepared mustard (because that’s what my grandma always did!) YUMMY!!!

    Reply
  65. Amy Tucker says

    January 27, 2011 at 4:44 pm

    Thank-you, Laura! ;o)

    I was sitting here thinking: “What am I going to make for dinner?” & now I’m gonna try out
    this recipe~~~~~~fast, easy, & yummy!! It
    doesn’t get better than that!!

    I’ve downloaded your menu planners (thanks!),
    just haven’t gotten around to actually using
    them yet (one of my new goals for this year!!)
    BTW, I grew up on Hamburger Helper, but
    like you, am now trying to make things
    healthier for my fam, so THANK-YOU for your
    wonderful blog~~~~~~~~I’m really thrilled to
    have found it & appreciate you & your willingness
    to answer the various questions I post. Thanks
    again for being a blessing!!! ;o)

    Reply
  66. Autumn says

    January 29, 2011 at 8:12 pm

    I was so excited to try this, but it never thickened up and just tasted like warm milk and noodles. I’m not sure what happened, but was dissapointed because that was a lot of milk to just waste. My wonderful family ate it, but now I’m afraid to try it again.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 10, 2011 at 5:29 pm

      Glad your family ate it…not sure what to tell you about what went wrong. You may have needed to cook it just a bit longer. Or, you could add a little bit less milk than the recipe calls for. Every once in a while I try a noodle variety that doesn’t absorb the milk as well. If you add less milk, and find that it isn’t going to be enough, just add a little bit more gradually until the noodles are cooked thoroughly and the sauce has thickened.

      Reply
  67. Stephanie says

    February 1, 2011 at 11:27 am

    I made this today for lunch and it worked out perfectly! We looved it. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.

    Reply
  68. Mirissa says

    February 1, 2011 at 3:09 pm

    I made this today with a few adjustments due to what we had on hand and it turned out grainy! I used 1 % milk, whole wheat pasta and pre-shredded cheese with a little regular cheddar. I don’t know if it was the pasta (Barilla) or the pre-shredded cheese, but I’ve never had a problem with either in other recipes. I usually make a white sauce for my mac n cheese and add the pre-shredded cheese and it turns out fine, but I wanted something with less steps. Oh well, I put parmesan on it and my kids ate it!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 10, 2011 at 5:30 pm

      Glad your family still ate it! Did you remove it from the heat before adding cheese? Otherwise, I can’t figure out why it would be grainy. :( Bummer.

      Reply
  69. Jenny says

    February 4, 2011 at 3:19 pm

    I live alone and keep a busy schedule, so cooking (much as I LOVE it) sometimes doesn’t get the lovin’ it deserves. However, this recipe was SO quick and SO easy, yet SO tasty! I used whole wheat penne. I don’t like whole milk, but I used 2 cups of fat-free half and half and a cup of skim milk, and got a VERY creamy sauce. Since I cut the fat in the sauce, I didn’t skimp on the cheese, and the results were amazing. I will definitely be making this again–in the near future. Thanks! :D

    Reply
  70. Alexandra F says

    February 6, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    I LOVE Mac and cheese. I was skeptical of your recipe but tried it anyways. Wow! I am so impressed!

    Reply
  71. Alexandra F says

    February 6, 2011 at 2:15 pm

    Also..I used the Ronzoni quick cook noodles…done in 3 minutes!

    Reply
  72. Marie H says

    February 7, 2011 at 9:10 pm

    I tried the mac and cheese and it was delicious. I was out of hamburger so I added a can of drained tuna and a can of drained peas. Very yummy!

    Reply
  73. Michelle says

    February 8, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    MMMM, cheeseburger macaroni from this recipe was easy and delicious….it’s keeper recipe in our house :)

    Reply
  74. stephanie says

    February 20, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    amazing! a hit with everyone. your recipes have been such a blessing to my family.

    Reply
  75. Kelly says

    February 25, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    This rocks! I forgot to add water the first time, so it was super creamy. This time I did about half and half and it’s great. The first time I baked it (I will tonight, too, if I remember in time) but I also added about a tablespoon of tomato bullion this time and used 1/2 cheddar and 1/2 monterey jack. It’s got a wee bit of tang to it from the tomato.

    Off to put tonight’s into a pan for baking!!! Love them crispy edges!

    Reply
  76. Allison Low Bognar says

    February 25, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    I made this tonight, but used raw cream instead of milk. I had some raw cream that was 3 weeks old (and too sour for our tastes otherwise). It turned out so creamy and delicious. In fact, I did not even need to add any cheese. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply
  77. Gayle says

    February 27, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    This is sooooo good! My kids don’t like the baked mac and cheese that I make but love it when their aunt makes them the boxed kind (nasty!) This has the creaminess of the boxed but is good for them too. Yay!

    Reply
  78. Morgan says

    March 21, 2011 at 11:43 am

    Delicious! I have made it two times with two different noodle types and both times turned out great! Very creamy!

    Reply
  79. Lauren says

    March 29, 2011 at 10:08 am

    I just made this for the first time, and I used regular elbow noodles. The milk was completely absorbed way before the noodles were all the way cooked. I added milk a few times, and the noodles ended up being closed enough to cooked, but the end result was very dry (not creamy like my daughters were hoping based on the picture:)). Any suggestions so that this doesn’t happen next time? Still tasted good–just want it to be creamy!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 5, 2011 at 2:34 pm

      Aw, bummer. I think next time, start out with more milk, and maybe turn the heat down a little more while it cooks to see if that helps?? Hope it works better next time!

      Reply
      • C Dazey says

        October 7, 2011 at 9:17 pm

        I have made this several times now, and I find that I have to add quite a bit of extra milk to get the creamy texture and tenderness in the noodle. Other than that, we really love this recipe and make it about once a week. I have also found that the type of noodle (shape) seems to make a difference as well.

        Reply
  80. Kristie says

    April 15, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    It’s Friday night, it’s storming outside (tornado and flood warnings) and my husband is at work— needless to say I needed some comfort food for dinner tonight! I halved this and it was perfect (maybe a bit much, actually!) for just me as my main course dinner. It was great! Still doesn’t quite measure up to the boxed mixes- I grew up eating kraft at least once a week- but I definitely liked it! Thanks!

    Reply
  81. Flows says

    April 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    I just made this and LOVED it!! My kids on the other hand hated it! :( The deciding factor is my husband. If he likes it, it will stay on the menu. He’s very picky about mac and cheese so he has the final say. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply
  82. Liz says

    April 27, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    Great idea and we all loved it, thank you! Can’t wait to make it again and mix in some chicken and broccoli or ground beef and mushrooms.

    Reply
  83. Suzy Q says

    May 8, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Laura, I love how you commented on needing to have a ceremony at the end of your post. I felt the same way when I finally found a whole wheat bread recipe that reached my goal of perfection! Here’s to us. Opah!

    Reply
  84. Wendy says

    May 14, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    I’m in the process of making this right now! I love white cheddar, but all I have on hand is yellow. I’ll take it. I’ve always wanted a simpler way to make mac n cheese and this is it. Before, I’d just add flour to the milk to thicken it and then add the cheese to make the sauce, which took out a step of making a roux, but this goes beyond that! YAY!!

    Reply
  85. Valerie says

    June 10, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    Thank you so very much for posting this! I am newly married and I cook for myself, my husband, and his mother. I am just learning how to cook and this past week everything I made turned out only ok. BUT I made this tonight and my mother in law kept saying how wonderful it was! Now I have my confidence back! Thank you again. OH,and in case this helps anyone. I made a seperate batch for me gluten free with corn flour noodles and it came out just fine!! It has been hard trying to convert recipes to gluten free and I cherish the few recipes I have!

    Reply
  86. Nancy Casselman says

    June 15, 2011 at 6:48 am

    I cook the Creamy Mac & Cheese, We love it. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  87. Amy Cook says

    July 7, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    Tried this tonight and my boys exclaimed “this is AMAZING!!!” Thanks for all your hard work

    Reply
  88. Amy Steger says

    July 10, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    Made this for lunch today after church. My family loved it and will be making mac n cheese this way from here on out! The possibilities are endless!

    Reply
  89. Ruthie says

    July 12, 2011 at 10:49 am

    For years I have been trying to recreate the Stouffer’s mac-n-cheese flavor/creaminess. I’ve always fallen short. Until now!! I followed your directions, adding in some ground garlic and onion, and at the end threw in about 8 drops of hot sauce. I used extra sharp yellow cheddar as I’d have to break the bank to get white cheddar around here! The noodles weren’t quite “done” enough for my liking by the time the milk was boiled down, so I went ahead and added the cheese, about another 1/2 cup of milk, stirred, covered and let it rest off the heat. Perfection! Ultra creamy, just the right tang, and perfect cheddar flavor! It’s just crazy… who would’ve thunk to boil noodles in milk?? Thanks for the amazing recipe!!

    Reply
  90. Rebecca Laird says

    July 12, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    Wow! Here I thought there were only two choices: box, or baked for an hour and we still don’t love it after all that! THANK YOU for giving me a quick and healthy alternative to all those other recipes. Can’t wait to try it:)

    Reply
  91. Lyndsay says

    August 1, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    I made this tonight for the first time. We have just started our journey to healthier eating, so I have been looking for a recipe that would replace the boxed mac and cheese. The last I tried was too stringy, before that too dry, and before that too cheesy (really?!?). They ate the whole pan of this one! Thank you again for another great recipe!

    Reply
  92. Gabi R says

    August 23, 2011 at 2:39 pm

    Just made this for our (early) dinner tonight. Yum!! I have also enjoyed makingyour chicken stir fry, pop tarts and am going to make some corn dog muffins this week. Hopefully will have some for lunch, and some to freeze for school lunches too. Thank you!! :)

    Reply
  93. CJ says

    September 2, 2011 at 6:02 am

    I am slightly confused…mine turned out great, aside from the fact that it tasted starchy. Any ideas why?

    Thanks for being such an encouragement! :)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 2, 2011 at 8:55 pm

      Hmm, I’m not sure. (How’s that for helpful?) :) I’m glad it at least tasted good!

      Reply
      • Angie says

        October 3, 2011 at 12:11 am

        Maybe cooked the pasta for too long? My MIL will do that on purpose with spagetti. That is the only thing that I can think of.

        Reply
  94. Michelle T says

    September 23, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    Fianlly made it, and exact replica of my baked mac & cheese. But 10X easier, 10X quicker, and 10X healthier. I did add a bit of nutmeg and some pepper with the cheese. Nutmeg will give it that hmmm thing that will just taste great.

    Reply
  95. Gabriela says

    October 1, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. My family gobbled it up even though I thought I should have used sharp white cheddar. It was sweet and creamy! I just cooked up some chopped pastured beef hot dogs in some coconut oil and dinner was on!

    Reply
  96. Angie says

    October 3, 2011 at 12:13 am

    I found this on another website and had it tonite for dinner. My 1 1/2 year old ate his whole serving (he normally doesnt eat) Easy to make and easy to follow. I added some mustard powder, garlic powder and onion powder to it to spice it up a bit. YUMMY!!!!!

    Reply
  97. Brady says

    October 12, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    I have made this 3 times now trying to perfect it and I can’t get the sauce creamy :( I am not sure if it is curdled or what, but it has tiny white lumps all through it. I tried to only simmer it this time to help it not curdle, but it still turned out this way :/

    Reply
    • Brady says

      October 12, 2011 at 5:16 pm

      I am using Pasteurized Whole UnHomogonized milk….our Raw milk is $7.50 a half gallon :/

      Reply
      • Brady says

        October 12, 2011 at 5:17 pm

        And it doesn’t seem to get weird till I add the cheese (off the heat)

        Reply
        • [email protected] says

          October 18, 2011 at 11:24 am

          Hmmm…I am wondering if has something to do with the kind of cheese
          you are using if it is fine until you are adding the cheese.
          Does it seem like the cheese is melting all the way? I might try a
          different cheese.

          Reply
  98. Hilary @ KatrinkaJane says

    October 14, 2011 at 1:18 pm

    Do you bring the milk to a simmer or boil before adding the pasta, as you do with water, or are you supposed to start the 10-15 minutes after the milk-and-pasta come to a simmer, or what?

    I did 15 minutes from the time they were both put in the pot, like the recipe seems to suggest, but it was reeeeally al dente and liquidy. Perhaps one of the above adjustments should have been made?

    Reply
  99. Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says

    November 1, 2011 at 11:02 am

    I just borrowed this idea to make homemade tuna helper — success! Delicious. :)

    Reply
  100. tara says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:19 am

    Just made 1/3 batch to check out how it will turn out — it’s very good, super creamy, and I love that my kids will be getting a little extra calcium!

    Reply
  101. cynthia says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    Has anyone tried this with rice pasta? DO you get the same results?
    Thanks so much!
    ~cynthia

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 9, 2011 at 1:00 pm

      I have actually tried this with Tinkyada Rice Pasta when we were doing a gluten free experiment and it worked great!!!

      Reply
    • Leslie says

      January 25, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      I did too. I only buy Tinkyada. It is the best!!! :) …good luck, it is delicious.

      Reply
      • Stramel says

        February 20, 2012 at 5:22 am

        Personally, I love Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta! Texture and taste resemble Wheat pasta imo.

        Reply
        • Cynthia says

          September 11, 2012 at 12:06 pm

          I just made a HUGE pot of this for my hard working very hungry brood today to eat after splitting
          wood for the winter. It is FANTASTIC!! I used rice pasta and I added 1/4 cup butter for lots
          of added fat! YUM

          Reply
  102. Marta says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    Oh I am soooo excited! I have been looking for a GF mac and cheese recipe that didn’t ask for a bunch of processed cheese. I’ll be trying this one this weekend!

    Reply
  103. Kristen says

    November 16, 2011 at 8:12 pm

    What an awesome recipe! I cannot wait to give this a try! I have tried so hard to make a whole wheat pasta macaroni without success. This is sure to be a hit!

    Reply
  104. Kymberly says

    November 17, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    mmmmmmm I just made this with salsa and olives. yum. I was wondering if your recipes freezes well.

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      December 7, 2011 at 8:15 pm

      Unfortunately, it does not. :(

      Reply
  105. kelly says

    November 18, 2011 at 10:25 am

    Following directions is important. I had to make this twice because the first time I added the cheese while the milk was boiling and I added mozzerella cheese, as well as cheddar. Whether it was the Moz. or the fact that I didn’t remove the pot from the heat, everything clumped up nasty. I threw that out and tried again, adding the cheese after the pasta was done, and just added cheddar and it turned out great!!!

    Reply
  106. allie bruski says

    November 28, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    Yummm this is great!!

    Reply
  107. Melissa says

    December 27, 2011 at 8:50 pm

    Can I sub 2% milk instead of whole?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 28, 2011 at 7:15 am

      I think it should work fine, but I’ve never tried it myself to know for sure.

      Reply
      • Lori says

        January 2, 2012 at 6:26 pm

        This is my first recipe of Laura’s to try. I made it with 2% and it worked great. I am so thankful for this recipe. I had almost written mac n cheese off!

        Reply
  108. Priscilla Aguayo says

    January 10, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    How does this do as leftover is it still as creamy? I’m trying this recipe tonite

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 12, 2012 at 7:20 pm

      I find that it works best to reheat if I add a little milk to it on the stove and heat it up that way. Then it stays creamy, or rather, becomes creamy again. :)

      Reply
  109. Michelle says

    January 11, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    Wow, that’s a lot of milk all at once for my family of 7. We’re cheap with milk since the good stuff is so expensive. What do you think of half milk half water? I think this looks like a great special treat – we haven’t had mac n cheese in a long time.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 13, 2012 at 10:58 am

      I’ve never tried it that way but I think it might work!

      Reply
    • Laura says

      January 23, 2012 at 4:32 pm

      I water mine down all the time and it works just fine.

      Reply
  110. Julia @ A Little Bit of All of It says

    January 15, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Any idea if almond milk would work?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 16, 2012 at 10:42 am

      I can’t say for sure since I’ve never tried it, but I think it would probably work if you’ve had success subbing almond milk in other recipes.

      Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 11, 2012 at 8:51 am

      Julia,
      I just wondered if you attempted with almond milk and how the results were.

      Reply
    • Kevin says

      February 20, 2012 at 12:16 pm

      Almond milk should work, hypothetically, because the principle behind the thickening is the starch that’s in the pasta being released into the liquid rather than the liquid performing some function

      Reply
  111. stephanie says

    January 15, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    I think, for those wondering about lower fat recipes, that if you add some butter or margarine it should make the sauce just as great. I do this when I make recipes with milk that need to be rich and creamy, like alfredo or scalloped potatoes, because its cheaper than buying whole milk, which we never drink.

    Reply
  112. Kym S says

    January 17, 2012 at 9:00 am

    Do you use raw milk and cheese from raw milk when you make a recipe like this or just organic milk? What would you recommend for someone who doesn’t have access to (that much) affordable raw milk? Thanks in advance for your response. I am new to healthy eating, trying to make a change or two a month. I am guess that just switching from a processed, box mac & cheese to making this with organic products would be a start!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 17, 2012 at 3:46 pm

      I do use raw, organic milk in this recipe, but if that isn’t available to you, I would use store bought organic milk instead. :)

      Reply
    • Laura says

      January 23, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      I’ve made this with regular milk and cheese when I wasn’t able to get raw milk and raw cheese. It worked out just fime.

      Reply
  113. Bree says

    January 17, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    Made this tonight. LOOOOOVED it! Thanks so much!

    ~bree~

    Reply
  114. Jennifer says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    Have you ever tried this with a Quinoa Pasta? I use the Quinoa pastas with most every other pasta recipe I make and would love to use it for Mac N Cheese. My kids love Mac N Cheese and I would love for this to be our go to alternative to even the organic whole wheat boxed stuff!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 26, 2012 at 1:04 pm

      No, I haven’t. But I have used rice pasta and it worked great!

      Reply
      • Deborah says

        April 17, 2012 at 3:51 pm

        I just made it with the quinoa pasta and it was SSOOOOO good!!! I used more cheese than called for in the original recipe, and I think it needed more salt that I put in.

        I didn’t use whole wheat pasta because I think the store-bought kind just tastes like cardboard. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, but the quinoa pasta was truly awesome. It’s my first time making it at all, and it was so similar in taste and texture to regular semolina pasta, that I was thoroughly impressed.

        Very tasty.

        Reply
  115. Shanna says

    January 28, 2012 at 11:42 pm

    Do you heat the milk first, like you would with water, or start it all cold from the start?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 29, 2012 at 9:39 pm

      Nope, just start it all cold and let it heat/cook together!

      Reply
  116. Sarah says

    January 30, 2012 at 8:05 am

    This is just like those store-bought hamburger helper/rice-a-roni things, but much better. They always have you add milk and water. I had to keep adding more and more water, because for some reason with the milk it took the pasta twice as long to cook and it got way too thick. I think next time I’ll do 1/4 milk and 3/4 water and see how that goes. Even after adding all that water, as soon as it cooled down just a little, the sauce was thick and sticky, not creamy and smooth at all. Second time’s the charm, I hope!

    Reply
  117. Karen says

    January 31, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    I just made this tonight and my boys loved it. The cheese didn’t get grainy like other recipes I’ve tried.

    Reply
  118. Nicole says

    February 10, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    Made this tonight and added seasoned ground beef to make your Hamburger Helper. Turned out perfect!

    Reply
  119. Rachel says

    February 12, 2012 at 3:30 pm

    Made this last night, it was good, but the milk got super thick. Should I add more milk or maybe just some water in addition to the milk?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      March 20, 2012 at 11:11 am

      adding more milk should do the trick!

      Reply
  120. Jodi says

    February 20, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    I’m not sure what I did wrong, but mine didn’t turn out creamy at all. I think next time I’ll go back to making a roux.

    Reply
  121. Nevena says

    February 21, 2012 at 4:22 am

    Hi,

    I was just wandering, is it possible to put pasta ( not cooked) with milk and cheese in the oven and that way avoid stirring on the stove?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 24, 2012 at 8:19 am

      Yes, I’ve done it this way before, but have a hard time not curdling my milk this way.

      Reply
  122. Sheri Conant says

    February 21, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    We made this tonight and enjoyed the flavor.
    just curious: Does whole wheat pasta cook faster than regular. I was using up some white penne that we had in the cupboard and it took over 20 minutes for the pasta to cook. It was still firmer than we normally would have made it, but we were tired of stirring and it was thickened.

    Reply
    • hipsterhousewife says

      February 28, 2012 at 11:49 am

      Typically, whole wheat takes longer than white pasta, actually. But penne in any form takes a notoriously long time to cook. I think Laura mentioned in the recipe that elbow macaroni cooks up quickly, and that’s been my experience, too– maybe try that next time. (Whole Foods has a store-brand whole wheat macaroni I love!)

      Reply
  123. Pastafarian says

    February 24, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Since pasta is different sizes and shape, how exactly do you determine 2 1/2 cups? Is that a whole box? 1/2 a box?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 24, 2012 at 8:25 am

      Well….I never really measure ingredients exactly – I’m a “dump it in” kind of cook. The 2 1/2 cups of pasta called for in this recipe is rough. I’d measure it in a measuring cup, but not worry too much if it’s a little under or a little over the needed amount.

      Reply
  124. Sheila says

    February 25, 2012 at 10:28 am

    I’m reading all these wonderful replies. Just wondering what cheeses are used for anyone’s mac & cheese. I like ot use kraft barrel x-sharp and sharp chesses. I also use the Tinkyada Rice Pasta. But will also try the Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta.

    Will like to see your type of cheeses used.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 28, 2012 at 10:31 am

      I use Landmark Raw White Cheddar, which is a mild cheddar.

      Reply
      • hipsterhousewife says

        February 28, 2012 at 11:51 am

        Gouda and gruyere are two of my favorites for macaroni & cheese, but I’ll usually balance with some cheddar. A little parmesan is nice, too.

        Reply
  125. terri says

    February 28, 2012 at 8:25 pm

    Oops. At high altitude things work a wee bit differently. Needed twice the liquid and the noodles still weren’t done. Will try again though with more/thinner liquid and 3/4 or half the elbows, because rice noodles are hard to cook completely at altitude without cooking them much longer anyhow.

    Reply
  126. Rebekah says

    March 6, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    This is really good!!!

    Reply
  127. JaSi says

    March 8, 2012 at 9:42 am

    Making this right now for the day care kids! Hope it is a hit!!

    Reply
  128. JaSi says

    March 8, 2012 at 10:41 am

    Verdict is in…….they LooooooooVE IT!!! And I love your web site! So many wonderful recipes!! Thanks a bunch!!

    Reply
  129. Koshi says

    March 14, 2012 at 10:00 am

    Tasted pasta after cooking with milk and it really is different! I could eat a whole bowl without adding anything else.

    I did forget to take it off the heat when I added the cheese so it separated and got ruined. :( I’ll have to try again the right way!

    Reply
  130. Mrs. P says

    March 17, 2012 at 10:13 am

    So glad to see this. What an easy recipe! Fortunately, I have a Jersey cow and this will be a great way to use up her excess milk.

    Reply
  131. nckblink says

    March 19, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    So do you use a whole box of pasta? and when using penne should it typically take about 20 minutes?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 22, 2012 at 7:37 pm

      I use 2 1/2 cups of pasta. Sometimes when using penne pasta it may take a little longer. Every type of pasta is a little bit different, which means you may need to adjust cooking times and milk amounts.

      Reply
  132. Wendy says

    March 26, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Hi Laura, Do you think this could be made in a crock pot? Or could it be made ahead in the same way as your three cheese pasta?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 26, 2012 at 1:48 pm

      I’m not sure if it can be done in a crock pot, but I think I’d like to try it sometime. It would work to make it ahead, but it may not be quite as creamy as when done right before serving.

      Reply
  133. amy says

    April 2, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    I was amazed at how thick and creamy the milk got as it cooked…but once I took it off the stove and added the cheese, the creaminess was gone and it wasn’t so much a cheese sauce as it was just cheese-flavored pasta. I used the exact amount of ingredients as in the recipe (but subbed in elbow mac for the whole wheat pasta) and cooked it for about 12 minutes, so I don’t know where I went wrong. I guess next time I’ll add more milk.

    Should I do this at the beginning so it doesn’t get too thick when the pasta’s finished cooking or at the end to thin out the sauce when the cheese is added?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 3, 2012 at 9:17 am

      Yes, start with a little more milk next time, or add more as needed while cooking.

      Reply
  134. Kris Mays says

    April 4, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    I just made this again, but with gluten free pasta elbows. Worked wonderfully. Serving with roasted zucchini and homemade breaded chicken strips baked in the oven with homemade BBQ sauce for dipping. Can’t wait for dinner!

    Reply
  135. Jenni says

    April 16, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    I’m gonna try this for the first time, well, really the Cheeseburger Macaroni

    But I’m using straight from the cow milk, and unpasteurized processed Cheddar and I’ll add a little Mozzarella at the end on top… I can’t wait… Oh, and I’m just using regular pasta, ran out of whole wheat.

    Reply
  136. Erin says

    April 25, 2012 at 11:33 am

    how much cooked pasta does this yield? would one recipe of it feed me, my hubby, my 7 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old? Would I have leftovers, should I double the recipe?

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      May 15, 2012 at 3:39 pm

      I just made this & added 5 hotdogs (gasp! – sorry Laura!) and it was about 4 adult servings.

      Reply
    • [email protected] says

      June 2, 2012 at 6:55 pm

      This should work to feed your whole family. :)

      Reply
  137. Erin says

    April 25, 2012 at 11:34 am

    ?

    Reply
  138. Amanda Cowan says

    May 5, 2012 at 4:45 pm

    Love the simplicity of this! At first when I was reading this I thought “yeah but how does it taste?” because every single homemade recipe I’ve done, while I HAVE enjoyed, had a floury flavor that my kids picked up on immediately and refused to eat.

    I think I will have to try this out IMMEDIATELY!

    Reply
  139. kentucky Lady 717 says

    May 6, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    Someone had asked if this could be made in a crockpot….I was on Paula Deen’s website looking for a mac n cheese recipe and yes she has one made in a crock pot….takes 3 hrs. to cook tho…….I can not imagine cooking noodles that long…….

    Reply
  140. Catherine says

    May 15, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    FINALLY got around to making this and I am SO HAPPY! I used skim milk with no problem. I also added a 1/2 tsp of dry mustard powder and 1/8 tsp of black pepper. The consistency was a little grainy, but it smoothed out a bit by the time we had seconds. YUM! For those asking about how much pasta – it was half a box for me. I used Whole Wheat Barilla medium shells.

    Reply
  141. Tricia C. says

    May 29, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    I was really excited to try this, but it was a mixed result. I think it has potential, but my daughter just scraped hers back into the serving bowl. I used elbow macaroni and cooked it for a good 20 mins, but it never really got soft. I added more milk a couple of times. Unfortunately, we’re trying to get out the door to soccer practice so I had to take it off the stove instead of continuing to cook it. I’ll try one more time since everyone else has had good results.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      May 29, 2012 at 7:00 pm

      Bummer that it didn’t work. It could have been the type of whole wheat noodle you tried. I use Bionaturae brand and that works well for me.

      Reply
  142. Kelly P says

    June 8, 2012 at 10:00 am

    I just made this and the sauce turned out grainy. It was still pretty good, but I’d love to correct that. I used regular twirl pasta, 1% milk and monterey jack with some cheddar. The pasta was pretty soft and it only took 8 min. to cook!

    Any idea why it was grainy?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 14, 2012 at 3:13 pm

      The only time mine turns out grainy like that is if I don’t move the pot of cooked noodles off the stove before adding the cheese. Not sure if this is what happened with yours or not, but that step is pretty important.

      Reply
  143. Kelly says

    June 11, 2012 at 6:53 am

    Can I tell you this recipe has changed my life? Well maybe I’m going overboard there but seriously. I have a gluten free child and a dairy free child (cow’s milk protein allergic to be specific) I have taken this recipe and tailored it to their needs. I do everything the same quantity wise, but I use goat milk (its acceptable to my 6 year old’s tummy) and pecorino romano cheese (its the grated cheese that most everyone uses on their pasta but its sheep’s milk cheese) and I use gluten free pasta. Its a bit of an “expensive” dish but I try to get what I can on sale and when I do it’s such a great treat for them. I’m making it tonight as a matter of fact and we’re all so looking forward to it. I had to look back here to find the right proportions and decided to share in case anyone was gluten and dairy free like us. thanks for such a great recipe!!!

    Reply
  144. Jill says

    June 12, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    I made this tonight with rice drink and cheddar cheese and it was SUPER easy! I added taco meat after and it was awesome! I can’t believe how easy and yummy this was. I didn’t know how rice drink would work, but it thickened up just like the recipe says. I used tiny pasta and so it didn’t take too long either.

    I’m just loving all your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing them with us!

    Reply
  145. Carly says

    June 19, 2012 at 3:30 pm

    Used this idea tonight but cheated a bit. When I added the cheese( I used sharp cheddar and a Mexican cheese blend) I also added in a packet of powdered cheese from Annie’s white cheddar mac. It was amazing! I’ll never cook Mac and cheese in water again!

    Reply
  146. Carly says

    June 19, 2012 at 3:33 pm

    Oh…I also added black pepper, a pinch of garlic powder, and used skim milk. I plan to make this for my 4th of July party this year and maybe doing a breadcrumb crust. Thanks!

    Reply
  147. Diana says

    July 13, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    Love it! Love it!!! Will never make box kind ever again!! I used evaporated milk and it turned out great!
    Now how bout a yummy creamy coleslaw?

    Reply
  148. Julie says

    August 13, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Thank you for sharing! Mine was very good. I added frozen chopped spinach about halfway or the last third of the way through cooking the pasta, before the cheese. It was great. Thanks again!

    Reply
  149. Amy E. says

    August 19, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    I just read in the Food Network Magazine that Thomas Jefferson wrote about his time in France and included some recipes in a book. He mentioned boiling noodles in milk (and water) when making mac and cheese. I thought it was a great idea! I just looked it up, the name of the book is “Thomas Jefferson’s Creme Brulee”

    Reply
  150. Crystal says

    August 19, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    I made this for the first time ever, also using 1% milk, but I turned the heat off and removed the pan from the heat and it was grainy as well.

    Perhaps it was the 1% milk? It still tasted better than the baked version I made two weeks ago.

    Reply
  151. JB says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:26 pm

    I made this virtually fat free. Delicious! The only fat comes from the whole wheat pasta. I used 2 cups fat free evaporated milk, 1 cup of water, three cups of whole wheat fusilli pasta and added a sprinkle of ground mustard while it was cooking. I cooked it from cold for 20 minutes. Then after I took it off the heat I added 3 slices of Borden sharp fat free singles. Note: use less salt in the milk/ water mixture because the cheese is really salty. I would probably add 1/4 cup more water or milk next time and cook for 2 minutes longer to make the pasta a little softer and thin the sauce a bit because the pasta really absorbs the liquid after you take it off the heat. I ate the whole thing in one sitting!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      September 15, 2013 at 2:32 pm

      You are my hero! I ran out of milk and was still able to make this from your instructions.

      Reply
    • Tim says

      September 25, 2014 at 7:09 am

      you are aware that fat is much better for you than carbs? Fat makes energy, carbs also make energy. The difference is, fat burns first, so you typically use it all. Carbs burn last, and if you don’t burn it all with you metabolism, it becomes body fat. Fat free diets are really bad for you. Your brain needs fats to function properly. Check out this website, it’s full of great, scientifically peer reviewed studies that are boiled down to tips, cutting edge nutrition, and other fitness and health topics. http://exrx.net/

      Reply
  152. Audra says

    September 28, 2012 at 6:14 am

    Looks good! Can’t wait to try it. Do you know if it will hold up well in crockpot after cooking on stove? That is always my problem with homemaded mac-n-cheese. It separates in the crockpot!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 28, 2012 at 8:45 am

      Hmm, I haven’t tried it before. I feel like this dish is served best fresh and straight off the stove!

      Reply
  153. Susan says

    October 9, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    Laura,
    Your pictures brought back memories – I used to make this dish for my son when he was growing up. Yours looks so inviting, I am going to make it tonight. If you want to make even healthier, use whole grass-fed milk and grass-fed cheddar. And you’re right, this dish is best served right away – if you can get everyone to stop eating it right from the pot….

    Reply
  154. Debra Symons says

    November 3, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    Now just some crab meat and bake! Creamy Mac and Cheese with crab! Yummmmmm”O”

    Reply
  155. Mary Nasvik says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:10 am

    Can it be baked in the oven after cooking on the stove?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 8, 2012 at 8:10 am

      Yes. I find that it gets a little dry that way, but it does work decently.

      Reply
      • shan says

        November 21, 2012 at 8:56 am

        will it get dry if i just wanted to add cheese on top so it could have
        that crisp to it in the oven

        Reply
  156. Rachele says

    November 19, 2012 at 10:44 am

    I will be making this for Thanksgiving. I have two picky eaters who DO NOT like anything but turkey for thanksgiving dinner. I thought this would be perfect for them. Thank you Laura!!

    Reply
  157. Laurel says

    December 7, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    Okay, I myself have searched LONG and hard for a good creamy mac n’ cheese, and when I read that you cooked it in the milk, my response to myself was “DUH! cuz that makes sense!” so thank you, I have now ended my search as well=)

    Reply
  158. Darlene Pearce says

    December 10, 2012 at 10:40 am

    What about cooking it in a double boiler?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      December 10, 2012 at 4:44 pm

      Sure, that would work!

      Reply
  159. Staci says

    January 16, 2013 at 12:06 pm

    I just found another use for whey. I used it for part of the milk in this recipe.

    Reply
    • karli says

      February 1, 2013 at 2:39 pm

      Wouldn’t the heat from the stove top take away the “good” stuff from the whey? Or does it work like that?

      Reply
  160. Staci says

    February 2, 2013 at 12:19 am

    It is not a cultured whey, I am not using it for those benefits. I have health conditions that are aggravated by aged cheese and cultured products. I recently learned how to make farmers cheese. I am so excited to have a cheese I can eat all I want of, but it leaves me with a lot of left over whey. I am learning it can be substituted for the milk or water in a lot of recipes and some of them come out better.

    Reply
  161. Staci says

    February 2, 2013 at 12:30 am

    I love this recipe as I use the basic idea with variations. I put some water instead of some of the milk as my girls think the all milk version is too creamy. I find it cooks easier this way. I also have substituted whey. I did do all whey one time, but that came out overly sweet. Just part is better. I also keep Simply Organic Ceaser Dressing mix in my cupboard to replace some or all of the cheese. I use a tablespoon or two. This reminds me of the ease of boxed mac and cheese. I don’t always have cheese but I usually have dressing mix, milk, and pasta. It is very good with the dressing mix and some of the shredded cheese.

    Reply
  162. Jennifer Blaine says

    February 18, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    I have tried this 2 times now. My cheese gets a very grainey texture to it. It is not very appetizing. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Nico says

      March 5, 2013 at 12:39 pm

      @Jennifer — you’re cooking your cheese too fast/hot or, you have shredded cheese with a “non clumping” additive in it.

      Reply
    • [email protected] says

      March 11, 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Make sure you are removing it from the heat before adding the cheese in. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  163. Lisa says

    March 8, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    This is soooo good! Just made it for a meatless meal on Friday. Seriously, it’s a winner, thank you for posting! I didn’t have whole milk on hand, so I threw in a little butter and it worked like a charm! I think we just permanently moved from boxed mac to homemade.

    Reply
  164. melissa says

    April 17, 2013 at 10:48 am

    Great recipe!!! I tried mine using coconut milk and it turned out great!

    Reply
  165. Jenni says

    June 2, 2013 at 11:31 am

    Just now tried this. Problem I ran into (unfortunately while kids are waiting for lunch as we speak) is that the milk boiled away/thickened up before the noodles got cooked all the way through. How can I fix this? Tried adding a little more milk, but no luck.

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      July 22, 2013 at 10:05 am

      I would start with more milk at the beginning and see if that helps.

      Reply
  166. Nessa says

    June 9, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    I love this recipe! I made this yesterday and added about 1 c. steamed caulifower. The cauliflower was steamed until really soft. It was left over from something else – and boy was it a great addition! I was interrupted and came back to a cold plate and reheated it and it stated great still. I think the cauliflower held up the sauce better for a reheat. I think this might be a way for those who want to bake it to retain some moisture. I am trying it that way later. Thanks!

    Reply
  167. Morgan Gibson says

    June 14, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    Help!!!!! What am I doing wrong, every time I cook pasta dish in milk it tastes flourie. Am I not cooking the pasta fast or hot enough. My pasta is never done enough and I always have to add more milk. It still has to much bit to it. Love the mac and cheese recipe but I can never seem to get it right!!!!!!

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      July 22, 2013 at 10:06 am

      Start by adding more milk at the beginning and see if that helps.

      Reply
  168. beetree says

    June 24, 2013 at 8:39 am

    We were just looking for a homemade mac n cheese recipe! This looks great- how many servings does it make?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      July 22, 2013 at 10:29 am

      3-4 Servings.

      Reply
  169. Stephanie Dockery says

    August 22, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Who would have thunk it! Lol! Great idea and I’m gonna add some polish sausage for a casserole. Thanks bunches.

    Reply
  170. Jennifer says

    August 27, 2013 at 11:00 am

    Mmm, this has become our favourite (although it’s a bit weird with homemade whole wheat pasta, it’s fine with everything else I’ve tried). Easy, quick and the kids love it!

    Today we took this up a notch by sauteing some garlic in butter first, then cooking as normal. Afterwards we added some smoked sausage, some extra cheese, topped it with bread crumbs, a bit of parsley, and some melted butter and broiled it for a few minutes. It was so classy! :)

    Reply
  171. Doris Graham says

    August 27, 2013 at 6:32 pm

    Hi, I am making a Mac and Cheese for 30 people I don’t know how much noodles and milk I will need, please help. Thank you

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 27, 2013 at 6:38 pm

      This recipe makes enough for about 5 people. So this recipe multiplied by six. Wow, that’s a lot of mac and cheese!

      Reply
  172. Doris Graham says

    August 28, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Thank you, yes that is a lot of mac and cheese, do you estimate that as 2 boxes you think?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      September 11, 2013 at 8:48 am

      Yes!

      Reply
  173. Nicole says

    November 7, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Does anyone know if this will work with almond milk instead? I’m afraid it will change the taste too much.

    Reply
    • Alana Lepine says

      November 13, 2013 at 10:55 am

      I have the same question – Almond milk and goat cheese???

      Reply
  174. Tiffany K says

    November 27, 2013 at 12:29 pm

    This is absolutely fabulous. I make it with skim milk and it is still very yummy!

    Reply
  175. Naasha M says

    January 11, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Oh my goodness! I made mine with parmesan cheese and whole wheat rotini pasta, added a knob of butter and a grating of nutmeg, salt and fresh ground pepper. I stirred in some leftover roast chicken, cut up. Viola! Chicken Alfredo extraordinaire!!! Thanks for the basic recipe. Its a keeper!

    Reply
  176. Luree Johnston says

    January 13, 2014 at 3:40 pm

    Hi Laura,
    I’m wondering if you know if this would work with GF noodles, such as corn or brown rice noodles?
    Thanks! :)

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      January 20, 2014 at 2:18 pm

      Yes, it should work fine. Laura has used Tinkyada brand.

      Reply
  177. Katie says

    February 18, 2014 at 8:29 pm

    I made this today and I am in love with it! My daughter (age 4 and pretty picky eater) said, “This is the best mac n cheese you have ever made, Mom! Can you make it again?” The milk got pretty thick early on, so I just kept adding more milk. Definitely making again. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
  178. Stacy Myers says

    May 24, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    This was so good and so easy!!! I’ve added it to my Favorites file. I didn’t even mind that I had to scrub the pan from scorched milk because I had to run out and shoo my kids away from the chicken poop pile. Ha!

    Reply
  179. pam says

    June 15, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    We did not care for the texture of the noodles at all cooked this way they were soft but not bouncy like pasta should be the sauce was great but the family won’t eat it because of the texture of the noodles

    Reply
  180. Nancy S says

    April 3, 2015 at 11:30 am

    I’m going to make this for Easter dinner, sounds great! Disappointed though that the recipe won’t Pin. A box comes up saying nothing was found on the page that was pinnable.
    :( since I pin most recipes now that I like.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 7, 2015 at 1:47 pm

      Very strange that it didn’t allow for pinning. I just tested and it worked for me. I will work on that page and add a better, more pinnable picture!

      Reply
  181. Jane says

    November 15, 2015 at 4:41 pm

    I just made this creamy Mac and cheese…. It is soooo creamy that it’s actually sickening. I really really tried to like it, but I couldn’t make myself eat more than a few spoonfuls. *sigh* Into the garbage it goes… :(

    Reply
  182. Becky says

    September 28, 2016 at 6:11 pm

    Is it bad that I added bacon to this? It’s so good!!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 29, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      Such an awesome idea!

      Reply
  183. just some mac-n-cheese enthusiast says

    November 10, 2022 at 8:33 pm

    I am intrigued. Would it be appropriate to use a double boiler, to keep the milk from scorching? Usually when I make homemade mac-n-cheese I make a bechamel sauce and add to it cream cheese, then when the cream cheese is melted and I can get it mixed uniformly, shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Velveeta and similar products also work but to my way of thinking they are almost cheating. I’ve also done a sauce Mornay based mac-n-cheese with Gruyere and Parmesan. But this looks very good. I’ll have to try it.

    Reply

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