This Easy Mac and Cheese recipe is so creamy, and it’s made simply WITHOUT flour or a roux! You can make it in just 15 minutes on the stove with a few easy steps.
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese — From Scratch
My easy mac and cheese recipe will have you questioning why you ever purchased the pre-made version in the past! It’s made with just a few basic ingredients–essentially just noodles, butter, milk, and cheese–and is so simple to make. And yes, there is NO flour or roux in this recipe! It’s easy peasy and oh so creamy…you’ll love it.
Today’s recipe was inspired by the macaroni and cheese my mom made when I was a kid. She never had a real “recipe” and instead just briefly eyeballed the ingredients as they went into the pot. It took a few tries for me to tweak and test until I nailed down the ratios, but the end result turned out to be just as simple as that blue box we’re all familiar with, but far more creamy and delicious (and I feel a smidge better about giving it to my kids)!
Why make my recipe:
- Easy–simply boil and strain your pasta, then stir into the melted butter, milk, and cheese!
- No flour = no making a roux!
- So creamy, thanks to American cheese.
- Ready in just 15 minutes!
What You Need
You may be able to make this recipe without flour, but you will still need:
- Macaroni. Keep it classic with macaroni, or substitute small/mini shells, cavatappi (used in my buffalo chicken mac and cheese!), or fusilli. Anything goes, just use your favorite shape (or your kids’ favorite shape!).
- Cheese. I make my recipe with American cheese and cheddar. If you’d prefer, you can use just cheddar (I included notes in the recipe), but I love the creaminess that the American cheese offers. Plus it felt like an appropriate nod to the macaroni and cheese of my childhood 💛
- Milk. I personally recommend and use whole milk, but i suspect any kind will work here; some people have even commented that they’ve used almond milk with success.
- Spices. A dash of ground mustard (also used in my broccoli cheddar soup!) and a sprinkle of smoked paprika (the secret ingredient in my chicken chowder) are totally optional but recommended.
SAM’S TIP: Do NOT use pre-shredded cheddar cheese! Pre-shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting nicely. Grab a block and shred it yourself (a food processor with a shred blade works nicely too!), just like you would if you were making homemade queso.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make My Easy Mac and Cheese
- Cook your pasta to al dente according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Melt together the milk, butter, and seasonings over medium low heat.
- Increase the heat to medium, and once simmering, add the pasta back to the pot and stir well. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cheeses and let them sit for about 30 seconds before stirring to coat all of the noodles.
- Enjoy immediately!
SAM’S TIP: Similar to making my fettuccine alfredo, you do not want to rinse your cooked noodles after straining them. The leftover starches on the noodles will create a smooth, cohesive mac and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are looking for a baked macaroni and cheese, I highly recommend you check out my baked macaroni and cheese recipe instead. It does involve a roux, but it’s easy–I promise!
Or, if you’d prefer to stick with this recipe, you can top everything off with extra cheese before popping it into the oven for a few minutes. Take it out when the cheese is melted and bubbly, and enjoy!
This is likely to happen if you used pre-shredded cheese. Cheese that you buy already shredded contains anti-caking additives. These additives will keep it from melting smoothly.
However, if the cheese gets too hot, this can also cause it to curdle and separate. Don’t crank up the heat to make it melt faster! Remember: Low & slow is the way to go!
Using the right kind of cheese helps (specifically American cheese in this recipe) and preparing the mac and cheese entirely on the stovetop (as opposed to the stove and the oven) also ensures creamy results.
For creamiest results, serve immediately after preparing. While you can save leftovers, the noodles absorb much of the cheese sauce as they sit, making the dish much less creamy.
I love adding a sprinkle of bacon to this recipe–it reminds me of my bacon macaroni and cheese!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Easy Mac & Cheese (Stovetop, no Flour Needed!)
Ingredients
- 8 oz (227 g) dried macaroni about 2 cups
- 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons (30 g) salted or unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard (optional)
- 1 cup (113 g) freshly shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese see note
- 4 slices (113 g) American Cheese see note
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of well-salted water to a boil in a medium-saucepan over high heat.
- Once water comes to boil, add pasta, return to a boil, and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.8 oz (227 g) dried macaroni
- Strain pasta, discarding the water. Leave the pasta in the strainer and return the saucepan to your burner.
- Combine milk, butter, salt, pepper and paprika and mustard in the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir frequently over low heat until butter is melted.1 cup (235 ml) whole milk, 2 Tablespoons (30 g) salted or unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- Return pasta to saucepan and stir well.
- Add cheeses, allow to sit about 30 seconds until slightly melty and then stir until all noodles are coated. Don't turn up the heat or the cheese will not melt properly.1 cup (113 g) freshly shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese, 4 slices (113 g) American Cheese
- Mixture will seem soupy/thin at first, but turn off the heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes (stir occasionally) and it will thicken and cling to the noodles.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Cheese
Shred your own cheddar off the block, don’t buy pre-shredded which is often tossed with a powder that will keep the cheese from melting properly and can leave you with mac & cheese that is both clumpy and runny. I recommend a mild or medium cheddar, as sharp can sometimes feel a bit grainy. You may also substitute the cheddar with colby jack or a similar cheese. If you don’t have American cheese, you can substitute another cup (113g) of cheddar or jack cheese, but the macaroni will be less creamy.Storing
This dish will be creamiest served warm soon after it’s made. Leftovers reheat well, but the pasta absorbs much of the sauce so it won’t be as creamy the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Irene King
When I was growing up 100 years ago, mac & cheese was not made with any additional flour. My grandmother would not have had it! It was simply macaroni, heavy cream, seasonings, and lots and lots of cheddar cheese. And that was it.
In my opinion, mac & cheese made with roux tends to be kind of heavy and not quite as enjoyable to eat. Mac & cheese made with just macaroni and cheese, on the other hand, is always delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Sam
You are so welcome, Irene! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Melissa E
Love this simple and delicious Mac n cheese recipe! Full of flavorful, creamy goodness. This is a keeper!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Melissa! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Amber
Love the one pot so much! I only had preshredded and I was worried about separating so I did the butter, milk, spices, and American cheese first and when that was all melted on low I removed it from the heat and added the shredded cheddar. When it was mostly melted I put the pasta back in and some steamed broccoli florets. It was creamy and perfect. I’ll be making again and again, thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it and that it made the perfect meal with your broccoli additions, Amber. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Steve
I searched to see what I could do with just milk, cheddar, and the few other ingredients I had on hand and this simple recipe popped up.
I modified it a little by cooking a finely chopped onion and garlic clove in the butter before adding the milk, and also stirred in a tin of sweetcorn towards the end.
Because I only had British mature cheddar, and know from experience that it doesn’t melt so easily, I grated it into the milk while it was gently simmering and stirred it well until it was properly melted before adding the pasta. I was a little worried about it curdling and separating, but for me it combined nicely into a smooth sauce.
It covered a couple of days waiting for a shopping delivery and saved me having to go out for food during the current lockdown.
Thanks for creating such a simple, easy and tasty recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe and you were able to use ingredients you had on hand, Steve. Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. Stay safe. 🙂
Helen
Waste of my ingredients, completely separated and the cheese clumped together. Should’ve just used grated cheese on top and saved myself the milk.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for trying my recipe, Helen! I am so sorry that you experienced an issue. Typically when the cheese starts to separate it is a result of the heating element being too hot or it has been overcooked causing the sauce to curdle. Again, I am sorry that this happened. 🙁
Joley
Fantastic recipe. Simple and easy to follow. Husband was really happy with it. I used almond milk and it still worked!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear that it was a hit, Joely! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Reb
Delicious! Used corn starch to make the sauce thicker and a blend of cheddar and Gouda. Would totally make this again.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Reb! Gouda was a perfect choice to add too. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Katelyn
this was amazing! I’m so glad I found this recipe!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it as well, Katelyn! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Aidan
Hi, I’m a bit confused. I followed your instructions to the letter and what I got was nothing like it should be! The cheese has separated into gloppy mess after adding the pasta before the cheese like you said. I have a picture that I can’t upload here so if you could email me so I can figure out what went wrong that would help
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for trying my recipe, Aidan! I am so sorry that you experienced an issue. Typically when the cheese starts to separate it is a result of the heating element being too hot or it has been overcooked causing the sauce to curdle. Again, I am sorry that this happened. 🙁
Victoria
Hi, I think you used the wrong cheese. It happened to me the first time but then I used the right kind of cheese and it worked 😊
Brigitte Couture
Thank you for this! Super yummy and ready so fast! I can actually whip it up while my son takes a shower after baseball practice 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you found the recipe easy to make and enjoyable, Brigitte! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Courtney S
My husband has somewhat low expectations of my cooking (for valid reasons) but said this was a 10/10. My toddler even had seconds! Definitely a winner.
Sugar Spun Run
Hooray! I am so glad that the mac and cheese was a big hit, Courtney! I hope that you try more of my recipes. 🙂
Emma
I do want to try your mac and cheese for my grandson but, just confused a little. In the article that preceded the recipe you say American Cheese Only but the recipe calls for 1 cup cheddar and only 3 slices American. If I use only American. How much and what can I add to make it more creamy. That’s how my grandson likes it so we have to please the love if my life. Thank you for sharing and caring.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Emma! My mom used to make it with just using American cheese. I prefer mine made with a blend of American and Cheddar that is listed on the ingredient list and in step 8 of the directions. If you use just American I would use 8 slices and add more if needed to get the desired flavor and thickness. I hope that your grandson enjoys it. 🙂
Andrew
It was yummy!!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the Macaroni and Cheese, Andrew! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Annie
Sadly didn’t work for me! Don’t know if I did something wrong or if american cheddar is different from british, but the cheese did not combine with the milk/pasta at all, just clumped together and sat in the milk…
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry that the mac and cheese did not turn out for you, Annie! You are probably right, it could be that cheese itself could be different than what is sold in the US. Again, I am sorry. I hope that you try more of my recipes. 🙂
Mizzy
So I realised the same thing. I modified it using the ingredients I have and it turned out beautifully! First I half cooked the pasta, drained and left to the side (saved some pasta water). I added finely chopped garlic to mine, or you could use garlic powder! I used lurpak butter and let the garlic sit in the pan until the butter was melted. Added paprika, milk, pepper and salt and let it all simmer. Then I added my pasta and pasta water and let it all boil until the pasta was cooked and then added my cheese right at the end! It was beautiful!
nigel
It’s a nice easy recipe but is the life story really necessary, seems to be a common theme nowadays.
Sam
Glad you enjoyed the free recipe, Nigel, but is the comment on how I write my blog really necessary? You can just jump immediately to the recipe and skip my “life story”, after all.
Terri
Hi Sam, keep the “life stories” coming! I have found a lot of them include helpful tips.
Also, I’m so happy to have found this recipe as I have struggled in the past with making roux. I made this a couple weeks ago and it was perfect, making it again tomorrow to put in the smoker!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy the stories and tips helpful. I bet it would taste awesome in the smoker! 🙂
Autoankauf
After I originally commented I appear to have clicked
on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment.
There has to be a way you can remove me from that service?
Thanks!
Sam
I just went in to remove you from that subscription, sometimes it takes a few hours for it to go through but you shouldn’t receive any more notifications/emails after today (let me know if you still do for any reason). I hope that helps!