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A spoon scooping mac and cheese out of a pan.

Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

A one-pot wonder full of 100% real food ingredients. This easy stovetop mac and cheese is creamy, comforting, & much healthier than boxed mac!

Yield: About 4 (1 cup) servings 1x
Cook: 25 minutesTotal: 25 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole grain elbow pasta (or any other small whole wheat pasta)
  • 3 cups milk (I used 2%)
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use fat-free)
  • 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus a bit more for topping

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Instructions

  1. Combine pasta and milk in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat (just until bubbles start breaking the surface), stirring frequently to ensure milk does not scorch on the bottom. Stir in the salt and then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer (do not boil!). Continue to cook and stir often for 15-20 minutes, until pasta is soft and milk is reduced and thickened.
  2. Remove from the heat. Stir in the plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard (optional), and shredded cheese until combined. If not creamy enough, add milk a little at a time, and gently stir. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
  3. Cooking Note: It’s ready to eat at this point, but you can also bake it with some additional cheese on top for more cheesy goodness. To bake, place in a greased baking dish and top with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake at 375°F for about 10 minutes until cheese has melted.

Notes/Tips

If you love mac and cheese as much as we do, be sure to try our Healthy Baked Mac and Cheese (with Sneaky Sweet Potato), and our Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.

© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Stove Top and Baked