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A spoon scooping mac and cheese out of a pan.
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3.67 from 3 votes

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!
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked mac and cheese, easy mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, mac and cheese
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 484kcal
Author: Rachel Tiemeyer

Equipment

Ingredients

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

Instructions

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • The starch from the pasta thickens the milk creating a creamy sauce as the pasta cooks.
  • It loses a bit of its "wow" after it gets cold. Eat fresh if you can. 
  • I have tried using whole milk, 2%, and even some almond milk in this recipe, and they all work great.
  • I have tested this recipe with whole wheat elbow pasta and whole wheat egg noodles, and they both have worked well. But, depending on the pasta you use, you made need a little more milk at the end.
  • You can bake the mac at the end, if you want, with some cheese on top or eat it straight from the pot. Our family likes it both ways, so I often skip the baking step.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 854mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 10g