One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4.7 out of 5 stars
(240)
Ingredients
4 to 6 servings
- 1 pound uncooked pasta (I used cavatappi)
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 to 4 cups (8 to 16 ounces) freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (1 ounce) finely-grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
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Preparation
Step 1
Cook the pasta. Combine the pasta, water, milk, Dijon, sea salt and garlic powder in a large stockpot. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring the pasta once every few minutes, until the water reaches a boil. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a rolling boil. Continue cooking the pasta, stirring once or twice per minute, until the pasta is *just* barely al dente. (Cooking time will depend on the shape of pasta that you use, so please keep a close eye on it.) Remove pot from heat.
Step 2
Remove excess water (if needed). Check to see how much starchy pasta water remains in the pot. If there is more than 1/2 cup or so, dip a heatproof measuring cup in to remove and save the excess water, then set it to the side. (If by chance there is no starchy pasta water left, please add 1/2 cup hot water to the pot.)
Step 3
Add cheese. Add the cheese to the pasta and gently stir until completely melted. If the pasta seems too dry, stir some of the reserved starchy pasta water back in as needed.
Step 4
Season. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
Step 5
Serve. Serve warm, garnished with a few twists of black pepper and enjoy!
Step 6
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Chef's notes
The pasta shape that you use is important, since the cooking time and the amount of water soaked up by different pasta shapes can vary dramatically. I recommend using a pasta shape that lists an approximately 8-minute cooking time on its package, such as cavatappi.
My original version of this recipe called for 4 cups of cheddar, which is delicious but felt a bit heavy. After remaking this recipe multiple times over the years, I prefer making it now with 2 cups good-quality white cheddar, which still tastes plenty cheesy.
