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
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.