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Easy One Pot Macaroni & Cheese

Creamy, cheesy, decadent comfort food that's easy to make in one pot
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Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound dry macaroni noodles (or small noodle of your choice)
  • 1 stick butter (½ cup)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
  • 3 cups whole milk (or half & half, or combination of both)
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups reserved pasta cooking liquid

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups plain bread crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder (if desired)

Instructions
 

  • In large Dutch oven or saucepan, cook macaroni noodles in boiling salted water for one minute less that package instructions for al dente pasta.
  • Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to Dutch oven or saucepan on stove with burner off.
  • Slice butter and add to pasta along with salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and cubed cream cheese.
  • Stir until butter is melted. Heat on low/medium and add milk or half & half, and cream. Bring to gentle simmer with bubbles just appearing at the edges.
  • Turn heat down and add shredded parmesan, pepper jack, and sharp cheddar cheeses. Stir until melted and thickening. Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken off heat. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Use reserved pasta cooking liquid to thin sauce, if desired.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

  • Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare Easy One Pot Macaroni & Cheese. Set aside and prepare crumb topping.
  • In medium skillet, melt butter over low/medium heat.
  • Add crumbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to butter and stir until just coated.
  • Add prepared Easy One Pot Macaroni & Cheese to a 9x13 buttered, glass or ceramic baking dish.
  • Top with bread crumb mixture. (At this point, you may cover with foil and refrigerate to bake the next day, if desired.)
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until mac & cheese is bubbly and crumbs are lightly browned.
  • If baking cold from the refrigerator, bake covered at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 20 minutes or until bubbly and crumbs are brown and crisp.
Keyword baked mac & cheese option, comfort food, creamy cheesy decadent, easy one pot macaroni & cheese, no flour, one pot