Easy Mac And Cheese Recipe

I think it’s safe to say that mac and cheese is probably the most requested dish in our home. While I’ll often whip up a box and mac and cheese for lunch, if I’m making dinner, I really prefer to go homemade, which calls for an easy mac and cheese recipe.

I’ve recently partnered up with Safeway to share a few of my favorite recipes, as part of their Summer of Savings Sweepstakes, where you can enter to win a $100 store gift card daily, winners are chosen five times a day! The Safeway chain also includes VONS, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavilions and CARRS Safeway. Safeway is “our” grocery store that we’ve been shopping at for many years, so it’s fun to get the chance to work with them and share a recipe made with ingredients picked up at Safeway.

We love homemade mac and cheese, and I’ve found that I can make it on the stove, using one pot, just like boxed macaroni and cheese.

This easy recipe makes for a fabulous side dish. I use cheddar cheese in mine, but you can shake up the flavors with different cheeses. Some other cheeses that would work well depending on your tastes include Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Swiss, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or a mix or blend of any of those cheeses. For more flavor options you can even add in Dijon mustard, hot sauce, garlic or paprika.

This easy mac and cheese recipe is very kid friendly and so simple to make. There is no flour or making a roux, and you can prepare the ingredients while your pasta boils. Thanks to PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, it’s very creamy, which is always the request in my house.

I LOVE that this can be made all in one pot. Not only does it make for easier meal prep, but the less dishes to wash after dinner, all the better in my book!

Easy One Pot Stove Top Mac And Cheese

5 from 2 votes

Author Christi Johnstone

This easy macaroni and cheese recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes, using one pot, on top of your stove.

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Total Time 15 mins

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound 16 oz box of Safeway Kitchens Pasta Rotini (Elbow Macaroni, Penne and Mini Farfalle also work well)
• ▢ 3-4 cups grated cheddar cheese you can use other semi-hard cheeses as well
• ▢ 4 slices American cheese cut into pieces you can find this in the Safeway Deli, as well as in the cheese section
• ▢ 3 oz PHILADELPHIA Original Cream Cheese not the spread, 3 oz is just shy of half an 8oz brick
• ▢ 2 TBSP butter
• ▢ 1 1/2 - 2 cups half and half or milk half and half will give a richer flavor
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ OPTIONAL MIX IN ITEMS
• ▢ A few drops of hot sauce
• ▢ A tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ A teaspoon fresh black pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Drain pasta, and prior to placing pasta back into the pot, place butter, PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and grated cheese into the pot. Pour drained pasta back into pot, onto ingredients. Add cut up slices of American Cheese, and approximately 1 cup of half and half or milk to the pot.
• Return pot to stove and turn burner to low heat (using the same burner already used to cook the pasta works best as it will still be warm). Sprinkle in salt (and optional mix in items if using) and stir well. As cheeses start to melt, add an additional 1/2 cup of milk or half and half.
• Continue stirring over low heat until all ingredients have melted and have combined with pasta. Add additional half and half or milk as needed to reach desired level of creaminess. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Disclaimer

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this Recipe? Pin it!Mention @LoveFromTheOven or tag #LFTORecipes!

Our family LOVES this mac and cheese! I usually serve it with simple grilled chicken and veggies such as green beans, peas or broccoli. Both my girls have taken to dipping their veggies, and often chicken, in the cheesy sauce from their macaroni and cheese. Hey, if it gets them to eat up those veggies, I’m all for it!

Don’t forget to enter the Safeway Summer Of Savings Sweepstakes! This sweepstakes runs from August 5th-September 5th. You can enter to win a $100 store gift card daily! Winner are chosen during each of the 30 days, five times a day! Click here to be taken to their site to enter.

Disclosure: I received compensation for my post and recipe. All opinions and ingredient choices are mine and mine alone. Safeway is our main grocery store, so it was fun to have a chance to work with them, as we already shop there every week!