Easy Homemade Stovetop Mac and Cheese

This easy and delicious homemade Stovetop Mac and Cheese is so good, you'll want to replace those blue boxes in your pantry. It uses real cheese and a handful of shelf-stable ingredients you can keep stocked in your pantry for whenever a craving hits.

(This recipe was originally published in October 2012, but was updated with new photos and content in 2024).

There are two major schools of thought when macaroni and cheese is concerned: stovetop or baked. Although I love baked mac and cheese, stovetop mac and cheese comes together quickly and easily and is ready to eat in minutes. I also love the unmatched creaminess of the stovetop version.

There are a couple of different approaches to homemade stovetop mac and cheese. These include Béchamel-based sauces or those utilizing canned evaporated milk.

The evaporated milk method is easily less time consuming and less complicated than the alternative. It also only uses one pot so less cleanup!

This from scratch stovetop mac and cheese features macaroni wrapped in silky, cheesy perfection. The sauce basically glazes the macaroni, creating a beautiful creamy balance in decadence. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so don't fret if it takes a few minutes before it properly clings to your noodles.

This is a truly easy one pot recipe to keep in mind when craving mac and cheese. If you have canned evaporated milk in your pantry (plan ahead for future cravings) as well as an egg in your refrigerator, picking up a block of cheese at the grocery store is all you'll need to do to create a homemade, superior version of a childhood favorite for the whole family, even on the fly.

Ingredient notes

• Cheese: I've tried this recipe with sharp cheddar alone, and it was too sharp for my taste. I prefer medium or mild cheddar cheese. You can also do a combination of cheeses, such as sharp cheddar and Monterey jack, to mellow out the sharpness. Ideally, grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents which can impact the quality and texture of the finished mac and cheese.
• Evaporated Milk: Use half a 12-ounce can of evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk) for this recipe. Save the other half in the fridge to make more mac and cheese! You can also grab a 5-ounce can and add a splash of regular milk to yield 6 fluid ounces or ¾ cup (still delicious!). In case it interests you, you can make "lighter" mac and cheese with this method too using reduced fat evaporated milk, which works just as well as the full fat version.
• Egg: The egg helps the sauce to thicken and result in a velvety and creamy texture.
• Dry Mustard: There's a small amount of dry mustard in the recipe to enhance the flavor, but it's not overpowering. If you don't have dry mustard, you could replace it a couple teaspoons of prepared Dijon or yellow mustard, or omit it entirely.
• Hot Sauce or Cayenne Pepper: This is another element that enhances the flavor but doesn't go overboard. This is NOT a spicy dish, but I do recommend adding it. I use Frank's Red Hot Sauce, but you can use whatever you like.
• Macaroni: Use a short macaroni shape for this easy stovetop macaroni and cheese. I recommend elbows, small shells, or wagon wheels (aka mini wheels or rotelle). I've included photos of both elbows and wagon wheels in this post to share a couple of my favorite options! Which would you pick?

How to make it

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

Whisk together an egg, evaporated milk, salt, dry mustard, and hot sauce or cayenne pepper.

Stir this mixture into the macaroni and add shredded cheese.

Over low heat continue to stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until silky and creamy. The sauce will thicken more as it sits.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

Expert tips

In the photos in this post, I've made two variations—elbows with Tillamook medium cheddar cheese (featured in the ingredient photo above), and wagon wheels with Lucerne (Shaw's brand) mild cheddar cheese.

You'll notice that the shade of yellow/orange can vary between brands of cheese. The Lucerne brand (used with the wagon wheels) is a darker orange color, which is evident in the photos.

In terms of flavor, I enjoy both the medium and mild cheddar options, but if I had to pick one, I think the one made with mild cheddar is a bit easier to eat and doesn't feel as rich or heavy somehow. The mildness is more in line with the mildness of boxed macaroni and cheese (which might be salty but isn't sharp in flavor).

In any case, use whichever cheese or cheeses you'd like. You can even get really creative here and swap the cheddar out entirely for some other fun macaroni and cheese appropriate cheeses. Havarti and gouda are both tasty cheeses that could work, but you may want to mix and match a bit.

Other recipes you may like

• American Baked Mac and Cheese with Ritz Crackers
• Baked Pasta Bianca with Five Cheeses
• Chorizo Mac and Cheese with Poblanos
• Baked Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Veggie Mac and Cheese Primavera
• Trinidad Macaroni Pie

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