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Learn how to make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just minutes! Skip the box stuff and make this creamy and delicious side dish.

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!#eatingonadime #macaroni #sidedishes #easysidedishes #Mac&cheese
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Easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe

My family loves this easy macaroni and cheese recipe. It is ready in minutes and makes it the perfect side dish to any meal. In fact, my nieces were over the other day and I made this.

They thought it was the greatest macaroni and cheese. They said it was better than the boxed stuff. Frankly, I agree.

You don’t need much to make this easy side dish. I think you will be surprised just how easy it is.

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!#eatingonadime #macaroni #sidedishes #easysidedishes #Mac&cheese

Let’s make homemade mac and cheese!

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!#eatingonadime #macaroni #sidedishes #easysidedishes #Mac&cheese
You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

Ingredients for the best homemade mac and cheese:

  • elbow macaroni
  • shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • milk
  • water
  • salt and pepper

That is all!

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

How to make homemade macaroni and cheese:

Add the water, milk, pasta, salt and pepper to a medium size pot.

Heat over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Stir frequently and watch closely so that the milk does not over boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cook until the pasta is done which should take approximately 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently and add more water if needed as the pasta will absorb the liquid.

Remove the pot from the heat.

Then stir in the freshly grated cheddar cheese until melted and well combined.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy!

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

It is that easy to make the best homemade macaroni and cheese!

Skip the box macaroni and cheese when you can make your own without any extra time! You don’t have to do anything fancy to enjoy good ‘ol fashion macaroni and cheese. My trick is using the American Cheese slices that I get for cheap with my coupons.

You can have this dinner created and on the table in under 10 minutes! Now, that is a side dish my family loves.

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

Curious about the cost?

My pasta cost me $.50 for the box, but I only used half. Then the cheese was $.50 for the entire package and I only used 3 slices. The butter was free, and I didn’t use much milk. I would say that this quick and easy side dish cost me around $.50 to feed my family. Not too shabby at all! 😉

Did you know that you can freeze this?

Macaroni and Cheese freezes great! Cook like normal and place in a foil 9×9 baking pan to freeze. When you are ready to eat it, allow it to thaw, and just bake it in the oven at 350 degrees (covered) for about 30 minutes. You can even top it with shredded cheese and breadcrumbs to make an even fancier dish. 😉

Variation ideas:

  • Use different types of pasta. Some ideas include bowtie, shells, penne and more. Just use what you have.
  • Out of cheddar? Monterrey Jack cheese is good. We have even mixed mozzarella with cheddar when we didn’t have enough cheddar. You can use anything!
  • Toss in leftover Rotisserie chicken or even tuna to make this like a casserole.
  • Sneak in veggies. You can puree cauliflower and mix in with the cheese. The kids won’t even notice.

As you can see, the ideas are endless for this easy mac and cheese recipe. Just use what you have in your pantry or can get on sale.

Shopping sales really makes a big difference in our grocery budget. Easy recipes like this keep my family happy and my grocery budget in good shape. This is how I keep our grocery budget reasonable.

I cut our grocery bill by 50% off by following these 8 Tips for for Saving Money on Groceries by Menu Planning! Save that money for something else and that this amazing meal to your meal plan!

Don’t you think your family would love this one pot homemade macaroni and cheese recipe?

If you love comfort food, this mac and cheese recipe will definitely be a hit. It is so amazing and really simple.

Now, I do prefer to use block cheese and shredding cheese is very quick. The pre shredded cheese often does not melt as well.

This one pot side dish is so easy and there is very little to clean up. You will love only having the one pan.

Fee free to make baked macaroni and cheese if you prefer. Just do what your family enjoys. Homemade macaroni is amazing and really simple.

The cheese sauce is not difficult at all and much better than the boxed stuff. Just remember to cook the pasta al dente.

Give this a try and let us know how you like it. Enjoy! Once you see how easy this is and how wonderful it tastes, you will make it all the time. It is the best!

Print this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe below:

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One Pot Macaroni and Cheese

4.84 from 24 votes
You can make this easy macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Side Dish
Calories 330

Ingredients

  • 8 oz Small Elbow Macaroni
  • 2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Milk
  • 1 1/2 cups Water
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions

  • Add the water, milk, pasta, salt and pepper to a medium size pot.
  • Heat over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Stir frequently and watch closely so that the milk does not over boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cook until the pasta is done which should take approximately 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently and add more water if needed as the pasta will absorb the liquid.
  • Remove the pot from the heat.
  • Then stir in the freshly grated cheddar cheese until melted and well combined.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Such an incredibly easy side dish you family will love!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 330kcal, Carbohydrates 32g, Protein 16g, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 9g, Cholesterol 46mg, Sodium 459mg, Potassium 202mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 4g, Vitamin A 476IU, Calcium 350mg, Iron 1mg

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You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

Try these other easy one pot recipes:

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

Try these easy side dish recipes

You can make this easy homemade macaroni and cheese recipe in just 15 minutes. The kids love it and it tastes amazing!

Serve with a Bowl of Chili

We also like to serve mac and cheese with chili. They pair great together. Check out our What to Serve with Chili for more easy ideas.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Way too much pepper for my kids! Otherwise good. Next time I’ll increase the salt and decrease the pepper.

  2. LOVE homemade Mac & Cheese, but never dreamed it could be so easy! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for the American Cheese tip.

  3. I love this easy recipe & make it in my rice cooker. Just about the same measurements except use equal amounts of water and pasta. Don’t drain the remaining water when the pasta is cooked; just add the milk and cheese and let it sit on warm for about 5 minutes.

  4. The easiest recipe in the world, and yet most favored…:)) Thanks so much!