Western
One-Pot Mac & Cheese
Creamy stovetop macaroni cheese made in a single pot — comforting, kid-friendly and ready in 20 minutes.
About this recipe
One-Pot Mac & Cheese is a western lunch for 2 that is built around one boiling pot — easy to scale and hard to overthink., and it takes around 20 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 200g macaroni
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 300ml milk buy
- 100g cheddar cheese buy
- 1/2 tsp mustard buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Boil the macaroni until just tender; drain.
~9 min
- 2
In the same pot, melt butter with flour, whisk in milk to a smooth sauce, then stir in the cheese and mustard.
~6 min
- 3
Fold the macaroni back in; season with pepper and serve.
~3 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Butter
- neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does One-Pot Mac & Cheese take to make? +
Around 20 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Butter → neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make One-Pot Mac & Cheese ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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