I THOUGHT I NAILED IT with our 15-minute homemade mac & cheese.
Then I heard something mind-blowing. You can make one-pot pasta. With almost anything.
Now I just walk around saying, “Wait, what?!? WHY haven’t we been doing this all along? Why have I been washing all these pans? Is this some sort of joint conspiracy fueled by the people at Mrs. Meyers and the hand lotion companies?” Things like that.
For some reason it’s been hard for me to find new friends in North Carolina but I’m pretty sure that muttering about pasta water and extra pots, as though I’m starring in a playground production of Conspiracy Theory has nothing to do with it.
Nothing.
Anyway. Like our 15-minute homemade mac & cheese, this is VERY simple to make and full of fresh ingredients. Nary a powdered pack of cheese in sight.
Both involve peas. And mustard. But this one doesn’t even need an egg. And it’s still ooey-gooey good.
one-pot homemade mac & cheese
This recipe makes enough for 4 small kids. Double for a family meal.
- Yield: 4 small servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole grain elbow pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cracks of fresh pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard (any kind)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Combine the pasta, broth, milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper and mustard in a skillet and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to low and simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed. If the liquid is nearly gone but your noodles aren’t tender, add 1/4 cup of water.
- Once the noodles are soft and the liquid has soaked in, add the cheese and stir. (I like freshly grated because it has more flavor than the bagged kind.)
- Add the peas at the last second. They’re a great tool for adding a little nutrition (and color) but they also cool the dish down fast!
LEFTOVERS IDEA: If you have any left, mix a couple of beaten eggs into the pasta mixture. Then line a muffin pan and cook at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. You’ll have lunchbox-ready pasta cups that can be stored in the freezer, or fridge.
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And if you’ve tested out this recipe, what do you think? Let us know! I’d love all the details too:
- How many kids do you have?
- How easy was this dish to prepare?
- What did the kids say? Thumbs Up, Middle, or Down?
- Would you make it again?
Looks SO good! I am totally intrigued by the idea of only using one pot. Trying!
Kim, I think this method works for LOTS of different flavors and combinations but the key seems to be keeping an eye on the pot. Don’t let the liquid evaporate before the noodles are soft…and you’re all set! Let us know how it goes.
Hi. Why do you add eggs if you want to bake them? And how many?
Hi Sarah! You add eggs to bake them so they cups stay together, to bind them. It’s the same idea as adding an egg to lasagna. Cook the cups for about 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F. It’ll depend on how full you make the muffin tin cups and whether you’ve added any additional veggies. (Things like frozen spinach will produce more liquid than something like peas, or shredded carrots.) Let me know if you do it!
We have other pasta cup recipes here:
This recipe is awesome! I have never been able to get stove top mac and cheese to come out right. The sauce always comes out grainy. But this was perfect! I add a little smoked paprika to boost the color and I have found that American cheese makes the smoothest, creamiest sauce. But if I don’t have that (it can be hard to find), I use a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack. I leave out the peas because my kids won’t eat them, but they love this mac and cheese and I love how it’s just as easy (if not easier) than the box. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that, Lesa. It’s become a favorite around here too, one that’s easy to throw into the rotation any time. Thanks so much for sharing your success!
Made this last night. The flavor was great and it was super easy, but I think I might use less salt next time. I thought I had elbow macaroni, but I didn’t, so i subbed in rotini. When the pasta was done, it seemed a little watery still, but it worked out with adding a little extra cheese to the sauce. I didn’t really like how quickly the peas cooled it down, though.
6yo: thumbs up, but wasn’t too happy to see peas in her mac and cheese.
Almost 3yo: thumbs down. She can be a little difficult about very cheese mac and cheeses. We’ll be trying it again and see what happens. She was also tired, and we all know that kids aren’t as agreeable to things when they are tired.
Adults: thumbs up