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Quick Mac and Cheese for One

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 A quick recipe for mac and cheese for one. Easy, cheesy, and oh so good.

Is it lunchtime? Is it dinner time? Are you starving? Do you need a mac and cheese fix? Yes? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you: mac and cheese for one.

This homemade macaroni and cheese is just as quick as the kind that comes out of a box, is one thousand times more delicious, and won’t leave you with a mass of gross congealed leftovers. (Seriously, have you ever tried to reheat leftover boxed mac and cheese? It’s not pretty and neither is food waste!)

A spoonful of mac and cheese for one.

 

I grew up in a boxed mac and cheese household, and just like when I learned how to make homemade mashed potatoes, when I discovered how easy homemade macaroni and cheese was to make, I had no idea why we hadn’t just been making it from scratch all along.

It takes exactly the same amount of time, and if you keep a basic stocked kitchen, cheese and any sort of pasta in your house, YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS.

Ingredient Notes

  • Macaroni or pasta of choice: You can use traditional macaroni pasta if you have it or whatever pasta shapes you have on hand. Conchiglie, farfalle, and even larger tube pastas like penne or rigatoni will all work fine. Just pay attention to how you measure your pasta. This recipe calls for 2.5 ounces of pasta, which is 1/2 cup of macaroni, but different pasta shapes have different volume measurements, so if you don’t have a scale to measure your pasta, use a pasta weight to volume table like this one to make sure you’re using the correct amount. 
  • Salted butter: I call for salted butter here, but if using unsalted, simply add a generous pinch of salt and then adjust salt to taste when making the sauce. 
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Any cheddar cheese will work fine, but I prefer sharp cheddar because of the stronger flavor it gives the sauce. You can also try mixing in other melty cheeses like Pecorino Romano (my favorite!!), gouda, or gruyere. 
  • Milk: You can use any percentage milk you have on hand. The higher fat the milk, the richer and creamier your sauce will be. 

Single-serve homemade macaroni and cheese in a white bowl.

How to Make Single-serve Macaroni and Cheese

  1. In a small pot, boil some pasta, and while that cooks, in a separate pot, stir together a little butter and flour. Whisk in milk until the sauce thickens and then add cheese. 
  2. Add salt and pepper to taste along with a bit of cayenne and nutmeg if you’d like and then pour the sauce over the drained pasta and done!

In under 20 minutes, you’ll have rich cheesy mac and cheese for one, portion-controlled and so good you could cry. And if you are feeling extra hungry or want to make it for two or more, the recipe sizes up with just a slightly longer cooking time (see doubling notes).

Variations

Want to up your mac and cheese game? Try these upgrades:

  • Hot dog & ketchup: 1/2 cooked hot dog + ketchup. You know what to do with them. (I do not approve of or endorse this upgrade, but everyone I know insists it’s delicious. 😉 )
  • Sausage mac & cheese: 1/2 cup sliced smoked sausage browned in a skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer sausage slices to a paper towel-lined plate, and blot gently before stirring into your prepared macaroni and cheese.
  • Short rib mac & cheese: Use the meat from 1 or 2 leftover braised short ribs and stir them into your mac and cheese. 
  • Deluxe mac & cheese: Generously butter both sides of a slice of white bread and use a serrated knife to slice it into 1-inch cubes. Pour your cooked mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish and sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top, followed by the bread pieces. Bake at 375°F for 5 to 10 minutes until bread is toasty.

FAQ

Can I double this recipe? 

Absolutely. The recipe doubles with no preparation changes except the sauce will take slightly longer to thicken when you add the milk. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

Can I make mac and cheese ahead of time?

Like any macaroni and cheese, this recipe is best when eaten right after it’s cooked. You *can* refrigerate and reheat it, but the sauce won’t be as smooth and creamy. 

Close photo of mac and cheese for one in a white bowl with a spoon sticking out.

A spoonful of mac and cheese for one.

Quick Mac and Cheese for One

A quick recipe for mac and cheese for one. Easy, cheesy, and oh so good.
4.92 from 142 votes
Print
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 1
Calories: 641kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 2.5 ounces (½ cup) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice*
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk any percentage
  • ½ cup (2oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne optional
  • Pinch of nutmeg optional

Instructions

  • Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.
  • While your water heats, shred cheese, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
  • Cook macaroni according to the instructions on the box.
  • While your pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until a thick paste forms and turns golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around the edges, 2 to 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the pasta will cut the level of spice once added. If you like nutmeg and cayenne (I do!), start with a sprinkle, taste, and work your way up. A little of both goes a long way!
  • Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir in cheese sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

*If using a pasta other than macaroni, be sure to measure it by weight and not volume. Different pasta shapes will have different cup measurements for 2.5 ounces, so 1/2 cup is not universal for all pasta. 
*You can use whatever mix of melty cheeses you would like. When I have it on hand, a bit of Pecorino Romano mixed in is my FAV.
Doubling notes: No changes when doubling, except sauce will take a minute or two longer to thicken once the milk is added.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

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Comments

  1. Meika says

    4 stars
    Great recipe! I accidentally didn’t add enough milk but that’s my own fault, and I was able to fix it. Would recommend to anyone looking for a good single serving Mac + cheese. I definitely will be making this again 😀

    Reply

  3. Pali says

    Recipe looks delicious but was wondering can this be made with soy milk? I can’t have cows milk but can have hard cheeses. TIA!

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      Hi, Pali. I’ve never tried it before, but I looked up some non-dairy sauces and this has the same ratios, so it should work. Please let me know how it turns out!

      Reply

    • Ashley says

      4 stars
      I made this with plant milk and it works fine.

      However, I think the amount of sauce is way too much compared to the amount of pasta it calls for.

      Reply

  4. Ash says

    5 stars
    I’ve made this a couple times with spinach rotini and a mild cheddar/jack blend. I also threw some fresh broccoli florets in with my pasta while it cooked, about a minute and a half to 2 minutes before draining. It came out perfect! The broccoli added some great texture and crunch, and requires about the same amount of effort as making the boxed stuff, but tastes infinitely better.

    Reply

  5. Michele says

    5 stars
    I can’t cook, but my wife is out of town and I wanted an easy cheese sauce for one that I could handle. This hit the nail on the head!

    Ended up just making the mac n cheese and loving it! I threw some peas and shredded chicken in and tada! I made a meal and didn’t start a fire!

    Reply

  6. r.a. says

    Thanks for an easy recipe, I just needed one serving for a friend. My upgrade is a slice of fresh tomato on the top with a bit of reserved cheese sprinkled over, then baked until the cheese is good and melted, the ultimate way to enjoy mac and cheese.

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      So glad it worked out for you! And I’ve never had mac and cheese with a tomato on top. I’ll have to give it a try!

      Reply

  7. amy says

    5 stars
    This recipe is AMAZING! I’m addicted to Trader’s Joe’s frozen mac & cheese, but I run out more frequently than I’d like. This is just as good and really makes for a quick single serving.

    Reply

  8. Natalie says

    5 stars
    Just tried this and its amazing! Been looking for a quick mac and cheese for lunchtime etc. Took about 20 mins. I also added mustard 🙂

    Reply

      • Mina says

        I’m fourteen and this was a super easy recipe to make for myself when I didn’t like what Mom cooked for dinner haha! Thanks Tracy!

    • Jasmine says

      I did too. About a tsp of Dijon mustard. It tasted amazing and the sauce thickened nicely. Had to convert everything to Australian measurements, but that was pretty easy. Overall a really tasty recipe

      Reply

  9. Ande says

    5 stars
    Just made your recipe with gluten free rice flour and gf pasta. I needed an easy recipe for my gf 4 year old and this worked great. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Juwi says

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe with mozzarella cheese as I prefer it over cheddar, it still came out yummy. I doubled it to share with my family and they also liked it. At first, I thought it was not thick enough so I added more flour, turns out I just had to wait it out to become thick, so mine tasted a bit doughy – no complaints though. Thank you.

      Reply
4.92 from 142 votes (87 ratings without comment)

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