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!)
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.
How to Make Single-serve Macaroni and Cheese
- 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.
- 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.
More Single-serve Recipes
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
Quick Mac and Cheese for One
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
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Sarah says
I made this for my 11 year old. I am not a Mac n cheese lover at all. But my son can’t get enough. This is the perfect amount. I added 1/2 tsp of parsley and 1/2 a tsp garlic powder and a slice of chopped ham. Went down a storm.
Thank u 4 this simple recipe.
Tracy says
So glad your son enjoyed it, Sarah!!
Tracy Atkinson says
Just made this for my lunch! For the cheese sauce I put the butter, flour and milk in at the same time and whisked constantly whilst the butter melted and sauce thickened. I may have added a little extra cheese too. I just used black pepper for seasoning. Great, quick, comforting Mac and cheese. I’ll be using this recipe loads. Thank you
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Tracy!!
Mama654 says
My son wanted mac & cheese for his birthday but no one else in the family can have that much cheese in one sitting. This recipe worked perfectly! I use gluten-free macaroni pasta. I also melted some butter and mixed it with some gluten-free breadcrumbs To top the mac & cheese. It was delicious and he loved it!
Jenny B says
This tastes so good! I’ve made it a few times now as it’s so quick, thanks for the recipe
Tracy says
Thanks, Jenny! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Emily says
I followed the recipe to the T and the sauce was really thick and bland (no flavour) sorry just not the one for me
Tracy says
Sorry to hear this didn’t turn out for you, Emily!
Mimi says
This has been one of my comfort-food recipes right now. I’m using 3/4 cup of macaroni instead of 1/2 because I like it a little less saucy. I tried making it “healthier” by adding peas, but this isn’t the sort of recipe that works with — it’s pure cheesy goodness.
Tracy says
Lol so glad you’ve been enjoying it!!
Natalie says
This is so good! It is now my favorite recipe, and it Took exactly 20 minutes like it said!! Im definitely going to make it again soon.
Tracy says
So happy this worked out for you, Natalie!!
Desiree says
Recipe is very simple and delicious!
Tracy says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it, Desiree!
naomi says
i followed this recipe as best as i could but the sauce was way too thick and stuck in clumps to the macaroni. it could just be me, but this recipe was not it for me.
Tracy says
So sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you Naomi! The sauce definitely shouldn’t clump like that. If you want to troubleshoot, feel free to send me an email: tracy@bakingmischief.com
Bri says
Made this at 11 pm cause I was hungry Absolutely amazing!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Bri!!
Dawn Klein says
Whipped this up tonight! It was easy and delicious. Just as creamy as the picture in my head when I decided to make this.
finley green says
its a really good recipe with a lot of explanation and its a perfect size even if you have a big appetite, I would totally recommend this as its a wonderful meal
Tracy says
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Katie says
As an Annie’s addict, this is really the same amount of time and effort as boxed Mac n cheese – and better! I’ve been looking for a single serving so that I can stop shoveling the whole box in my mouth at one time. This was the perfect size. I had to thin out the sauce with some pasta water, but considering I used homemade oat milk and that tends to thicken a lot as it heats, I think that’s just user error. Still turned out great. Thanks!
Heather M. Whipple says
Looks good.
However I cannot seem to get homemade stovetop macaroni and cheese made correctly.
It is to thick and gritty tasting for me.
I think I will use your nacho cheese sauce instead
to put cooked macaroni or other shaped pasta in
and eat it that way.
Sofia M. says
This is a great recipe! I’m fifteen and I made this meal myself ans I absolutely love it! My mom would be proud 😉
Tracy says
LOL, well done, Sofia!! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
Jennifer Street says
Is the 1/2 cup of macaroni uncooked?
Tracy says
Hi, Jennifer, yes, it’s uncooked.