10 One Pot Mac and Cheese Recipes for Family Dinner (October 2026)

These one pot mac and cheese recipes for family dinner all start in a single pot, never get drained, and land on the table in 25 to 35 minutes. Every one below gives you exact quantities, numbered steps, a doneness cue you can see, and a storage plan, so you can cook from your phone while the homework happens at the other end of the house.

What they have in common is technique, not a shared ingredient list. The pasta cooks directly in the milk, so the starch it releases thickens the sauce on its own and nothing goes down the drain. Add your cheese a handful at a time, keep the heat low enough to hold a lazy simmer, and you get the creamy version without a roux, a colander, or a second pan to wash. Start with the classic below, then work outward to broccoli, buffalo chicken, and sausage.

If you are planning a bigger meal, the easy soup recipes for dinner are an easy second side, and the best casserole recipes for dinner take over when you want a dish that can wait.

One Pot Mac and Cheese Recipes for Family Dinner at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
1. Classic Creamy One Pot Mac and Cheese	25 min	Easy	The dependable one to cook first
2. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon	30 min	Easy	Kids who eat anything salty and crisp
3. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Chicken	30 min	Easy	Turning leftovers into a whole dinner
4. One Pot Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese	30 min	Easy	Children who want a familiar, mild cheese
5. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Broccoli	30 min	Easy	A more balanced plate, vegetables hidden well
6. One Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese	30 min	Medium	Adults who want heat with a heat dial
7. One Pot Fajita Mac and Cheese	35 min	Medium	Using what is already in the fridge
8. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Peppers	35 min	Medium	Feeding picky eaters a real main course
9. One Pot Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese	30 min	Easy	Vegetable-forward with a creamy, silky sauce
10. One Pot Mac and Cheese Pizza Pasta	30 min	Easy	Making cheese and tomato count as a fun night

Choosing the Right One Pot Mac and Cheese Recipes for Family Dinner

The ten recipes here fall into three groups. The first four, from classic to garlic Parmesan, are pure cheese dishes with no add-ins, and they are the ones children accept most easily. The middle four, broccoli, buffalo chicken, fajita and sausage, are the ones that turn a side dish into dinner. The last two, spinach artichoke and pizza pasta, sit in between, familiar enough for picky eaters but different enough that nobody thinks they are eating the same plate twice.

On speed, the fastest is the classic at 25 minutes and the slowest is the fajita and sausage versions at about 35, which is realistic once you account for browning meat before the pasta goes in. Two recipes carry a heat level you control rather than inherit: the buffalo version takes its heat from a small amount of buffalo sauce stirred in at the end, so you can make two pots, one mild and one hot, from the same base.

Two things are worth knowing before you start. All of these are dairy-heavy, and the ones with bacon, sausage or chicken carry meat, so they are not suitable for a vegetarian table as written. And every recipe keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, which is why the storage notes matter if your family eats dinner at wildly different times.

1. Classic Creamy One Pot Mac and Cheese

This is the version I make when I want the result nobody argues with. Three cheeses, a little Dijon, and the pasta cooking right in the milk give you the smoothest sauce of the ten with the least work.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cups whole milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup (2 oz / 55 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Put the butter, 3 cups of the milk, the salt and the pepper in a large pot or Dutch oven and set it over medium heat.
2. Stir until the milk is steaming and small bubbles ring the edge, about 2 minutes. Do not let it come to a rolling boil.
3. Add the macaroni and press it down so it sits in an even layer, then stir once.
4. Bring back to a bare simmer, stirring often so nothing catches, and cook 9 to 11 minutes until the pasta is tender with no hard bit at the centre.
5. Stir in the Dijon and the garlic powder.
6. Toss the grated cheeses with the cornstarch in a bowl until every shred is lightly coated, then add them to the pot in four or five additions, stirring until each batch melts before the next goes in.
7. Stir in the last cup of milk, a splash at a time, until the sauce coats a spoon and falls off slowly.
8. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve straight from the pot.

Tip: The sauce should look like thin cream when it leaves the spoon, not like melted glue. If it holds its shape, loosen it with milk a tablespoon at a time.

Swap it: Use half-and-half in place of the milk for a richer bowl, or add 1 cup of cauliflower florets with the pasta for a quieter vegetable.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge in a shallow container. Reheat in a splash of milk over low heat, stirring, until hot all the way through to 165°F (74°C). It freezes fine for 2 months, though loosen it with milk when you thaw it overnight in the fridge.

2. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Bacon does two jobs here: it crisps in the butter at the start and seasons the whole pot, so the sauce tastes like more than salt. It is a good choice for a family that has already met its vegetable quota for the day. Contains pork, dairy and gluten.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or scallions

Instructions

1. Cook the chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, then add 2 tablespoons of butter and the milk to the pot.
3. Season with the salt and pepper, bring to a bare simmer, and add the macaroni in an even layer.
4. Cook at a low simmer, stirring often, 9 to 11 minutes until the pasta is tender and the milk has thickened around it.
5. Stir in the Dijon, then add the cheeses with the cornstarch, a handful at a time, stirring until each melts completely.
6. Fold in two thirds of the bacon and the parsley.
7. Spoon into the pot and scatter the rest of the bacon over the top. Let it sit 2 minutes so the top cheese softens.

Tip: Pull the bacon before it turns dark brown. It crisps again as it sits on top of the finished dish, and overcooked bits turn to gravel by the time the pasta is done.

Swap it: Turkey bacon works if that is what you have. Cook it less, about 5 minutes, since it does not render as much fat.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, with the bacon stored separately so it stays crisp. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of milk to 165°F (74°C). Hold the extra bacon in a small container and scatter it over each serving.

3. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Chicken

This is the recipe that turns last night’s roast chicken into tonight’s dinner. Shredded chicken folds in at the end so it never dries out, and the sauce is rich enough to stand up to it without tasting like a casserole.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Warm the butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large pot over medium heat until the milk steams but does not boil.
2. Stir in the macaroni and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has gone silky and thick.
4. Stir in the Dijon mustard.
5. Add the cheeses with the cornstarch in three or four batches, stirring until each melts before the next.
6. Fold in the shredded chicken and half the parsley, then warm through for 3 minutes.
7. Check the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C) in the thickest pieces if it was not cooked to that temperature earlier, then serve.

Tip: Shred the chicken while the pasta is simmering. A rotisserie chicken picked from the grocery store, or the breast you carved last night, both work and take about a minute of prep.

Swap it: Use turkey or ham in place of the chicken, or leave the meat out and double the parsley with a cup of roasted butternut squash for a meat-free version.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered with a splash of milk over low heat, stirring, until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C) in the centre. Cool it fast on a wide plate before putting it away, and reheat it only once.

4. One Pot Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese

Mild, savoury and familiar all at once, which makes this the safest pick for younger children. Roast the garlic ahead if you like, but the stovetop version below keeps everything in the one pot and takes two minutes longer.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the minced garlic for 1 minute, until it smells sweet and is just starting to colour.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Add the macaroni and cook 9 to 11 minutes at a low simmer, stirring often, until tender.
4. Stir in half of the Parmesan and all of the mozzarella, a handful at a time, until smooth.
5. Loosen with milk if the sauce looks stiff, then scatter the remaining Parmesan over the surface.
6. Let the pot sit on low heat for 2 minutes so the top Parmesan melts into a light crust.
7. Finish with parsley and serve.

Tip: Grate the Parmesan from a block, not the bagged pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-c clump agents that keep it from melting smoothly, which is the main reason sauces go grainy.

Swap it: Add 2 cups of thawed and squeezed-dry spinach at the very end, or use 3 cups of shredded gouda in place of half the mozzarella for a nuttier flavour.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, covered so the top does not harden. Reheat with a splash of milk on low until 165°F (74°C). The Parmesan crust softens in the fridge, so save the last few minutes under the broiler if you want it back.

5. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

Broccoli is the vegetable most families will actually eat in mac and cheese, because it keeps its shape, its colour and a little bite. The trick is timing: it goes in for the last four minutes so it never goes soft and green-brown.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 22 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 3 cups small broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Warm the butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large pot over medium heat until steaming.
2. Add the macaroni and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened.
4. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and add the broccoli.
5. Simmer for 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the florets are bright green and just tender with a little resistance in the middle.
6. Stir in the Dijon, then add the cheeses with the cornstarch in batches until fully melted.
7. Season and serve straight away. Broccoli keeps steaming in the pot, so plate it quickly.

Tip: Cut the florets smaller than you think you should. Children accept broccoli they can get onto a fork in one bite, and smaller pieces cook evenly in four minutes.

Swap it: Use 2 cups of frozen peas, or swap half the broccoli for cauliflower florets. Both go in at the same point in the method.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Broccoli reheats better in the pot than in a microwave, so warm it covered over low heat with a splash of milk until 165°F (74°C) and stir once before serving.

6. One Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

The heat here is entirely adjustable, because the buffalo sauce goes in after the cheese melts. I make a mild pot for the table and keep the bottle on the side for the adults, which is usually how this one gets solved.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/3 cup buffalo hot sauce, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Warm the butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large pot over medium heat until steaming.
2. Add the macaroni, bring to a bare simmer, and cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick.
3. Stir in half the hot sauce and the ranch dressing.
4. Add the cheeses with the cornstarch in batches, stirring until each melts completely.
5. Fold in the shredded chicken and warm through for 3 minutes, making sure the chicken is at 165°F (74°C) if it was not cooked to that temperature already.
6. Taste, then add the remaining hot sauce a teaspoon at a time until the heat is where you want it.
7. Top with green onions and serve with extra hot sauce on the side.

Tip: Add the hot sauce after the cheese, never before. If it goes in with the milk it dulls the flavour, and you lose the ability to dial it back.

Swap it: Use a hotter vinegar-based sauce rather than a mild one for more of a kick, or drop the hot sauce entirely and finish with smoked paprika for a gentler version that still tastes like buffalo.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Buffalo sauce dulls and the sauce tightens as it chills, so reheat with a splash of milk over low heat, stir well, and add a fresh drizzle of hot sauce once it is hot to 165°F (74°C).

7. One Pot Fajita Mac and Cheese

Peppers and onion soften in the butter first, which gives the whole pot a sweet base that survives the cheese. Everything from the fajita tray ends up in the same pot, and it reheats better than it looks like it should.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 12 min · Cook: 23 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning, divided
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, plus cilantro, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until softened and starting to colour at the edges.
2. Stir in the milk, salt, black pepper and one tablespoon of the fajita seasoning, and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Add the macaroni in an even layer and cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring often, until tender and the milk is thick.
4. Stir in the shredded chicken and the rest of the fajita seasoning and warm through for 3 minutes.
5. Add the cheeses with the cornstarch in batches, stirring until each melts.
6. Loosen with milk if needed, then top each serving with the diced tomato and cilantro.

Tip: Add the chopped tomato only at the table. It goes watery in the pot and thins the sauce you just worked to thicken.

Swap it: Skip the chicken and double the peppers for a vegetarian version, or use cooked ground beef that has reached 160°F (71°C). Black beans stirred in with the cheese also work well.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, stored without the fresh tomato and cilantro. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of milk until 165°F (74°C), then top with the tomato when it goes on the table.

8. One Pot Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Peppers

This is the one that convinces a picky eater there is a real dinner on the table, because the sausage is browned properly first and the peppers go soft. It takes ten minutes longer than the plain version and it is worth every one of them.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 g) breakfast sausage or Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until the pieces are cooked through and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Ground sausage must reach 160°F (71°C) in the thickest pieces.
2. Push the sausage to the edges, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook the peppers and onion in the fat for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Stir in the milk, salt, pepper and smoked paprika and bring to a bare simmer.
4. Add the macaroni and cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick.
5. Add the cheeses with the cornstarch in batches, stirring until fully melted.
6. Loosen with a splash of milk if the sauce is stiff, then serve from the pot.

Tip: Brown the sausage in its own fat and let it sit a minute before adding liquid. If you pour the milk in while the meat is still wet, the whole pot steams instead of frying and nothing browns.

Swap it: Use mild Italian sausage with the heat level kept separate, or skip the meat and add 2 cups of roasted mushrooms plus a second tablespoon of butter for the browning step.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of milk until 165°F (74°C) throughout, stirring so the sausage does not scorch against the bottom of the pot.

9. One Pot Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

The most grown-up dish of the ten, and still a family hit with older children. Two things decide whether it works: draining the artichokes properly and squeezing the spinach dry. Skip either and you get a thin, pale sauce.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 1 jar (14 oz / 400 g) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
• 5 ounces (140 g) baby spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup (4 oz / 115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, to finish

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the minced garlic for 1 minute.
2. Add the milk, salt and black pepper and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Stir in the macaroni and cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened.
4. Add the chopped artichokes for the last 3 minutes of cooking so they stay recognisable.
5. Add the cheeses with the cornstarch in batches, stirring until each melts into the sauce.
6. Fold in the squeezed spinach and stir for 1 minute until it wilts and the sauce stays creamy.
7. Finish with Parmesan, a crack of black pepper, and serve.

Tip:Squeeze the spinach in a clean towel until no water runs out. Spinach carries a surprising amount of liquid, and that is what turns the sauce grey and loose.

Swap it: Swap the spinach for thawed and squeezed chopped kale, or add 1 cup of thawed peas along with the artichokes. Leave out the Parmesan on the table for anyone who will not eat green things.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of milk until steaming hot and 165°F (74°C), stirring well so the spinach distributes.

10. One Pot Mac and Cheese Pizza Pasta

Tomato sauce and cheese, and every ingredient already in the house. It is the version that works when you have football on and a child who decides plain mac is boring, and it reheats without splitting like a baked pizza does.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 22 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups (15 oz / 425 g) marinara sauce
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound (450 g) elbow macaroni
• 2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 cups (8 oz / 225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup pepperoni slices
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the marinara sauce, milk, oregano and salt and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Add the macaroni in an even layer and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick.
4. Add half the mozzarella and all the cheddar, in batches, stirring until each melts.
5. Fold in the pepperoni slices so they soften in the sauce.
6. Top with the remaining mozzarella and let the pot sit on low for 2 minutes until the top melts.

Tip: Add the pepperoni after the cheese, not before. It goes crisp and slightly curled in the sauce and stays that way on the plate, instead of turning into flat chewy discs.

Swap it: Use turkey pepperoni, or replace it with sliced olives and diced mushrooms. Add a cup of cooked diced pepperoni-style sausage if you want more protein.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of milk until 165°F (74°C), stirring, then add fresh pepperoni on top if you want the crunch back.

Tips for Making These

• Shred your own cheese. The cellulose and cornstarch in pre-shredded bags is there to stop the shreds clumping in the bag, and it stops them melting smoothly in the pot. A box grater takes two minutes.
• Add cheese a handful at a time. Four or five additions, each stirred until it melts completely, give you a smooth sauce. One big dump gives you clumps that will not come back.
• Toss the shredded cheese in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch before it goes in. This is the single biggest difference between a silky sauce and a grainy one.
• Keep it at a bare simmer, never a rolling boil. Milk scorches on the bottom of a wide pot at high heat, and the starch that is thickening the sauce needs a gentle heat to thicken evenly. Stir every minute or two.
• Add vegetables late and add them dry. Broccoli, spinach and artichokes go in for the last 3 to 4 minutes, and anything thawed from frozen gets squeezed dry first.
• Loosen with milk on reheat, never in the microwave. Mac and cheese thickens as it cools and as it sits. Warm it with a splash of milk over low heat, never in the microwave, and stir often.

For a bigger table, the easy Instant Pot dinner recipes handle a crowd without constant stirring, and the easy sheet pan dinner recipes pair well as a side when you want to keep the oven free for something else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which One Pot Mac and Cheese Should You Make First?

Start with the classic. It is the shortest recipe on this page, the one that needs the fewest ingredients, and the one that teaches you the method the other nine are built on, which is pasta cooking in the milk with the cheese going in a handful at a time. Get that one right and the rest are variations rather than new skills.

Once it is in the rotation, pick the recipe that matches your family’s week. The broccoli version is the one to make when you want a vegetable on the plate without a negotiation. The chicken and pizza pasta versions are the ones that convert a plain mac and cheese into a proper dinner, and the buffalo version is worth saving for an evening when the adults are eating and the heat can be set mild for everyone else. All ten of these one pot mac and cheese recipes for family dinner come out of a single pot, so whichever you pick, the washing up stays short.