• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Easy and Delish logo

  • About
    • Meet Denise!
    • COOKBOOK
    • Contact
    • Press
  • All Recipes
  • BRAZILIAN FOOD
  • Conversions
    • How Many Sticks of Butter in a Cup?
    • How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?
    • Temperature Conversion (Chart & Calculator)
    • US Cups to Ounces to Grams for Common Ingredients (Charts)
    • Volume Conversions (Table for Dry & Liquid Ingredients)
    • Baking Substitutions (with Charts & Tables)
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Português
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Página Inicial
  • About
  • Sobre Mim
  • All Recipes
  • Todas as Receitas
  • Shop
  • Conversions
  • Vídeos
  • Português
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > American Recipes

    Published: Oct 31, 2017 · Modified: Apr 20, 2019 by Denise Browning · "This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission." · 6 Comments

    One Bowl Microwave Mac and Cheese


    Jump to Recipe ↓

    Microwave Mac and Cheese is a mess-free, quick and easy dish prepared FROM SCRATCH in one bowl with staple ingredients. It is comfort food that can be enjoyed all year round!

    mac and cheese on a bowl

    We are just a few weeks away from Thanksgiving... and one of the most requested side dishes for my holiday table is Mac & Cheese.

    With a turkey to roast and many other course dishes to prepare, I decided to put my traditional recipe to a test. Yes, I made a One Bowl Microwave Mac and Cheese.

    And you know what? This thing is darn good and only takes about 15 minutes to prep and cook. It's magic in the kitchen!

    Forget about boxed mac and cheese! Prepare our quick and super delish Microwave Mac and Cheese -- which by the way is a comfort food that can be enjoyed all year round.

    Yep, it makes a no-fuss, mess-free, quick weeknight meal with the power to please a crowd.

    Thus, these 12 Quick Weeknight Meals to Make Dinner Easier !

    HOW TO MAKE ONE BOWL MICROWAVE MAC AND CHEESE (FROM SCRATCH)

    All we have to do is to combine macaroni pasta, water, and salt in a microwave safe bowl and cook for about 8 minutes in 2-minute intervals until the pasta is cooked.

    Then stir in unsalted butter, heavy cream or half-and-half, cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and ground black pepper.

    Microwave again for about 1 minute or until cheese melts. Stir and enjoy right away!

    You can garnish with a touch of red pepper flakes and fresh herbs such as basil or oregano...

    ...and serve either by itself or as an accompaniment for turkey or any other meat.

    bowls of pasta and garnishes on the side

    See? Easy peasy!

    In fact, it is so simple to prepare that even a child can make it. Mixing and microwaving are the only "skills" required here.

    As you can see, this is way easier and less messier than the stove-top and oven-baked versions made from scratch. 

    OTHER WAYS TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE

    Besides microwave mac and cheese, there is stovetop mac & cheese as well as the baked version. 

    Here are 2 baked versions:

    Mac and Cheese Carbonara

    Brazilian Mac and Cheese

    ABOUT MAC AND CHEESE

    Mac and cheese, also known as macaroni and cheese in America and Canada, macaroni cheese in the UK, and macaroni pie in Caribbean English, is made from macaroni pasta and cheese sauce (Mornay sauce) and baked in the oven.

    But our Microwave Macaroni and Cheese abbreviates the process, requiring no roux (a mixture of butter and flour) to prepare the dish, yet achieving the desired creaminess. 

    Got it? So enjoy-- not only for the holidays, but why not the whole year round?!

     

    TO PIN AND ENJOY!

    close up of mac and cheese

     

     

     

    mac and cheese on a bowl
    Print SAVE Saved Recipe! Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    One Bowl Microwave Mac and Cheese

    Microwave Mac and Cheese is a mess-free, quick and easy dish prepared in one bowl with staple ingredients. It is comfort food that can be enjoyed all year round! 
    Prep Time 6 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 9 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 2 people
    Author Denise Browning

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups elbow macaroni
    • 2 cups water
    • ¾ teaspoon salt (or a bit more if desired)
    • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
    • ⅓ cup cream cheese
    • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (if using half-and-half add ½ additional cup of cheese)
    • Pinch of ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the pasta, water, and salt together. Microwave on high power for about 8 minutes in 2-minute intervals until the pasta is al dente or cooked. Stir mixture between intervals. Note: Cooking time can vary according to the potency of your microwave. If water is absorbed before pasta is cooked, add a bit more water.
    • Once pasta is cooked, stir in the butter, heavy cream, cream cheese, cheddar, and pepper. Return bowl to the microwave and let cook for about 1 additional minute or until cheese melts. Stir and enjoy immediately! If desired, you can garnish the top with red pepper flakes and fresh herbs such as basil or oregano.

    ** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

    Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

    « Quick and Easy Kale Pesto Pasta
    How to Brine and Roast a Turkey & Tips for a Juicy Bird »

    Filed Under: American Recipes, Easy And Delish, Easy Dinner Recipes, Easy One Pot Meals, Quick & Easy Recipes Tagged With: one bowl

    Subscribe

    for your weekly recipe fix.

    Please read our privacy policies before subscribing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb|EastofEdenCooking.com says

      October 31, 2017 at 5:20 pm

      One bowl mac and cheese! Count me in! Usually Thanksgiving sides take so much kitchen time. A fantastic recipe.

      Reply
    2. John/Kitchen Riffs says

      November 01, 2017 at 9:16 am

      LOVE mac 'n cheese! I often bake mine, but this is so much easier! And the flavor looks terrific. Thanks!

      Reply
    3. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

      November 01, 2017 at 11:57 pm

      Yes, this looks fabulous and my daughter loves mac and cheese. Believe it or not, I do not! And I never knew people served mac and cheese at a Thanksgiving dinner until I helped host one as a volunteer for a great organization. Denise where have I been? LOL!

      Reply
    4. Glenn says

      October 23, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      I love mac and cheese from scratch although I hate to prepare the cheese sauce with the roux. This mac and cheese was creamy and way quicker to make than the traditional recipe. It's my new favorite!

      Reply
    5. Donna says

      November 26, 2019 at 9:14 am

      This is great but what pasts do I use to keep it Keto? I know regular pasta is a big know know for Keto so I'm confused?? How is this OR is this a Keto recipe?!

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        November 26, 2019 at 6:48 pm

        Hi, Donna! I am sorry but I am confused too. I have never stated this recipe is keto so where did you get the idea from? However, if you use a keto pasta or zoodles, it can become a keto dish. If you use a GF pasta, it can become a gluten-free dish... and so on. All depends which type of pasta you use. All the rest of the ingredients are considered keto except for the pasta that I used in this recipe.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




     

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Denise Browning!

    photo of Denise Browning smiling
    I'm a professional Chef with an expertise in Brazilian food. I am also a busy mom of two girls, living in Texas. Here you will find budget-friendly, healthy Brazilian and Global Recipes made Easy and Delish! I'd love to help you feed your family healthy dinners (many low carb) with a few splurges because life is all about balance! Join our community and happy cooking!

    About Me

    ORDER NOW!

    Cover of The Complete 5-Ingredient Cookbook by Denise Browning

    GET YOUR COPY NOW!

    The easy keto dessert ebook cover
    Subscribe for FREE Email Updates
    Receive EASY & DELISH recipes for free every week! Please check our PRIVACY POLICY!

     

    Marketing by
    Click here & join us on PINTEREST
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • PortuguêsPortuguês
    Portrait of Denise Browning, author of Easy and Delish

    Hi, I'm Denise Browing a professional chef and cookbook author. My mission is to help you cook budget-friendly, healthy global meals for your family with some occasional splurges. They are sure to bring a lot of excitement to your table

    More about me →

    Popular

    • A close up of beef brisket with veggies
      Easy & Juicy Beef Brisket Recipe
    • A bowl of cabbage soup
      The BEST Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe and 7-Day Diet Soup Chart (Printable)
    • A pot of shrimp in coconut sauce
      One Pot Shrimp in Coconut Sauce
    • close up de camarao internacional sendo regado com o molho
      Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet Recipe (5-Ingredient)

    Order Now!

    Cover of The Complete 5-Ingredient Cookbook by Denise Browning

    Get Your Copy Now!

    The easy keto dessert ebook cover
    Click Here & Join Us on Pinterest

    Seasonal

    • close up image of slow-cooked pulled brisket in a bowl.
      Pulled Brisket (Slow-Cooked)
    • close up of several ricotta toasts with two different savory toppings.
      Whipped Ricotta Toast
    • close up of half of a bowl of whipped ricotta dip with grilled toast and crudites on the side.
      Whipped Ricotta Dip
    • oven baked pork ribs served in a skillet with some veggies.
      Oven Baked Pork Ribs (Brazilian-Style)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Recipes | Brazilian Recipes | Contact | Privacy Policy

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Easy and Delish