Creamy Skillet Macaroni and Cheese
This creamy skillet macaroni and cheese is the best mac and cheese ever! Made in 30 minutes with simple ingredients (no processed cheese!).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m in disbelief of how creamy and cheesy this is-even as leftovers!! Because it is so yummy and fast, I can not justify buying Kraft anymore. Thank you!!! -Cheri
Why This Mac and Cheese is the Best
With hundreds of 5-star reviews, this creamy skillet macaroni and cheese is a tried-and-true keeper of a recipe. It is one of my family’s favorite (easy!) dinners ever.
- No processed cheese. This might be the biggest selling point of this mac and cheese. So many of you have been skeptical that you can get a mac and cheese recipe to turn out this creamy and this luxurious without Velveeta. Just read through the comments to see how many people have been won over by this recipe!
- Just one skillet. The pasta cooks right in the skillet with the other ingredients, which means minimal dishes and super easy cleanup.
- 25 minutes or less. This mac and cheese can be yours FAST, which makes it perfect for when the mac and cheese craving hits.
- No baking required. The macaroni and cheese is ultra-saucy and creamy without an extra trip through the oven to dry it out.
Seriously, this is likely to be the best macaroni and cheese you’ll ever have. And it is so quick and easy!
Key Ingredients Notes
The ingredients are very straightforward, however, there are a few important notes that will ensure this recipe turns out perfectly every time.
- Water: The elbow macaroni cooks in the skillet in both water and evaporated milk. Stir in additional hot water to adjust the consistency (a great way to revive leftovers!).
- Evaporated milk: The evaporated milk adds an extra dimension of creaminess to the pasta as it cooks. I highly recommend using evaporated milk in the can. Some readers have reported using 2% or whole milk in place of the evaporated milk with good results.
- Elbow macaroni: Use dry elbow macaroni as the pasta cooks in the skillet. The recipe calls for 12 ounces elbow macaroni which is about 3 cups.
- Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch is stirred in at the end of cooking. This helps thicken the cream sauce without making it gloopy and heavy.
- Dry mustard: Mustard helps cut through the richness of the mac and cheese.
- Hot sauce: The hot sauce doesn’t add heat or spiciness, so don’t leave it out. It gives a tasty depth of flavor that is really important for the cheesy mac.
- Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses: This might be the most important note of all! I cannot overstate how important it is to use block cheese and grate it yourself for this recipe. Freshly grated cheese will melt infinitely better and more creamy than using preshredded cheese (which is coated with a powdery substance to keep it from clumping but also prevents it from melting well).
- Butter: A small amount of butter is stirred into the macaroni at the end. This ensures a silky, luxurious finish to the mac and cheese.
Important Notes
- Serve Immediately. This skillet macaroni and cheese is best served right away, so keep that in mind when figuring out the timing of when to make it and serve it.
- How to Reheat or Adjust Consistency. While this is best served right away, leftovers can be reheated. Drizzle a bit of water over the macaroni and cheese before reheating or heat a few tablespoons of water to boil and stir into the reheated macaroni and cheese. I also add a little bit more cheese to freshen up the leftovers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The creamiest and tastiest mac and cheese recipe out there. I will NEVER make any other type again. Thanks Mel! -Karen
I posted this recipe nearly 20 years ago with a picture of my young son digging into this mac. Now, my kids are old enough that they make it for themselves! If you’ve been looking for one of the easiest and best mac and cheese recipes out there, you’ve found it!
Creamy Skillet Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups water
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (1 1/2 cups)
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a 12-inch skillet, add the water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, elbow macaroni, and salt, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir often so the macaroni doesn't stick.
- Simmer until the macaroni is tender 9 to 10 minutes. There will still be liquid on the bottom of the skillet.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together. Stir into the skillet.
- Simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Off the heat, stir in the cheeses, one handful at a time. Stir in the butter until melted (return the skillet to low heat, if needed). Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from The Best Skillet Recipes
Recipe originally posted March 2009; updated August 2026 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Absolutely perfect! We will totally be making this again! Thanks for all the no-fail recipes!
Thanks, Hannah!
I have made this about 5 times since my little girl was born. It is so quick and delicious and perfect for lunch with company who’ve come to see the baby. My husband likes to stir in a little milk, a whole leek, and some ham to the leftovers while reheating then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and stick it under the broiler (grill if I have any fellow brits that read this) for an easy dinner the next night. YUM!
Annette – what a fantastic idea to broil this with breadcrumbs and your husband’s other additions. I love those ideas and I’m thrilled that it has been such a hit…
I made this last week and it was so yummy! I’m normally not a fan of anything mixed in with my mac and cheese, but I knew that if you were recommending it, it would be perfect! And it was! My son now claims that he will always eat peas if they are in this mac and cheese! Thanks!! Hope you and your family are having a fabulous Labor Day!!
Kensi – that statement by your son made me laugh. Hold him to it! And it looks like you may be eating mac and cheese a lot now, right? Thanks for your review!
I made this one yesterday, and loved how easy it was. Creamy, and no Velveeta! The kids liked it, another winner:)
Erin – thanks for letting me know you liked this mac and cheese. It reminds me that it’s been a month or so since I’ve made it – my kids love it so I need to make it again!
So good! I loved it!
Thanks, Ashlee!
mia – I love improvising and am glad your changes worked out well! Thanks for letting me know.
okay ~ i basically decided to make this for supper AT supper time so i had to just use what i had in order to do so. i improvised a bit, but i tend to do that with all recipes so it’s all good 😉 so in place of evap milk i used skim. (since i’m a lame-o and tend to try to cook very low fat…i probably would have done this regardless) and i had no jack cheese at all on hand, of course, so i just doubled the cheddar.
this was very yummmmmy. i found it a bit too strong of a cheese flavour (but this would obviously not be the case with the monterey jack in there also…so no fault of the recipe!) i also found it very rich for some reason so i absolutely don’t regret using the non fat milk in it….definitely a keeper!
thanks so much mel for another awesome recipe!
April – I haven’t used any other cheeses but I think you definitely could as long as they are “good-melters” – you wouldn’t want to use a hard cheese like parmesan or asiago, in my opinion, since they don’t melt quite as well.
Sounds delicious and easy! Have you used any other combinations of cheeses in here?
Kayla – I’m glad this recipe was a hit – I love that it is fast, too, and my little picky eaters love it! Thanks for letting me know.
I made this last night for my husband, brother, and sister, and they all loved it. Definitely a winner! I have another mac and cheese recipe that I really like, but it is baked and uses smoked Gouda cheese. This one is so much faster and more appealing for picky eaters. Thanks for sharing!
Another winning recipe! I made this last night (minus ham and peas) as a side for bbq pork. This was very easy and extremely rich and creamy. Another recipe in the rotation. Thank you!!
Becky – thank you for commenting to let me know that you liked this side for BBQ pork – it sounds like a delicious combination!
alexandra – try substituting 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard.
can you leave out or sub something in for dry mustard?
YUMMMY!! We loved it here, perfect quick meal for after work when you feel like you’re running around trying to get supper on the table!Thanks! I’m a huge fan of the blog and have been testing recipes out left and right!
Wow! I made this last week and found Heaven on Earth! Thanks for building up my confidence in homemade macaroni. It had always turned me off for some reason- but this! This is simple beautiful. We gobbled and gobbled! BTW- This doesn’t stroe or reheat well UNLESS you add a little water and place it back in the skillet to reheat. The water will bring back the creamyness. I discovered this when trying to think of how to have a nice hot plate for my husband when he arrived home late from work.Thank you for the recipe!
I just made this for dinner with the ham and peas! It was WONDERFUL…very creamy!
I just have to thank you for saving my dinner. I had seven picky kids to feed and a half hour to do it. Every single one of them loved it! They are all so picky, but thanked me and said it was sooo good! I have tried every mac n cheese out there and this one was the easiest by far. It was also the best! I tell everyone about your blog and how it has changed my cooking life 🙂 Thanks for helping all of us busy moms!
This was a hit tonight. I had some leftover salmon so I threw it in with the peas and it was super delish. Thanks for another great recipe.
Three words: YUM, YUM, YUM!! This is a great family-friendly recipe. I also love it because it is inexpensive as far as mac n cheese recipes go…it doesn’t require much. And it was so easy/quick to put together! One thing…it is definatly something to eat as soon as it is done. The longer it sits, the less creamy it is. Nothing that a zap in the microwave can’t fix, though. Thanks Melanie!!
I made it for dinner tonight. It was easy, fast, and if I had used the cheeses suggested (and didn’t have such picky children), it would have gotten eaten. I emptied out the cheese drawer and used Monterrey jack, Colby jack, cheddar, and a little bit of chihuahua cheese. Won’t do that again! I’ll try it again another day with the right cheeses.
Michelle – thanks for checking back in to let me know you liked this. So glad that it turned out for you!
Any thoughts on making this in a slow cooker?
I haven’t tried that – sorry!
Oh, consider yourself wildly hugged!! I have always wanted a creamy mac and cheese but also wanted to use “real” cheese. I can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Yum! I bet my picky 15 month old would eat that. He will eat anything with peas…weird!
This sounds great! My family loves mac n cheese.
ham and peas for me, please! that’s some creamy, dreamy mac and cheese, melanie–nicely done!
This sounds awesome. My toddler would love it I’m sure. I tried your pizza dough recipe that real mom kitchen posted this past Saturday and loved it. So did my hubby. Thanks!
The Bentley Family – I’m glad you liked the pizza dough! It is a family favorite of ours, too. Thanks for letting me know!
Yum! I’m gonna have to give this one a try.
annebabe – phew! So glad I’m not the only one walking around saying “grody.” Loved your comment and so, so glad you have liked the recipes you’ve tried so far.
ooo, this sounds just like the recipe I’ve been using for stove top mac ‘n cheese by AMerica’s Test Kitchen. I’ll give yours a try and see if I like it better!
emiflute – I actually have this on our menu this week because we love it so much. I totally agree with you, homemade mac and cheese has ALWAYS let me down until this recipe. I’m glad you liked it as much as we did. Thanks for the tip on reheating!
That is what I was wondering. I love how in the majority of your recipes you mention whether or not the hot sauce will make it hot or not. That helps me out so much given that my husband and I are wimps and I’m also feeding a toddler. I’ll definately add it next time I make it.
I’m all over this!! I love homemade mac and cheese and like you, have struggled to find one that works well with real cheese! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for posting this. We have macaroni and cheese at least once a week. I struggle with the homemade recipes. Will be trying this one soon. Looks good.
Thanks for the comment, Melanie! Yep, it’s a keeper. (I skipped the roasted tomatoes as well as the chicken last night just to keep things simple, and it was still great.) The buttermilk banana bread recipe I’ll share soon is yours! I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’m totally in love with it. 🙂 I’ll definitely link you when I post it. Thanks so much!
Oooh. Oooh. I have been using a Rachel Ray one for a long time but mine usually turns out grainy. It tastes good but the texture is a bit to be desired. I shall definitely try this out and let you know how it goes.
Evelyn – so glad you liked this! I agree that it is a winner of a recipe because it is so easy to put together. (I also agree it is best eaten right away!)Jenn – that’s a bummer this didn’t turn out for you. I’m sorry! I hope if you use the right cheeses, it will taste a bit better.
okay, the fact that you used the word “grody” well, pretty much seals the fact that you are my soulmate. ha! 🙂 and i have been meaning to comment for quite some time. i LOVED the skillet chicken pasta with sun dried tomatoes and broccoli. i LOVED the chocolate chocolate cookies. and i LOVED the outrageous loaded peanut butter and chocolate cookies. that recipe got around my neighborhood like the town slut. no joke, 6 families in one week made them. and hands down, best cookie ever contender. ever. so hats off to you, super mom/super foodie. thanks for sharing! i’m here to stay. 🙂ps- have the white velvet sugar cookie recipe on the docket for this week
Molly – thanks for your sweet comment! I’m glad you liked this mac and cheese – it was a hit at my house, too.
Natalie – thanks for listing your variations (corn instead of peas). It’s always helpful to see how others change things up. To let you know, the hot sauce doesn’t add spice at all – the end result is definitely not spicy. It just helps enhance the flavor and give a little more depth to the mac and cheese.
Tami – yum, the salmon sounds like a great addition. I’m glad you liked this.
My hubby will love this mac and cheese!
Well that just looks like heaven on a plate! I LOVE mac and cheese!
Lauren – thanks for the comment! I agree with you, this is the best, creamiest mac and cheese I’ve had and is my go-to recipe. I’m glad everyone (wow, 7 kids???) loved it!
I consider mac-and-cheese it’s own food group – so glad you found a way you could make it easily. I’ll have to try this new recipe, sounds great! Thanks for sharing.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and my little family all loved it. I’m not a fan of peas so I used ham and corn instead but it was so delicious. A ?- I left out the hot sauce for fear it would make it hot…but did it? I hate to leave it out if it will make the dish even more tasty. Thanks again I love your blog!
looking at the picture made me hungry 🙂 looks so yummy!
Thanks for sharing this one. You have just given me an idea on what to prepare today.