This delicious and easy macaroni cheese is made in minutes, with no roux worries when making the sauce. The easiest fuss-free version of Mac n cheese ever!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll love my Easy Macaroni Cheese
Who doesn’t love an easy macaroni and cheese recipe? Creamy cheese sauce coating al dente pasta makes for a wonderfully comforting meal, perfect for a work night supper. This recipe is especially loveable, as it gets dinner on the table in 25 minutes: perfect for a weeknight supper for 2.
This recipe has only six simple ingredients, so you save money compared to packet mac’n’cheese. And by cooking from scratch you know exactly what’s going into your meal; there are no artificial colours or preservatives here.
This recipe for simple macaroni and cheese uses our easy cheese sauce recipe that doesn’t start with a roux, so it not only saves time but also means no worries about lumps. You simply melt the cheese sauce together and then pour it over cooked macaroni, and finish the dish in the oven.
Its delicious as is, but this is a recipe that’s ripe for variation. Add bacon, or roasted squash for even more flavour.
How to Make No Roux Macaroni Cheese
Step one – take a moment and measure out ingredients. Heat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
Step two – boil a large saucepan of boiling water and cook the macaroni according to packet instructions.
Step three – mix the cornflour and grated cheese. You can either shake them together in a box (lid on!), or stir together in a bowl.
Step four – add the cheese and cornflour, milk, mustard and tomato paste to a small saucepan. Heat over a low heat, stirring constantly. The cheese will melt and after a few minutes the sauce will thicken. Once this has happened, take the sauce off the heat and put to one side.
Step five – when the macaroni has cooked, spoon off 3 tablespoons of pasta water, drain the pasta and then return to the saucepan. Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and stir it in. Then add the sauce to the pasta and mix together well.
Top tip. Adding some of the water that the pasta was cooked in to the sauce makes for a deliciously smooth and silky sauce.
Step six – transfer the mixture to a 15 x 10 cm (5″ x 4″) pie dish, and top with breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese. Cook in the oven for xx minutes until the top is golden and crispy. Serve immediately.
Hints, tips and variations for Easy Macaroni Cheese
- If you have some leftover cooked sausages or bacon? Cut into chunks and add to the mixture before it goes into the pie dish.
- For a spot of zing, use a blue cheese such as stilton.
- Add some mozzarella for stringy cheese sauce
- Make brie and bacon macaroni cheese.
- Add pre-roasted butternut squash for extra veg
Easy Macaroni Cheese
Ingredients
For The Easy Cheese Sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 70 g cheese (grated)
- 70 ml milk
- ½ tsp mustard
- ½ tsp tomato puree
Other Ingredients For Macaroni Cheese
- 100 g macaroni
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs (for topping)
- 70 g cheese (grated, for topping)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200°C /fan 180°C / Gas Mark 6.
- Start cooking the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, according to packet instructions.
- Mix the cornflour and grated cheese, either by stirring together in a bowl or by shaking in a plastic box.
- Put the cheese and cornflour mixture into a small saucepan. Add the milk, mustard and tomato puree and heat gently on a low heat, stirring constantly.
- After a couple of minutes, the sauce will thicken. Take off the heat
- When the pasta is mostly cooked, spoon off 3 tablespoons of pasta water and add to the sauce. When the pasta is cooked, drain well.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, and stir well. Pour the mixture into a 15 x1 0 cm (6" x 4") pie dish. Top with the rest of the grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy.
Notes
- The mustard and tomato puree are optional, but they do give the sauce a gorgeous rich orange colour. You could add a little red chilli too, to create a Mexican feel.
- Substitute some of the cheddar with mozzarella for a really stringy sauce.
- Make a double or quadruple batch and serve in a fondue pan over a low flame at a party – try using gruyère and Dijon mustard instead of the cheddar and tomato.
- Reheat in the microwave on low power for 30 seconds, then in bursts of 10 seconds.
Agata
Nice twist on the classic. Love the no roux method!
Helen
It does give a tasty addition to a classic meal.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
This is such a homey meal! Who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese — I love adding extra flavors to these kinds of dishes to round it out and make it a balanced meal — not that I couldn’t eat a plate of mac and cheese by itself…
Helen
The added extras just make it that little bit more moreish.
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
I love this no roux method! Perfection!
Helen
Thank you Sue. Good luck on the hunt for the ham, hopefully you’ll find some.
Talya
We love macaroni cheese and love the idea of this rendition giving it extra fuss free flavour!
Helen
An easy dish made tastier.
Amanda | The Kitcheneer
YUM! Love the addition to this classic comfort dish!
Helen
Such an easy thing to make too.
Elinor aka Beachhutcook
Love this twist on the classic!
Helen
It would be the perfect meal for camping out.
Jo
This looks fab! We made this and I’ll never be going back to the roux method
Deborah Nicholas
oh that looks delicious and my little ones are always asking for macaroni cheese too!
Helen
I’m sure your little ones would enjoy this dish too.
hannah
This looks great for the winter and really easy to make too
Helen
It is the perfect winter comfort food.
Helen
It is an all time favourite comfort food, isn’t it.
Mellissa Williams
Macaroni cheese is such a tasty comfort dish, love that you have made it even easier!
Helen
It really is a perfect comfort meal for when it’s cold outside.
Rachel
This looks just absolutely incredible, one of my all time favourite dishes and comfort in a bowl x
Helen
Can’t beat food that makes you feel happy.
madeeha
Nice and easy recipe. Mac & cheese is my favourite with any variation.
Helen
It’s one of those can’t beat it meals isn’t it?
Kara
Mine love mac n cheese, I adore your easy method for the sauce
Helen
It makes for a really tasty addition, certainly worth trying.
Sarah
This sounds amazing! I have pinned it!
Alina
As always your dish looks delicious! It looks homey and very tasty and I will surely try it soon :) I’m sure the hubby will not mind either ;)
Helen
I hope the husband enjoys it. in my experience comfort food is a good thing.
Fashion and Style Police
Love this twist on the humble Mac n cheese
Helen
The photo doesn’t lie, it is a tasty dish worth trying.
Zena's Suitcase
This is my kind of food. I love what you have done with the recipe.
Helen
I do try and add some extra veggies to all my recipes. every little makes a difference.
Baby Isabella
Macaroni and cheese is a winner in this household – love this easy twist to the recipe.
Helen
I do like a twist on a classic.
dena jayne
This looks yummy! I haven’t had mac & cheese for years! xo
Helen
Worth trying again, to remind you of what you’re missing.
Keely
Macaroni cheese is one of my favourite comfort foods, especially at this time of year.
Helen
Always, and especially with loads of cheese!