pioneer woman mac and cheese with evaporated milk

The pasta cooking method also reminded me of Alton Brown’s cold water pasta trick, and it turns out he has a similar mac and cheese recipe. Less ingredients, quicker cook time, and oh-so-creamy results - this homemade version has absolutely replaced any box I would have bought in the future. That’s roughly how long a box will tell you to wait just on the noodles to cook. The whole thing only took about 8 minutes from start to finish for me (10 at the most). There were the nostalgic notes of boxed mac and cheese I’ve eaten in the past, but with a much creamier and fresher flavor. Here’s how my stovetop mac and cheese turned out: ĭon’t you just want to dig a fork into that? Well, I did - and it tasted exactly like I had hoped. After it was all in, I lowered the heat and stirred it together for a couple more minutes, until it looked like the melty goodness we want from a batch of mac and cheese.

I used traditional sharp cheddar, but the sky’s the limit on whatever your preference might be. The recipe then calls for 6 ounces of grated cheese, which my math put at about a cup and a half. Next, I added in 6 ounces of evaporated milk (about half a can) and let the pot come back to a boil. The recipe calls for 6 ounces of the pasta, but I just eye-balled it before letting the water come to a boil and cook the noodles for about 5 minutes. The key is to wait for most of the water to be soaked up and for the macaroni to be not quite al dente since it will keep cooking while you finish the recipe. This allows the noodles to plump up and absorb the liquid which, on top of saving me from having to drain it, also helps the dairy components combine better.

I started by putting some macaroni in a pot and adding just enough water to cover them. That’s it! (It’s also worth noting that this is one less ingredient than most box mixes, which usually require butter, milk, the cheese packet, and pasta.) All you need is macaroni noodles, freshly grated cheese, and evaporated milk.

That’s what makes SeriousEats’ stovetop mac and cheese recipe so great: It’s just as quick and easy as box mixes, but elevates the flavor with just three ingredients.

Pioneer woman mac and cheese with evaporated milk