Recipe

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Once you make these super easy mug macaroni and cheese, you'll never come back to the store-bought version!

This recipe makes macaroni and cheese in a mug the fastest dinner ever! Four ingredients, less than 10 minutes, and yummy pasta is ready!

Mug Macaroni and Cheese

I cooked -and still cook- classic cheddar macaroni and cheese in a pot for my family of five for years. But now that my daughter attends college, she makes this recipe in a mug. She always sends me a picture of her eating, and that look on her face saying, look, Mom! I cook my own food! I’m so proud of her.

And if you know me a little, you’ll know how much I’ve tried to involve my kids in the kitchen so they can learn to make healthy choices and enjoy better versions of their favorite boxed food. This is one of them! This recipe is SO easy that everyone can make a mug of macaroni and cheese.

And by easy, I mean you don’t even need the stovetop! You make this meal in the microwave, with just a few staples, in less than 10 minutes. Amazing!

Ingredients

Four ingredients -if water is even one- are all you need to make creamy macaroni and cheese in a mug. You’ll find the measurements at the end of the post, but first, check out the list:

Uncooked pasta: macaroni is the classic, but you can use another short pasta.
Water: to cook the pasta.
Shredded Cheddar cheese: I use sharp Cheddar; you can use your favorite.
Milk: makes mac and cheese creamy!

How to make Single Serve Mac and Cheese in a Mug

The key to making epic macaroni and cheese in a mug is to stir throughout, as I explain in the recipe card. This helps pasta cook evenly and keep it from overboiling.

Cook the pasta
Microwave the pasta with the water to cook it. You’ll stop the microwave three times to stir.
Add cheese and milk
When you add the cheese, stir again and then microwave. Finally, add the milk and stir. That’s all!

How to Keep it From Overheating

The little thing that separates epic macaroni and cheese in a mug from overheated pasta that burns in your hands is stopping the microwave and stirring as directed in the recipe. This way, you keep mac and cheese from overheating and overflowing.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese in a Mug

Servings: 1

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8

Once you make these super easy mug macaroni and cheese, you'll never come back to the store-bought version!

5 from 12 votes

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Ingredients

⅓ cup pasta, uncooked
½ cup + ⅛ cup water
¼ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

Add the pasta and water into a large soup bowl or mug.
Microwave for 6 minutes. Stop, and stir at the 2 ½ minute mark, then stir every 45 seconds to 1 minute thereafter.