This recipe is for an easy, breezy, mega-super-creamy, 1 Pot, and 3 Cheese Mac! It’s less dishes, with all of the Mac & Cheese fun!

There are few Mac & Cheese dishes I don’t like. There are a handful of ways to make them too. Some call for béchamel sauces, others might require baking, some suggests garlicky breadcrumbs, and so on and so forth… Though, no matter your preference, if you’re just starting out, this is a good place to learn.

That said, this recipe was made in collaboration with my younger, 15-year-old brother, Kason, for his part-time summer job (working with me! Muwuahah!) I asked him what he wanted to learn to cook, then turned it into a list of projects to dive into for the season.

(Essentially, I’m paying the kid to eat, but oh well, at least I’m trying to plant seeds here, people! Haha! Fingers crossed!)

So anyways, I researched simple, yet tasty, approaches for each of his recipe requests. This way, if Kason ever wants to recreate anything on his own, he will not only have written and visual resources to look back on, but he (or anyone else for that matter) will have the option to develop and build off of these starter recipes for their taste preferences and skill levels.

On that note, below is our take on a super simple 1 Pot, 3 Cheese Mac:

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1 Pot, 3 Cheese Mac

PREP TIME: 15 MIN
COOK TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Elbow Pasta
• 1+ cup pasta water
• 12-16 oz. Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated by hand
• 8 oz. American Cheese
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tsp sea salt

Directions for 1 Pot, 3 Cheese Mac:

1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package instructions or until al dente, in salted water. When ready, reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain. Set pasta aside.
2. Add 1 cup pasta water along with remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined and all the cheese melts (about 10 minutes, or until everything is smooth and consistent). Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed.
3. Return the pasta and add to the cheese sauce. Stir to combine and cook for another 5-10 minutes longer (to help marry the pasta to the sauce). When ready, turn off heat, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Keep in mind the sauce will thicken as it clings to the pasta, and cools. It may appear liquidy at first but give it some time to soak up allll the flavors!
• Purchase blocks of cheese instead of shredded. Fillers, like corn starch, are added to cheese shreds to prevent the cheese from caking and sticking back together. In our case, we want the cheese to come together, so we have to grate it ourselves. It’s a little extra work, but you’ll thank me later!
• Wanna go the extra mile? Transfer the dish to broil until golden brown, then serve. This helps develop the flavors of the aged cheeses while creating somewhat of a crust. Even better, add buttered breadcrumbs too!
• Also, have fun mixing and matching cheeses! Smoked gouda and gruyere make great melting cheeses too.
• Don’t feel like having pasta? Try the cheese sauce over cooked veggies, then broil until golden. Still so cheesy, yet with a handful less carbs.
• Ever wonder how restaurants make fried mac and cheese bites? Transfer the mac and cheese to a shallow pan, smooth the surface, and cover, then chill in the fridge until solid. Afterwards, slice into squares, coat in breadcrumbs, then fry until golden. Drain, then dive in!
• For more delicious recipes to create or pair alongside, visit the Kitchen Journal.