• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Kiwi Country Girl logo

  • Start Here
    • Our story
    • Family
    • Travel
  • Recipe Index
  • Farm & Garden
    • Farm
    • In the garden
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Shop
  • Free Downloads
    • Freezer Meal Storage Guide
    • Free 1 Week Meal Plan
    • Bread Baking Ebook
  • Join The Kiwi Country Homestead
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Farm & Garden
  • DIY
  • About us
  • Shop
  • Join The Kiwi Country Homestead
  • Free Downloads
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Farm & Garden
    • DIY
    • About us
    • Shop
    • Join The Kiwi Country Homestead
    • Free Downloads
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » In the kitchen » 30 Minute Stovetop Macaroni Cheese

    30 Minute Stovetop Macaroni Cheese

    Published: Oct 19, 2015 · Modified: Apr 27, 2019 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy recipe for stovetop mac and cheese is ready in 30 minutes. Cheesy comfort food at it's finest!

    Do you remember the food you survived on in your University/College/flatting days? I missed the 2 minute noodle bandwagon but our go to my first year living in the halls at Uni was Easy Mac. The nasty, single serve packets that involved teeny macaroni and a flavour sachet being stirred into boiling water and microwaved for 2 minutes. They were so bad but so good! Nothing like a bowl of orange Easy Mac at 3am after a big night out! I guess it's not so hard to see why I gained that "first year 5".

    I still may not be an amazing cook but I sure like to think I've come a long way since my Easy Mac days. I still eat macaroni cheese but I like to call this the extended version - fully homemade, sans neon orange colouring!

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    As much as I love a classic baked mac & cheese, complete with breadcrumbs on top and bacon stirred through, there is something so comforting about this plain and simple cheesy version. Not to mention it's on the table in 30 minutes and only uses 2 pots. That's what I'm talking about!

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    Boiling the macaroni only takes 20 minutes, and while that's happening you can focus on the cheese sauce. And focus you will. This cheese sauce is the business. Cheese sauce gets a bit of a rap as being something complicated, but it really isn't. As long as you have the quantities right it is hard to go wrong. Some people like to melt the butter first then whisk in the flour, I prefer to add them at the same time and let them melt together, but it's up to you. As long as you keep whisking it so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot and burn, either will work.

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    You can also skip the step of heating up the milk first, but this really cuts down on the cooking time and is easy to do. Then it's just a matter of cooking for 5-8 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick, removing it from the heat and stirring in the cheese, nutmeg and salt & pepper.

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    Mix the sauce through the cooked macaroni and dinner is served!

    You are more than welcome to add cooked bacon bits, peas or any other add ins, but I like to keep it simple. As Josh likes to say, it's called mac and cheese for a reason!

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    [mc4wp_form]

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese

    30 Minute Stovetop Macaroni Cheese

    Easy peasy cheesy 30 minute stovetop macaroni cheese - a simple take on a classic dish.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Author: Laura

    Ingredients

    • 250 g dried macaroni
    • 50 g butter
    • ¼ cup flour
    • 2 cups milk
    • 2 cups grated cheese I used a mixture of tasty & parmesan
    • Salt & pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional, but awesome

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the dried macaroni.
    • In a microwave proof jug, heat 2 cups of milk for about 1 minute, until warm-hot. Set aside. (This step is optional but speeds up the cheese sauce)
    • In a medium sized pot add the butter and flour and cook over a medium heat until the butter has melted, whisking constantly. Cook for a couple of minutes, being careful not to let it burn.
    • Add about ½ cup of the milk and whisk it into the flour mixture until there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and bring to boil, whisking all the time to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and go lumpy.
    • Once the sauce thickens (5-8 minutes) take it off the heat and whisk in the grated cheese, nutmeg (if using) and salt & pepper.
    • Drain the macaroni when it is cooked and stir through the cheese sauce.
    • Serve with more grated cheese, a sprinkling of breadcrumbs or bacon bits. Or just as it is!
    Nutrition Facts
    30 Minute Stovetop Macaroni Cheese
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    652
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    33
    g
    51
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    20
    g
    125
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    98
    mg
    33
    %
    Sodium
     
    496
    mg
    22
    %
    Potassium
     
    355
    mg
    10
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    59
    g
    20
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    26
    g
    52
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1075
    IU
    22
    %
    Calcium
     
    561
    mg
    56
    %
    Iron
     
    1.6
    mg
    9
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag @thekiwicountrygirl or tag #thekiwicountrygirl!

     

    « M&M's Cookie Cups
    Chocolate Cake Roll »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathleen Robinson says

      June 07, 2024 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      Omg this is the best mac and cheese recipe I have come across. My partner is always asking if there is more and one of my 6 year old twins who can be a very picky eater loves it to the point where he asks for it every night haha.

      Reply
    2. Paula says

      April 24, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and so delicious. Thank you! My family loved it.

      Reply
    3. Kim says

      January 16, 2022 at 12:34 pm

      What about the train smash (Watties tomato sauce) on top

      Reply
    4. Lauren @ Create Bake Make says

      October 26, 2015 at 12:43 am

      5 stars
      2 minute noodles were my go to food during my uni days and funnily enough I craved them when I was pregnant 10 years later! This looks SOOOO much better than the store bought packs of mac and cheese, thanks for linking up another awesome recipe with us!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 26, 2015 at 9:58 am

        No way, that's hilarious! Oh boy, I hope I never crave easy mac again! Hope you had a great weekend 🙂

        Reply
    5. Michelle | A Latte Food says

      October 22, 2015 at 5:05 am

      Oh my gosh, Easy Mac! Yes, I lived off that stuff in college too! But I'm with you that the real homemade deal is so much better! This looks so good!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 22, 2015 at 7:06 am

        I just can't believe I ate that stuff - it was almost nuclear!! Thanks, I think this one is much better too!

        Reply
    6. Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says

      October 21, 2015 at 5:30 pm

      Nom nom nom! This is such a fantastic classic dish that never gets old! Your food photography is absolutely gorgeous too, Laura!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 22, 2015 at 7:05 am

        Thanks so much Lisa 🙂

        Reply
    7. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says

      October 21, 2015 at 1:43 am

      Ah, Easymac! Thank goodness for easy and delicious recipes like this one. I wish it was dinner already so that I could make this comforting meal!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 22, 2015 at 7:05 am

        The easier the better in my opinion! Plus I've just pulled it out of the fridge to take for lunch this week too - so good!!

        Reply
        • Jason says

          May 26, 2021 at 1:25 pm

          As an American male in NZ I love your site. It gives me all the meals i miss with the local version of ingredients to make them. Cheers

    5 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Laura, a country girl from rural New Zealand sharing all things food, garden and living the simple life!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Homemade beef burger with fries in the background
      Homemade Burger Patties (Josh's secret recipe)
    • Close up of scoop of cheesy mince pasta with herbs on top
      Cheesy One Pan Mince Pasta
    • Homemade Burrito Spice Mix (or taco seasoning) - the perfect blend of spices to make your favourite Mexican meal in minutes! Perfect for beef burritos, nachos, chicken strips for tacos, refried beans or anything Mexican! | thekiwicountrygirl.com
      Homemade Burrito Spice Mix (with free printable labels)
    • Overhead of bowl with potato salad, chives and tea towel in background
      Easy Potato Salad Recipe

    Winter Warmers

    • Pan of devilled sausages with mashed potato
      Devilled Sausages
    • Bowl of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread
      Bacon Hock and Vegetable Soup (slow cooker and instant pot)
    • Baked mince and cheese pie with tomato sauce and forks with a slice on a plate
      Mince and Cheese Pie
    • Chocolate self saucing pudding in white dish with bowl served up beside it
      Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

    Footer

    [instagram-feed num=7 cols=7 showheader=false showbutton=false showfollow=false]
    • Recipe Index
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact me

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As a Mighty Ape Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    295 shares
    • Pinterest
    • 9Facebook
    • Email
    • Print
    295 shares
    • 9

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.