Looking for a simple mac and cheese recipe without flour? This is a quick, no-frills fix for the times when you don't want to spend an eon in the kitchen getting dinner ready. A few common ingredients, easy stovetop instructions, and one pot...that's all you need to put together a satisfying meal for hungry times!
Serve this mac and cheese with an equally quick and easy garlic bread, made in the air fryer (oven instructions included).
Fact: I had stopped making mac and cheese for a while because I simply did NOT look forward to the multiple steps while cooking it, not to mention the pots and pans waiting to be washed after.
So no mac and cheese ... until I discovered an easy way to make it. And I discovered it precisely because I was running late and wanted to get dinner ready asap! I decided to be brave and ditch the tried and tested formula of cooking the pasta 'according to package instructions' (lots of water, draining, rinsing), then making the roux, then cooking the pasta and sauce together, then popping the dish in the oven... phew!
What I did instead was this: I used just enough water to cook the pasta so that I didn't have to drain the excess. Next, I added all the ingredients except the cheese to the same pot and cooked the pasta on low heat for 5 minutes. Finally, I added the cheese and allowed it to melt into the pasta. A quick stir to combine everything, and a delicious mac and cheese was ready in three simple steps. No muss, no fuss!
A simple mac and cheese without flour
I also wanted to see if I could make mac and cheese without flour. A chance to cut down on our refined flour intake was on the agenda, and I have to say it worked brilliantly!
How did the mac and cheese thicken without flour?
A valid question. It's the starch from the pasta that did the trick. Since we are not draining the macaroni or rinsing it, the starch that is released while cooking the macaroni thickens it. You don't need flour if you cook mac and cheese using this method.
Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down
- Elbow macaroni - choose a pasta like Barilla gluten-free elbows if you want to make a gluten-free mac and cheese besides no flour. Of course, use any brand you want, Barilla is just a suggestion.
- Water
- Butter
- Seasonings - sea salt, ground black pepper, paprika
- Heavy cream - can be replaced with half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Whole milk
- Sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
Instructions
How to make mac and cheese without flour
1. Grate the cheese
Grate the cheese using a box grater. If using pre-shredded cheese, skip this step.
2. Cook the macaroni
Pour the water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil on high heat. Add the macaroni and cook it until soft, but not mushy. The whole process should take a total of 10 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except cheese
Tip in the butter, salt, pepper, paprika, heavy cream, and milk. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently.
4. Add the cheese
Reduce the heat to low and add the grated cheddar. Stir to combine the cheese with the pasta, and remove from the heat as soon as the cheese has melted and combined with the pasta (1-2 minutes). Serve hot!
Top tips
- Use salt sparingly. Both the butter and the cheese will have salt, so adjust accordingly.
- Make sure most of the water has been absorbed by the pasta before adding the rest of the ingredients. Although there's a lot of starch in there to thicken the sauce, you might have to cook it longer if there is too much water, and then the pasta will end up over-cooked.
- Don't cook the pasta for too long after adding the cheese. For a creamy, gooey mac and cheese, give the cheese just enough time to melt into the pasta and take it off the heat. If you over-cook the cheese, especially on high heat, it might seize or clump up. Not pretty.
- It is best to grate a block of cheese and use it. Freshly grated cheese melts beautifully. However, if you are short on time, you can use pre-shredded cheese in a pinch.
Variations
Want to make your mac and cheese a little fancier? You can add these ingredients to take things up a notch.
- Another cheese like gruyere to change the flavor profile a bit
- Dry mustard powder and/or chilli flakes to give it a bit of a kick.
- Veggies to make it healthier. Broccoli florets taste really nice!
Storing and reheating
If you have leftovers, keep them in a covered container in the fridge for upto 2-3 days. I wouldn't recommend freezing the leftovers since there's dairy in there, and dairy products do not freeze well.
For reheating, turn the mac and cheese into a saucepan and add a little milk or half-and-half (depending on how much pasta there is). Stir on gentle heat until the pasta has loosened and become creamy again.
More pasta recipes
- Creamy chickpea pasta
- Chicken stroganoff with egg noodles
- Shrimp scampi without wine
- Pasta primavera with asparagus and peas
Simple Mac and Cheese Recipe Without Flour
Equipment
- 1 Grater
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ teaspoon sea salt adjust according to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Grate the cheese using a box grater. If using pre-shredded cheese, you can skip this step.
- Pour the water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil on high heat. Add the macaroni and cook it until soft, but not mushy. The whole process should take a total of 10 minutes.
- Tip in the butter, salt, pepper, paprika, heavy cream, and milk. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the grated cheddar. Stir to combine the cheese with the pasta, and remove from the heat as soon as the cheese has melted and combined with the pasta (1-2 minutes). Serve hot!
Notes
- Make sure most of the water has been absorbed by the pasta before adding the rest of the ingredients. Although there’s a lot of starch in there to thicken the sauce, you might have to cook it longer if there is too much water, and then the pasta will end up over-cooked.
- Don’t cook the pasta for too long after adding the cheese. For a creamy, gooey mac and cheese, give the cheese just enough time to melt into the pasta and take it off the heat. If you over-cook the cheese, especially on high heat, it might seize or clump up. Not pretty.
- It is best to grate a block of cheese and use it. Freshly grated cheese melts beautifully. However, if you are short on time, you can use pre-shredded cheese in a pinch.
- Use gluten-free macaroni for a gluten-free mac and cheese.
- For variations, storage and reheating, see the body of the post.
Emmy says
Exactly the recipe I needed! I’ve never once had success with the roux-based sauce recipes, but this recipe turned out perfectly delicious! I even added some diced bell pepper and ancho peppers from my garden. So glad to be able to make a macaroni sauce from scratch now!