Name: 3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 and ½ cups heavy whipping cream; 3 cups uncooked pasta; 2 cups Cheddar cheese (I used white cheddar)

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3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe full of gooey, cheesy goodness with just 3 ingredients!

My family will tell you Mac and Cheese is my all-time favorite food. I know, I’m a kid at heart! I love the simplicity of this 3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe. Three ingredients and ready in less than 15 minutes. That’s a winner!!

This recipe is as simple and satisfying as recipes can get. Comfort food that children and adults enjoy. This recipe is good for potlucks, weeknight dinners or kids after-school snacks.

Why slave over Mac and Cheese when it can be as simple as 1-2-3? My 3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese is made on the stove-top in one pan and with only three ingredients. Score!

Table of Contents

3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe Tips

I typically use whatever shape pasta I have on hand for Mac and Cheese. If you’re a traditionalist, by all means, use elbow macaroni.
As well, use your favorite cheese or whatever you have in your refrigerator. Although I do love the classic cheddar, I have also used gouda, Monterrey and pepper jack in mac and cheese. They are all good. (I even used 8 kinds of cheese in a recipe. Get that recipe here: Eight Cheese Mac n Cheese.)
Be sure to stir the heavy cream as it comes up to a low boil. Unlike water, the cream will scorch is you don’t stir it.
You can also use processed cheese, like Velveeta, in this recipe

While you’re here, check out these recipes

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
Crawfish Mac and Cheese
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3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe

3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese Recipe full of gooey, cheesy goodness with just 3 ingredients!

Author: Paula

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients
3 and ½ cups heavy whipping cream
3 cups uncooked pasta
2 cups Cheddar cheese I used white cheddar
Instructions
Bring heavy cream to a low boil, stirring so it doesn't scorch.
Add pasta and cook per package directions to al dente stage, usually 10 to 11 minutes.
Carefully stir every couple of minutes while cooking.
Do not drain liquid off when pasta is cooked.
Add the grated cheese and stir.
Add salt and pepper if desired*
Allow to sit 5 minutes.
Stir and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1814IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.

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6 Comments

I’m confused. Do you cook the pasta in the cream? If so, why is water mentioned in the notes? Is it used to cook the pasta and then the pasta is stirred into the cream? That wouldn’t make sense because then wouldn’t the mac n cheese be really runny? Please clarify for me.

Paula says:

01.09.20 at 4:26 pm

Yes, the pasta is cooked in the cream only. No water.
I mentioned salt, pepper, & water to clarify that, as a standard, they are not counted as ingredients. (per Clair Robinson’s 5 Ingredient Fix)
– Keeping with the 3 Ingredient part of the recipe
The * in step 6 corresponds to that notation.
Hope that makes sense.

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Dear Paula, this looks great! I love how easy it is…a comforting classic. Always fun to have. xo, Catherine

Any post that says Mac and Cheese and I read it. Obviously it must represent THE ultimate comfort food. A quick version like this is almost dangerous because taste and richness has not been sacrificed.