For the longest time I thought there were only two ways to make mac & cheese – 1) using the type that comes from the blue box (and one of the first things I learned how to make as a child) or 2) a homemade version that starts with a roux and requires all the pots in your kitchen. Then one day I stumbled upon Alton Brown’s stovetop mac & cheese and I had a third option that is nearly as easy as the blue box but is full of homemade deliciousness.

In a little less than 30 minutes I can enjoy a bowl of pasta with a creamy, velvety, cheesy sauce. The true test? The first time my nephew tasted it he not only asked for seconds but thirds. The dish earned his highest praise, “It tastes like food.” (What can I say? A food critic he is not.)

How does it work?

This dish is pretty quick to make. The first thing you should do is put on a pot of water to boil for your pasta. While it comes to a boil, grate your cheese (unless you’re like me and buy it pre-shredded) and mix your sauce ingredients. Once the pasta is cooked and drained a mere 5 minutes is all you need to mix in the butter, sauce, and cheese. Et voilà, your mac & cheese is ready.

One of the great time savers is using canned evaporated milk. By using evaporated milk rather than fresh milk, no other thickeners (like a roux) is needed for the cheesy sauce. Why does it work? I’m not sure but it means I don’t have to worry about the sauce getting lumpy – yay! The sauce in this version is a little looser (you can see it in the photos) but it thickens as it cools. However, if you want a thicker sauce, you can mix a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch with the grated cheese before mixing it in with the rest of the ingredients.

Modifications

• The original recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese. Personally I like a mix of sharp and medium sharp cheese. You could also use a mix with sharp cheddar and American cheese (the type that comes in a block, not plastic-wrapped slices), as Serious Eats does.
• If you want a thicker sauce, toss the grated cheese with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch before adding it to the pot.
• There are any number of ways you could garnish, not that it’s needed. But one of my favorites is to toast panko breadcrumbs in a little butter and sprinkling it over the mac & cheese.

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