• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Easy Healthy-ish Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • All The Basics
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Type Main Dish
30 30 Minutes or Less VG Vegetarian 5I 5 ingredients or less

How to Make Mac and Cheese in the Microwave

4
/5
10 mins
17 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 02/28/2014Updated: 10/12/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

DIY Easy Mac! This Microwave Macaroni and Cheese Recipe is so easy! On RachelCooks.com

Homemade Easy Mac! Learning how to make Mac and Cheese in the microwave makes it easy to make your favorite treat at home. And you’ll know what’s in it.

Oval brown bowl of macaroni and cheese on a white wooden background. Text overlay reads, "DIY 'Easy Mac' (mac & cheese in the microwave!)"

OXO sent my free products to try for this post. I was not compensated to use them, or for my opinions.

It’s a little embarrassing how much Easy Mac I ate when I was in college. And when I say a little embarrassing, I mean a LOT embarrassing.”

I had (still have!) this big gigantic blue mug and that was my Easy Mac mug. Mac and cheese was a frequent late-night study snack in the dorm and we all know late night snacks (especially ones made out of pasta and cheese powder) aren’t good for your waistline. Hellllllo, freshman 15!

To commemorate my college days, I knew I had to make a DIY version of one of my favorite snacks in college.

White grated cheese in a box grater. An orange bowl of uncooked macaroni sits nearby, salt and pepper shakers are in the background.

All you need is pasta, water, a microwave safe bowl, milk, and sharp cheddar for this microwave macaroni and cheese recipe. You can’t take a shortcut and buy pre-grated cheese for this recipe. You’ll end up with one big blob of cheese that doesn’t coat the pasta at all.

White cheese being grated into a box grater, on a marble surface.

 

Take it from me. I know.

A small brown and white glass oval bowl filled with white macaroni and cheese. A fork sits next to the bowl.

Yes — it doesn’t look exactly like the blue box version. This is a good thing, my friends. High quality sharp white cheddar makes this a very tasty replacement to my blue box love (which I still love, mind you).

Overhead view of white cheddar cheese being grated on a box grater.

This is also a really easy quick lunch. With two toddlers, easy quick lunches are a very good thing. Pop it in the microwave while you slice some veggies and cut up some fruit and you have a well balanced meal for your cute little one. Or yourself.

White cheddar cheese being grated on a orange plastic box grater.

I used this awesome Grate and Slice Set from OXO to prep this recipe. This slicer/grater makes grating cheese so easy. Plus it grates right into a  container for easy measuring. No more messy grating. 

I also used OXO’s pepper mill when I was seasoning this DIY Easy Mac. I’m completely smitten with these salt and pepper mills. First of all, they sit upright (turn them over to grind the salt and pepper) so you’re not left with little piles of salt and pepper everywhere you set these down. Secondly, they easily adjust to customize size of grind you want. See the little dots? You just adjust it to what you want. No more guessing games. Plus they look great sitting on my table.

A pepper mill tipped over on a white and gray marble surface, pepper spilling out of it.

So if you’re wondering what to eat for lunch today, wonder no more. Make this microwave macaroni and cheese recipe and you’ll have a happy belly.

Overhead view of macaroni and cheese on a fork in a brown and white oval bowl.

Mac and cheese mania:

May I tempt you with more macaroni and cheese recipes? Here you go:

 

  • Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
  • Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
  • Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
  • Easiest Ever Baked Mac and Cheese
  • Green Chile Baked Mac and Cheese
  • Macaroni and Cheese Pizza with Bacon and Green Onion
  • Five Cheese Macaroni and Cheese from Nutmeg Nanny

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Macaroni pasta and a white cheese sauce in a brown and white bowl on a wooden backdrop.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Microwave Mac and Cheese Recipe

4 from 9 votes
Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 8 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
1 serving
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Make your own Easy Mac! Learning how to make microwave mac and cheese is an easy way to make your favorite treat at home.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup uncooked elbow macaroni
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (do NOT use pre-shredded)
  • 1 slice American cheese (wrapped “singles”)
  • ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • In a 4 cup microwave safe measuring cup, or comparably sized bowl, combine macaroni and water.
  • Microwave on high for 2 minutes; stir.
  • Microwave for 2 more minutes, stir again.
  • Microwave for 2 more minutes or until the water is absorbed and the pasta is cooked.
  • Meanwhile, toss shredded cheese with flour. Tear sliced cheese into a few pieces.
  • Stir milk into cooked macaroni and microwave for 1 minute.
  • Stir in cheese; cover bowl and let set 1 minute. Stir again and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Don't be tempted to use a smaller measuring cup or bowl. The mixture will boil over and make a mess in your microwave.
  • Recipe card updated 11/30/2022.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 407kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 568mg, Potassium: 246mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 580IU, Calcium: 508mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It

Disclaimer: OXO sent my free products to try for this post. I was not compensated to use them, or for my opinions.

Free email series

5 Time & Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • Creamy and flavorful, this green chile macaroni and cheese will change the way you think about macaroni and cheese! There's no need to make a roux, so it's one of the easiest things you can make, too! Get the easy vegetarian recipe on RachelCooks.com!
    Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
  • These southwestern mac & cheese muffins will be loved by both your buddies & your toddler. These "muffins" are made from macaroni and cheese and are spiced up with a southwestern flair. Get the easy and fun recipe on RachelCooks.com!
    Southwestern Mac & Cheese Muffins
  • Large scoop of crockpot mac and cheese.
    Crockpot Mac and Cheese
  • A forkful of mac and cheese held over a serving dish.
    Southwestern Macaroni and Cheese with Ground Turkey
Pizza Macaroni and Cheese Muffins on RachelCooks.com
Previous Post
Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins
Blue ceramic mug containing cauliflower soup garnished with paprika.
Next Post
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cheddar

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

  1. michael says

    August 30, 2015 at 5:23 am

    can you double this ?

    because i like to eat

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 31, 2015 at 7:19 am

      I don’t see why not! Just make sure you have a nice big bowl.

      Reply
  2. erika says

    February 5, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    Is there a way to make a larger size version of this so that it makes more than a single serving? How would you triple this recipe maybe? I’m looking for about one box of Velveeta serving size.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 5, 2015 at 8:59 pm

      Since this is a copycat of the easy mac, it is a single serving. I’m not sure how it would turn out tripled since I have not tested it. Worth a try though!

      Reply
  3. Audrey says

    January 13, 2015 at 11:51 am

    Tried this for lunch today…it didn’t turn out at all :( I grated my own cheese and still ended up with a “cheese ball.” I thought maybe as I continued to heat it in the 1 minute intervals that it would melt more and combine better but I just ended up with overcooked noodles and a rubber-like ball of cheese :/

    Reply
  4. Jordan says

    October 18, 2014 at 12:32 pm

    Made this for my son for a fast dinner last night! He liked it.

    We happened to only have gluten-free macaroni in the pantry, and it absorbed the water before it was done cooking, so I added another 1/4 c of water. It also stuck badly, so I’d only heat for a minute or less between stirrings.

    We used pregrated cheese without any problems, but it wasn’t the mini-grated kind, and I made sure to stir it in well as I added it. Had to heat it a several times to get it thick enough.

    Reply
  5. Paula – bell’alimento says

    March 1, 2014 at 11:48 pm

    Homemade mac and cheese in the microwave … woohoo! My kids will love this!

    Reply
  6. Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out says

    March 1, 2014 at 10:29 pm

    My stomach just growled while reading this. Like, really. *how embarrassing*

    Reply
  7. Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says

    March 1, 2014 at 10:23 am

    I’m a mac and cheese lush, and sometimes I want just a little individual serving, this is PERFECT! So creamy!

    Reply
  8. Joanne says

    March 1, 2014 at 7:35 am

    Well I love that this is NOT weirdo orange colored! And that it is crazy easy cheesy delicious. Made with real cheese to boot. This gives easy mac a run for its money!

    Reply
  9. Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

    February 28, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    This is crazy easy! Us moms need recipes like this! Sharing!

    Reply
  10. Liz @ Virtually Homemade says

    February 28, 2014 at 10:02 am

    How can this be so easy?! Mac and cheese is the number one college food – wish I had this recipe then!

    Reply
  11. Laurie {Simply Scratch} says

    February 28, 2014 at 9:23 am

    Hello brilliant recipe! I must make you. :)

    Reply
  12. Sheila says

    February 28, 2014 at 9:22 am

    I agree you can not use the preshredded cheese it doesn’t work! I need me that grater and the salt and pepper grinder thingys!! What a fun week! I still need to get around to all the blogs, thanks for putting this together. xox, Sheila

    Reply
  13. denise says

    February 28, 2014 at 9:02 am

    sounds good

    Reply
  14. Kim | Just For Clicks says

    February 28, 2014 at 8:26 am

    There is NOTHING better than good mac ‘n cheese! I love the simplicity of this recipe & am thinking it would be a great one for my (middle school aged) kiddos to make. It’s been a great series! Happy Friday Friend!!

    Reply
  15. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    February 28, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Home made mac n’ cheese in the micro? Love this!
    You may have just changed my lunch identiy forever.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

Beef and vegetable stir fry in a black wok.

Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables

Hot honey chicken sheet pan dinner with honey being drizzled on.

Hot Honey Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wrap garnished with green onion.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken burrito bowl with avocado and sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Bowl

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled