It’s just as easy to make homemade mac and cheese for one from scratch, and tastes immensely better. Simple ingredients and creamy homemade cheese sauce is the ultimate comfort food for one. I purposely made this simple so each person can add their own favorite ingredients, mine are tomatoes and meatballs!
More single-serving recipes include these wonderful single-serving garlic noodles and a filling tortellini salad for one.
Ingredients You need
Cheese: You can mix different cheese combinations to get the perfect flavor. Don;t use already shredded cheese because it usually has an anti-caking additive that can make the cheese a little harder to melt. Generally not a big problem, but something to keep in mind if you are making from scratch because you don;t want any extras in your mac and cheese.
Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the standard, but any pasta like shells, penne, etc. will work nicely. You want pasta with a good surface area so the cheese clings onto the pasta.
Add-Ins
- My favorite: Chop up little tomatoes and ad a few small meatballs for a very hearty comfort food meal.
- Add some fresh basil for a light refreshing flavor.
- Another classic is add in some broccoli florets.
Step by Step Process Photos
You make the roux (flour, butter, seasoning), add the milk to make the sauce, stir in the cheese and add the cooked macaroni.
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Mac and Cheese for One
Ingredients
Recipe Directions
- Start by boiling water for the pasta and cook the pasta al dente per package instructions, drain and set aside, covered with a lid.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour and spices to start a tiny roux.
- Once the roux mixture is combined well, add the milk a little at a time, to keep the mixture thick. Then when you’re done adding the milk and the mixture is still thick, stir in the cheese until creamy.
- Pour the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir until all of the pasta is covered.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Cost Estimate: Single-Serving Mac and Cheese
| Ingredient | Quantity | Estimated Price (unit) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbow pasta (dry) | ½ cup (~2 oz) | $1.50 per 16 oz (1 lb) | $0.19 |
| Unsalted butter | 1 Tbsp | $4.50 per lb | $0.14 |
| All-purpose flour | 1 Tbsp | $3.25 per 5 lb | $0.01 |
| Whole milk | ⅓ cup | $3.99 per gallon | $0.08 |
| Cheddar cheese, shredded | ½ cup (~2 oz) | $6.39 per lb | $0.80 |
| Garlic powder | ¼ tsp | $2.50 per 3 oz jar | $0.02 |
| Onion powder | ¼ tsp | $2.50 per 3 oz jar | $0.02 |
| Paprika | pinch | $2.50 per 2.5 oz jar | $0.01 |
| Salt | pinch | $0.69 per 26 oz canister | $0.01 |
| Black pepper | pinch | $3.99 per 3 oz jar | $0.01 |
| Total | $1.29 |
Notes
- Prices are typical U.S. store-brand estimates; your local costs may vary.