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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Recipes by Cuisine ยป American Recipes

    Mac and Cheese without Milk

    Published by: Adina November 4, 2021 ยท Last modified: July 1, 2024 20 Comments
    Jump to Recipe

    Learn how to make mac and cheese without milk. It's creamy, delicious, easy, and ready in about 15 minutes. Comfort food at its best! 

    A bowl of homemade mac and cheese without milk.

    Do you crave macaroni, but you don't have any milk left? Don't worry about it! This Mac and Cheese without Milk recipe is just as tasty, and you can have the same creamy consistency without any milk at all.

    There's not a month gone by without me cooking some kind of macaroni and cheese recipe. We all love it; it's quick and always delicious. From a traditional Mac to baked versions and then to emergency versions like this Simple Mac and Cheese without Flour, or todayโ€™s No Milk Mac and Cheese. Next, try White Cheddar Mac and Cheese or Creamy Ricotta Mac and Cheese.

    Ingredients: 5

    Working time: 2 minutes

    Cooking time: 10 minutes

    Jump to:
    • Why do we all love this recipe?
    • Recipe ingredients
    • Additions
    • How to make macaroni and cheese without milk?
    • Tips & Notes
    • Recipe FAQs
    • How to serve?
    • More mac n cheese recipes
    • ๐Ÿ“– Recipe
    • ๐Ÿ’ฌ Comments

    Why do we all love this recipe?

    • Made from scratch: No box is involved, yet you will not need more time to cook this recipe than to use a box.
    • There is no weird stuff inside: The recipe is made with real food, no cheese powder, no added chemicals, or things you can't even pronounce.
    • Budget recipe: The ingredient list is short, and they are all cheap and common ingredients.

    Recipe ingredients

    macaroni, mozzarella, cheddar, cream cheese and spices in bowls on the table, ready for no milk mac and cheese.

    Pasta: 1 lb elbow macaroni is perfect. But any other kind of short pasta will do just fine.

    Dairy products: I use a mixture of sharp Cheddar (for the taste), mozzarella (for the stretch), and cream cheese (for the creaminess). However, I often cook this dish with leftovers I happen to have in the refrigerator. You could also throw in some Gouda, Swiss, American cheese, Provolone, Gruyere, Fontina, Parmesan cheese, or whatever you like or happen to have.

    See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

    Additions

    • How about some crumbled bacon?
    • You can also add some chopped green onions, chopped cherry tomatoes, or grated garlic. In this case, heat a little olive oil or butter in the pan before adding the cheese, and saute the vegetables for about 1 minute (garlic) or 2 minutes (green onions, tomatoes) before adding the rest of the ingredients.

    How to make macaroni and cheese without milk?

    • Step #1: Cook the pasta. Save about 1 cup of cooking water. Drain well.
    • Step #2: Grate the cheese.
    • Step #3: Heat a large saucepan shortly. Add the sauce ingredients (ignore the pasta in image 3; I added it too soon without realizing it, but it's better to melt the cheese first) and melt on low heat for about two minutes, stirring almost constantly until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
    • Step #4: Add noodles, about ยผ - ยฝ cup of the reserved pasta water, and stir to combine. Adjust the taste.
    collage of four pictures of grated cheese and making cheese sauce for macaroni.

    Tips & Notes

    Best tip: Don't use pre-shredded cheese; the anti-caking agents will prevent it from melting properly, and the sauce will be grainy.

    Use boiling water from a kettle to speed things up when cooking the macaroni.

    Don't overheat the sauce; it should not come to a boil at all. If that happens, the ingredients might separate. Instead, keep stirring and remove the pan from the heat if it gets too hot. Continue stirring off the heat until the mixture is creamy.

    Looking for mac and cheese sidekicks? Check out our post: What to Pair with Mac and Cheese.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I bake this mac and cheese without milk?

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) while the noodles are cooking. Cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than indicated on the package; it will continue cooking in the oven. Make the sauce and combine the ingredients as instructed.
    Pour the contents of the pan into a lightly buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with a handful of bread crumbs. Bake the casserole dish for about 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
    Try Old-Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese, too.

    Can I make this mac n cheese ahead?

    You could, but it's not really worth it, as this creamy mac only takes 15 minutes to cook, and it tastes best when served immediately.

    How to store and reheat mac and cheese?

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Use the leftovers to make this Mac and Cheese Burger Recipe.
    Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge.
    Reheat in the microwave or stovetop before serving. I prefer the microwave in this case because reheating on the stove might cause the sauce to stick to the bottom of the pan. If you reheat on the stovetop, do it in a nonstick pan; add a splash of milk (if you happen to have some now), a little bit of chicken broth, or water, and stir almost constantly until reheated.

    How to serve?

    Our favorite way: immediately, in deep bowls, in front of the tellyโ€ฆ it is the kind of meal born to be eaten while watching TV.
    Main dish: You can make a green salad on the side if something healthy must be. As a main, it will be enough to serve four people. Six would be ideal, but that's never happening in our house.
    Side dish: It should be enough for eight. Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, consider serving homemade mac and cheese without milk with roast turkey, roast chicken or pork, sausages, and so on.

    close up of fork lifting strechy cheese noodles from a bowl.

    More mac n cheese recipes

    • close up of a bowl with gouda mac and cheese sprinkled with parsley.
      Gouda Mac and Cheese (5 Ingredients)
    • bowl with tuna mac and cheese close up.
      Tuna Mac and Cheese (One Pot)
    • bowl of 5 cheese mac and cheese overhead view.
      5-Cheese Mac and Cheese
    • close up thermomix mac and cheese with parsley on top.
      Easy Thermomix Mac and Cheese
    • mac and cheese with cream cheese with golden topping.
      Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese
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    ๐Ÿ“– Recipe

    mac and cheese without milk in a brown bowl on a kitchen towel.

    Mac and Cheese without Milk

    Quick and easy mac and cheese without milk recipe; a creamy, delicious meal ready in about 15 minutes. Comfort food at its best!ย 
    4.88 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Pasta Recipes
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 624kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Large pot
    • Large saucepan
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 
     

    • 1 lb elbow macaroni Note 1, 2
    • 8 oz Cheddar cheese about 2 cups (Note 3)
    • 4 oz mozzarella about 1 cup
    • 8 oz package cream cheese
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • fine sea salt to taste
    • ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add salt generously. Cook macaroni according to the packet's instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain well.
      1 lb elbow macaroni/ 450 g
    • Melt cheese: Shortly before the pasta is cooked, heat a large saucepan. Add grated cheese, cream cheese, mustard, some salt, and pepper. Melt cheese on low heat, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes. Don't overheat the mixture.
      8 oz Cheddar cheese/ 220 g + 4 oz mozzarella/ 115 g + 8 oz package cream cheese/ 220 g + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard + fine sea salt + ground black pepper
    • Combine: Add drained pasta and about ยผ - ยฝ of the reserved pasta water (as needed for a creamy consistency) and stir to combine. Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    1. Pasta choice: Any other short pasta shape will be fine.
    2. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water before draining the noodles.
    3. Cheese: You can use other cheese sorts as well - for example, Gouda, Fontina, Swiss, Provolone, and so on.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1portion from 6 | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1015IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 416mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it today!Mention @thefastrecipe or tag #thefastrecipe!

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    Comments

      4.88 from 25 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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    1. lorraine l way says

      March 15, 2025 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      delic.............added one teaspoon of butter to the cheese mixture.

      Reply
    2. ricardo says

      March 07, 2023 at 1:08 am

      steps are out of order on the images. in the written steps you say heat all ingredients minus pasta. but in the images you show all ingredients including the pasta

      Reply
      • Adina says

        March 07, 2023 at 6:05 am

        Hi Ricardo. It works either way.

        Reply
    3. Bec says

      May 16, 2022 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      I love this with bacon - such a decadent comforting dish when feeling like indulging! ๐Ÿ˜‹

      Reply
      • Adina says

        May 16, 2022 at 5:38 am

        Hi Bec, I am glad to hear you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Tamia Butler says

      May 11, 2022 at 2:46 am

      5 stars
      AMAZING ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—, I just made it for dinner tonight and this Mac and cheese is very delicious ๐Ÿ˜‹

      Reply
      • Adina says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:06 am

        Thank you for the feedback, Tamia. I am so happy to hear it!

        Reply
    5. Sabrina says

      March 09, 2022 at 1:00 pm

      Wow, this is ridiculously simple and delicios at the same time!! Thank you!!!

      Reply
    6. Jaylin Spears says

      March 09, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      4 stars
      This was a very good recipe. I will be making it again ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    7. Melissa Robinson says

      March 08, 2022 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      Such a great recipe for busy parents out there. I absolutely love this recipe โค๏ธ making delicious Mac and cheese without milk. Thank you !!

      Reply
    8. Adrianna H says

      March 08, 2022 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      First time making it and it came out delicious and creamy. Definitely recommend this simple recipe instead of boxed mac and cheese

      Reply
    9. Scarlet Ware says

      March 08, 2022 at 10:16 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was sooooo easy! My husband raved about it and ate almost the whole thing.

      Reply
    10. Bruce says

      March 07, 2022 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      I fount your recipe on Pinterest! I'm glad I did, it's delicious! Great recipe to have on hand. I folowed the directions as written

      Reply
      • Adina says

        March 08, 2022 at 6:52 am

        Glad to hear it, Bruce, thank you for the feedback.

        Reply
    11. Whitlock says

      March 07, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      This is a very easy recipe for a busy school night. My kids loved it and asked for the leftovers in their lunch box.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        March 08, 2022 at 6:52 am

        My kids do that too!

        Reply
    12. Laurier says

      March 07, 2022 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      Love recipes that use real food. This was yummy - thank you!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        March 08, 2022 at 6:53 am

        Thank you for the comment, I am happy you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    13. RueP. says

      February 07, 2022 at 11:10 am

      This is a great macaroni and cheese, it's cheesy and buttery! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    14. Keyla says

      February 07, 2022 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      My kids loved it and have learned to make this mac and cheese for their own holiday gathering. Yum!

      Reply

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    Adina Beck the recipe writer, creator, and photographer behind The Fast Recipe Food Blog.

    Hi, I'm Adina! I am a foodie, creator, writer, and photographer, creating and photographing recipes for my blogs and clients.

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