20-Minute Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
Sharing our family’s favorite whole wheat mac and cheese that we make all the time. Made with wholesome pasta and insanely creamy stovetop cheese sauce.
For a delicious twist, try our smoked Gouda mac and cheese.
We love to pair this one-pot mac and cheese with a House Salad for an easy weeknight meal.
One-Pot Mac and Cheese
I’ve been making this easy whole wheat mac and cheese recipe for as long as I can remember. This is the only way we do mac and cheese in our house.
Made entirely in one pot with whole wheat pasta and a delicious blend of white Cheddar and Mexican cheese. The best part about this creamy stovetop mac and cheese is that it comes together in 20 minutes!
Secret Ingredient for Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Mustard. Specifically, ground mustard. Mustard adds a slight tanginess and depth of flavor to the mac and cheese. And don’t worry, your mac and cheese won’t taste like mustard!
How to Make Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
Set your timer to 20 minutes and get ready to make this speedy mac and cheese. Seriously once you try it once you’ll never want to make it any other way. It’s that easy!
- Step 1: Cook pasta according to box directions 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Step 2: Add the cooked pasta to the pot with reserved water and butter. Stir until butter melts.
- Step 3: Sprinkle in flour and stir until fully incorporated.
- Step 4: Add milk and ground mustard. Simmer until the milk thickens.
- Step 5: Gradually stir in the cheeses until smooth. Serve immediately.
How to Reheat Mac and Cheese
Pasta continues to absorb moisture after it’s been cooked, which means the longer mac and cheese sits, the dryer it will become. The secret is to add milk when reheating.
- Add leftover mac and cheese to a sauté pan or a dutch-oven.
- Add 1-2 splashes of milk or more, depending on the amount of leftovers.
- Heat the mac and cheese over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. It should be smooth and creamy.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Chicken Sausage and Broccolini Pasta
- Pasta with Fresh Tomato Cream Sauce
- 20-Minute Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach
- Pesto Pasta
20-Minute Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sharing our family favorite whole wheat mac and cheese that we make all the time. Made with wholesome pasta and insanely creamy stovetop cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. whole wheat small shaped pasta
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 2 cups freshly shredded white cheddar, mild or sharp
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Garlic powder, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water one minute shy of al dente according to package instructions. Mine took about 7 minutes but always check your box for timing.
- Drain the cooked pasta over a colander, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Return the pasta to the same pot. Add reserved water, butter, and stir until the butter melts. If needed, reduce the heat at this point.
- Sprinkle flour over the pasta and cook, stirring until fully absorbed, about 30 seconds. The pasta mixture will slightly thicken at this point.
- Gradually add milk, while stirring, and then the ground mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gradually stir in cheese until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to use a large enough pot, at least 6 quarts as you want plenty of room for pasta and the cheese sauce. I love this dutch-oven. Great value and amazing reviews.
- When cooking pasta, salt your water. I used about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for 4 quarts of water.
- You can use lower-fat milk, however, the sauce won’t be as creamy.
- In the end, add a pinch of garlic powder for added flavor. It’s so good!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 535
- Sugar: 6.5 g
- Sodium: 449.8 mg
- Fat: 27.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.9 g
- Protein: 24.9 g
- Cholesterol: 75.6 mg
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Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Can I freeze this Mac and cheese.
It should freeze okay. You may need to add some type of liquid when reheating, such as milk, cream, etc.
Quick, easy, and very cheesy! Made exactly as written and came out great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Made this last night for drop in guests, and it was a hit! Easy and filling. I’m adding this to my cookbook!
That’s awesome! Thank you for feedback Ravenn.
This is an amazing and simple recipe. My kids and I love it — garlic powder is a great addition!
Thank you! That’s so great to hear.
Whole wheat mac and cheese sounds different. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. can’t wait to try this on my weekends.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting recipe to read . I learn new recipes from your article , you are doing a great job . Keep it up
Very interesting,will surely try to make and eat,good job and thanks for sharing such a good recipe.
I thought this is a great recipe.
Tasty filling and now added to my recipe book.
I adapted it slightly using skimmed milk and it still tastes delicious.