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This super easy One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese is the perfect recipe for sneaking in vegetables. Elbow macaroni noodles and broccoli are boiled together until al dente. Then a splash of milk, a handful of sharp cheddar cheese, and a little shredded zucchini. Together they create a creamy one-pot mac and cheese that’s wholesome and delicious. This simple mac and cheese recipe is made all in one pot, in just 30 minutes.
We’re starting the week off right with Monday Mac and Cheese! Growing up, mac and cheese was the frozen Stouffers kind. Looking back, I can’t believe I ever ate microwaved mac and cheese in plastic. It’s a little cringy to think about. But I will say, I do recall them being pretty good.
The sides would get a little crispy, crunchy (which probably meant it was cooked too long? who knows) and the center was creamy, cheesy, and perfect.
For whatever reason, I don’t remember Kraft mac and cheese being in our kitchen. I think the boys may have made it in high school. But by then I had sworn off boxed mac and cheese.
Point is, I love the idea of a quick stovetop mac and cheese. But prefer mine to be homemade and with real ingredients.
This solves that problem. It might not be as quick as popping a frozen meal into the microwave, but I promise, it’s so much more delicious and nutritious.
I snuck in some broccoli, secretly added in zucchini (and you’d never know), while still keeping this creamy and with the best cheese sauce.
The process
Start by boiling a big pot of water on the stove. Use a pot or dutch oven that will be large enough to hold both the pasta and the broccoli.
Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and the broccoli. Boil together until al dente, then simply stir in all the remaining ingredients, and that’s kind of it. The key is to use a touch of cream cheese and creamy dijon mustard for creaminess. But the real secret is the shredded zucchini. It helps to create the perfect amount of creamy sauce while adding a vegetable at the same time.
Sounds like it’s going to be weird, but this is fully family approved. The boys didn’t even realize there was any zucchini.
For the cheeses, I love using a mix of melted cheddar for flavor and Monterey jack for creaminess. Together they create that ideal cheese pull we all love so much. A little parmesan could be good too, but then you lose that “classic” mac and cheese flavor.
To season it up, I like to use paprika and cayenne. Perfect combo, you don’t even know it’s in there really, but yet it adds so much to the dish.
Definitely makes it better than the frozen stuff, that’s for sure.
Excited to have this recipe in my back pocket. It’s pretty perfect any time of the year and everyone really loves it. Even Asher, who’s picky about adding vegetables to mac and cheese, loves this. She actually said, “the broccoli makes it better”!
So there ya go! She doesn’t lie.
Looking for other one pot recipes? Here are my favorites:
French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 507 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 cup grated)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons salted butter (optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the pasta, and broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, and mustard, and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes more. Stir in the zucchini.2. Add the cheeses, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and butter (if using), and stir until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce feels thick, add ¼ cup milk or water to thin.3. Divide the mac and cheese between bowls. Top with black pepper.
This post was originally published on January 31, 2022
Hi Tieghan!
My boyfriend and I had a mac&cheese-sunday-project last fall, and we´ve tried nearly all of your mac recipes. And loved them!
But the sauces always seemed to be much runnier than in your photos, so I started holding back some of the liquid and then it was fine. I just recently realized that when I scale down the servings, the amounts in the ingredient list are reduced but not the amounts in the text. So when I scale this recipe down from 6 servings to 3, the text still says to start with 4 cups of water. Which is probably too much for half the amount of pasta when none of the liquid is drained out.
Thought you might like to know!
Will be trying this on sunday 🙂
Hey Trine,
Thanks so much for trying the recipes, so glad to hear that have been enjoyed! Yes, since the water is never listed as an ingredient, you will have to scale that down on your own if you are adjusting the recipe:) xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was fantastic! Plus a great way to sneak in those veggies and still enjoy comfort food at the same time.
Hey Jeff,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Ok, yum!!!
Thanks so much Danielle!
I am definitely going to try this but wondering if I could skip the broccoli and maybe add spinach? My one year old grandson loves mac and cheese, he isn’t fond of broccoli but loves spinach and kale
Yes why not! Im going to use butternut squash and see what my kiddos think of it. They are also not broccoli fans!
I hope you love the recipe Nikki!!
Hey Christine,
Sure, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
So simple to make and a hit with the family! Also added fresh spinach. Great weekday meal to whip together!
Hey Cathy,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This sounds wonderful. I am allergic to squash. Should I replace the squash with more broccoli?
Hey Julia,
Sure! You could also do shredded carrots, that would work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
AMAZING!
Grown-up Mac and cheese!
this was very good!
Easy too!
I wasnt’ sure about 4 cups of water. I thought that wasn’t going to be enough but it was perfect!
Nice job, once again, Teaghan!
Hey Nan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
AMAZING!
Grown-up Mac and cheese!
This was really tasty!
Easy too!
Nice job, once again, Teaghan!
Hey Nan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Loved it! My kids are enjoying it as well. Easy to make and love that veggies are included!
Hey Sukhi,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
With all due respect, I wish you would list ingredients (in all of your recipes) according to weight rather than, or at least in addition to, volume. I find it incredibly frustrating to see “1 head broccoli”. Heads of broccoli run the gamut. The same for the cheese. It’s very hard when shopping to gage what 1 or 2 cups shredded might be. It would be so much easier if you could state 8-10 ozs. (or whatever the correct equivalent is). Thank you.
Very easy and so yummy!
Hi Denise,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
A little Google didn’t hurt anyone. 8oz is 1 cup, so 16oz would be 2 cups. Or, shred your own and measure. Blocks of cheese usually have the weight on them. And as far as the broccoli goes, use your best judgment; if its a big head just use half or two thirds. Or Google the average size for a head of broccoli.
An 8 ounce block of cheese usually yields about 2 cups of shredded if u go by the shredded bags at the supermarket.
With all due respect Jan, most grated cheeses (especially if you use the ones stated in the recipe) will yield the same amount in cups. As for the broccoli, are you kidding me? Just gague the size by how much you like broccoli. Love it? Grab a big head. Not a huge fan? Go smaller. It’s cooking. Not baking or doing a science experiment. Tieghan gives us free content every single day, and then people like you have to swoop in to nitpick and be generally unsufferable. You should really find a hobby.
Sorry for all that, Tieghan. But ooooh it makes me mad! You’re amazing and people can be the worst. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
What Lindsay said… Sweet lord, Jan.
I bet she’s SUPER fun at parties…
Hi Jan,
Just simply click “metric” below the list of ingredients to have the measurements switch for you:) Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Your mom was supporting the local economy with Stouffer’s. What a good citizen AND mom!!?
Lol she sure is!!
When I make a cheese sauce using real shredded cheddar cheese, it turns out grainy. Did you take it off the stove first before adding the shredded cheeses?
Hey Mare,
I did not, but I use a the leftover water from boiling the noodles to help melt the cheeses and combine the sauce. I hope this helps for you, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Mare, I am not sure what you mean by “real shredded cheese” but if you are referring to pre-shredded cheese it has additives to it that can cause the sauce to be grainy.
what was the pasta you used does not look like fusilli?
Those are shells.
Melanie, if you look a little closer, it’s still elbow Mac, just ridged. They make those kind too!
Hi Martha,
You can use any short cut pasta that you enjoy, I used elbow macaroni. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Could gruyere cheese be substituted for one of the cheeses?
Looks like a pipe rigate or pipe of some sort
Not pipe, pipette.
Hey Marsha,
Totally, that would be delicious! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I absolutely adore this Mac and Cheese version!!
Miki x
https://www.littletasteofbeauty.com/
Thanks so much!!