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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
Do I boil 4 cups or 4 qts of water?
It really is just 4 cups! I just made it tonight.
Hi Allison,
The recipe calls for 4 cups of water. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I am not normally a fan of mac and cheese, but this is SO good. Super creamy, slight spice to it and veggies to boot. Great comfort food and it makes a lot!
Hey Barb,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Delicious! I used Gruyere instead of the jack cheese. Pricey but really good!
Hey Tracey,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Is there a substitute for the cream cheese? I can’t find cream cheese anywhere due to the shortage!
Ditto to this ! I would love any suggestions for cream cheese substitutions !
Ricotta would be great!!
Hey Shannon,
Ricotta would work well! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was 5/5 stars from the whole fam!
Hey Natalie,
Happy Sunday!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it!! xxT
I just made this and it is SO good! I have a lot leftover. Do you think this would hold up if I froze the rest for a later date?
Thanks!
Hey Allison,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! Sure, that would be just fine for you to do! xTieghan
I wanted to love this recipe but for us the Dijon was too overwhelming. It over powered the whole dish and was not a hit with the kids. I am going to try this again as I love everything else about it except the Dijon!! Next time I will either reduce the Dijon or perhaps substitute it with ground mustard. Would that be an equal substitute? Otherwise I think it will be a huge hit at home!
Hey Carrie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. The ground mustard would actually have even more of a stronger flavor, so I would just totally omit next time. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Do you think I could make this with half and half cream instead of heavy cream? Would it be too runny?
I did and it was good! I also used sour cream instead of cream cheese and it was great
Hey Hayley,
Happy Sunday!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it!! xxT
Hey Jenn,
Half and half should be just fine for you to use! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made this with bow tie pasta because that’s what was on hand! Amazing! New fav Mac n’ cheese recipe! Can’t believe you don’t even need butter! Plus my younger brother loved it despite not being the biggest fan of broccoli or zucchini!
Hey Samantha,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
Great cozy Sunday dinner! The broccoli and zucchini gave the perfect texture. Definitely hanging on to this recipe!
Hey Kristen,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Perfect! This was delicious and made everyone in my family happy!
Hey Bekah,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
I think this will be my go-to macaroni and cheese recipe from now on. I love the addition of zucchini and broccoli. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!
Hey Erika,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
Another great weeknight recipe from Tieghan! Made this last night… I admit to making it a bit more complicated by using fresh garlic and herbs (and adding some spicy Italian sausage slices). It was a bit hit, and no one could guess the “secret” ingredient… the grated zucchini! Will definitely make again.
Since some people discussed this, my note for cooking times/amount of water: clearly you have to adjust for certain thick, artisanal pastas that take more time and water, and add the broccoli a bit later. If it gets dry, add more water. The cooking times were about right for me, using medium size shells, which I think worked well for this recipe.
Hey Kerry,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
What if no zucchini?
I didn’t have zucchini and followed the recipe as is without it and it was delish! No tweaks needed ?
Hi Tracey,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
Hi Mary Alice,
You can skip the zucchini. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Another great recipe!! So creamy and delicious. Easy to make, love the 1 pot method for easier clean up. It makes a good portion so going to try and freeze it for lunches. Thanks again for your wonderful ideas!!
Hey Corinne,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
Super easy, super good and two veggies! Perfection! I just had to turn down the heat from high to medium once I added the cream cheese because the pasta started to stick to the pot. I will make this many more times!
Hey Rosa,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
Wondering if this recipe should only call for 1 tsp of Dijon mustard, not sure if anyone felt like a tablespoon was overpowering? I love mustard on other things but found it to take over the whole taste. Think I will remake with 1 tsp or less next time
Hi Lauren,
The recipe is correct with 1 tablespoon, you can always reduce to your liking:) xTieghan
This Mac and cheese is so delicious! Its quick to make too. This will definitely be on rotation!
Hey Lillia,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT