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The easiest and creamiest homemade mac & cheese is Ricotta Mac and Cheese.

The easiest and creamiest homemade mac & cheese is Ricotta Mac and Cheese. The creamy, cheesy sauce wraps around the soft pasta, and the sweet taste of ricotta goes wonderfully with the savory taste of cheddar. Oh, and did I say that this ricotta mac is ready in less than 20 minutes and just needs one pot?

Say goodbye to powdered cheese for good and enjoy the amazing taste of our homemade mac and cheese. Say hello to the rich, creamy goodness of real cheese. Your whole family will want more and more!

This is the simplest mac and cheese recipe you’ll ever make. You don’t have to prepare the roux (which can be scary), use more than one pot, or use butter, condensed milk, Velveeta, or canned soup. A small amount of pasta water, creamy ricotta cheese, and shredded cheddar make a smooth, cheesy sauce that is just the correct thickness. This method is life-changing! I use it in my Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese dish too.

Why you’ll enjoy this recipe

Real 1-pot meal—no need to cook the noodles separately.
Little work ahead of time
In 20 minutes
Good for kids and families
Great for busy weeknights or idle weekends, it comes together quickly.
Boil the pasta, add the other ingredients, and you’re done!

Items and Changes

Macaroni Pasta: Elbow macaroni is the most common type, but little pasta shapes like shells or rotini are also good. Whole wheat or gluten-free options are great if you want to make things a little healthier.

Cheddar Cheese: Choose a high-quality sharp cheddar cheese that melts well and adds a lot of flavor to your dish. You can mix cheddar with other cheeses like Monterey Jack or Gouda if you want.

Ricotta Cheese: Choose whole milk ricotta cheese prepared with whole milk for a rich, creamy texture. Brands like Gilbani melt more evenly, which makes your mac and cheese smooth and creamy.

Milk: The type of milk you use can change how creamy your sauce is. If you want a lighter version, you can use 2% milk instead of whole milk. Milk that doesn’t have lactose in it works beautifully.

Dijon Mustard: Gives the sauce a slight acidic taste. You can leave it out if you want a softer flavor. I enjoy Grey Poupon.

Spices: A mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika adds depth and warmth to your food. Change the amounts to fit your taste. If you only want mac & cheese, don’t add any spices. Just use salt.

Pasta Water: The starchy water left over from boiling pasta is one of the secrets to a creamy sauce. This water thickens the sauce, giving it a rich texture without the need for butter and flour.

Ingredients

( ) 8 oz of dried elbow macaroni or other tiny pasta (half a package)
( ) 1 ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
( ) ⅔ cup of full-fat ricotta cheese (prepared with whole milk)
( ) ½ cup of milk or more, as needed
( ) 1 teaspoon of salt
( ) 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
( ) ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
( ) ½ teaspoon of onion powder
( ) ¼ teaspoon paprika
( ) 2 cups of water

Instructions

Put 2 cups of water in a kettle or saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil.
Add the macaroni and toss it around so that it’s mostly under water. Turn the heat down to low.
Put a lid on it and cook it until it’s al dente, following the directions on the package. Mine took seven minutes. Don’t cook too long and stir every now and then.
Don’t drain the pasta water and keep the stove on low. Put milk, ricotta cheese, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in the pot. Mix well until everything is mixed together.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese and keep stirring until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce emerges. If you want the sauce to be creamier, add 1–2 tablespoons of milk at a time.
Taste and add additional salt if you need to.
Enjoy and serve!

Notes

Not all ricotta cheese melts in the same way. I tried this recipe with two brands, Gilbani and Trader Joe’s, and Gilbani worked better.
You really only need one pot to make this recipe; you don’t need to cook the pasta separately.
Don’t forget to NOT drain the macaroni once you boil it. There will be some pasta cooking water on the bottom. This water is heavy in starch, which will help your sauce get thicker.
Once you add cheddar cheese, it will initially look stringy. Just keep stirring it on low heat until it melts. If you want the sauce to be creamier, add additional milk. I used ½ cup and 2 tablespoons in the end.
If you don’t have any mustard, you can skip it.
You can use monterey jack, gouda, or a combination instead of cheddar cheese.

Putting away and heating up

Put the leftovers in an airtight container to keep them fresh. It works well to keep things fresh in glass or plastic containers with tight closures. You may keep the mac and cheese in the fridge for up to three or four days.

To reheat mac and cheese, add a little milk or cream before putting it in the microwave. This helps bring back the creaminess. Put it on the stove over low to medium heat and stir it often to keep it from sticking and make sure it heats evenly.

What to eat with mac and cheese

You may serve Ricotta Macaroni and Cheese with a lot of different sides. It’s a delicious and cozy dish. Here are some tasty things that go well with the creamy goodness of your mac & cheese:

Proteins: Mac and cheese goes well with almost any protein, including chicken, pork, cattle, salmon, shrimp, or your favorite meat or fish. You can serve it with my Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breast, Buffalo Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders, or Pork Kebabs.
Salad: A light, crisp green salad will balance out the richness of the mac and cheese. You may serve it with this Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad or this La Scala Chopped Salad.
I prefer to roast my vegetables in the air fryer. You might like these Air Fryer Eggplant or Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries. Mac and cheese also goes nicely with asparagus (try my prosciutto-wrapped asparagus), brussel sprouts, zucchini, and sweet potatoes.

Toppings and mix-ins that are not required

There are a lot of things you can add to mac and cheese to make it more special or filling if it’s the main dish. Here are some suggestions:

My favorite mix-in is spinach. After adding cheddar cheese, just mix in some baby spinach to wilt and heat it up. Spinach is a great source of nourishment, and ricotta and spinach are a classic combination (as shown in my Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Feta, and Ricotta recipe).
Parmesan cheese: To make your mac and cheese taste better, add ¼ cup of grated asiago or parmesan cheese.
Bacon that is crispy, cooked, and crushed to create a flavorful crunch.
Vegetables that have been cooked, such broccoli, peas, and carrots.
Lobster meat: I love lobster mac and cheese because I live in Maine. Just put steamed lobster flesh on top of the dish to make it nice!
Chopped onions and minced garlic. Before you add the flour for the roux, sauté them in butter. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of butter for this.
Add your preferred dried herbs and other spices to the mac and cheese to give it more flavor. You can use Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, or toss in fresh herbs at the end, like parsley, dill, basil, or chives.
Add some hot sauce for a spicy kick. I like Frank’s RedHot.

Can I make it into baked macaroni and cheese?

You make this recipe in one pot on the stove, and it should be creamy and saucy. You may easily put it into a casserole form if you want creamy baked macaroni and cheese, though. Here’s how:

Preheat your oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so that it’s ready when your mac and cheese is done.
Get your mac and cheese ready: Add a full cup of milk instead of a half cup to the Ricotta Mac and Cheese recipe and cook it on the stove until it’s almost done.
Put it in a baking dish: Grease a casserole dish and pour the mac and cheese into it.
Add a topping that is crunchy (optional): If you like a crunchy crust, you can put a layer of breadcrumbs combined with melted butter or grated parmesan cheese on top of the mac and cheese. During baking, this will make a crunchy, golden top layer.
Put the baking dish in the oven that has already been preheated. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese inside is bubbling and the top is golden and crispy. Watch it so it doesn’t burn.
Serve hot: After baking it to perfection, take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information