Creamy homemade mac and cheese made in one pot with just a handful of ingredients. It’s almost as easy as the box—but so much better.

Mac & cheese is another one of those meals that gets requested regularly at our house. And while there’s certainly nothing complicated about opening a box of mac & cheese, this version isn’t much more difficult.

Why make it instead of the box?

Because I know what’s in it. It tastes better. And honestly, it’s almost as easy. There’s no roux to make, no separate cheese sauce, and no casserole dish to bake afterward. The secret is a jar of Alfredo sauce. It gives you a creamy base, and then freshly shredded sharp cheddar makes it taste like the mac & cheese everyone actually wants. Everything happens right in the pot you used to cook the pasta.

Top it with some crispy bacon and serve it with roasted broccoli for an easy meal, or make it as a side for Sloppy Joes, pulled pork, BBQ chicken—or just about anything else.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (16 oz) small shells, penne, or cavatappi
• Salt, for the pasta water
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce (about 15 oz)
• 1 block (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded(pre-shredded won’t melt as nice)
• About 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning, or so, to taste
• Up to 2 cups reserved pasta water, as needed
• Crispy bacon, optional, for topping

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
3. Return the warm pot to the stove and pour in the Alfredo sauce.
4. Over low heat, slowly add the shredded sharp cheddar, a little at a time, stirring as you go until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
5. Stir in approximately 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning, or season to taste.
6. Add the cooked pasta back to the pot and stir until everything is well coated.
7. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like, add a little of the reserved pasta water at a time until the mac & cheese reaches the consistency you like.
8. Serve immediately, topped with crispy bacon if desired.

Don’t Skip the Pasta Water

This is probably the one step I’d tell you not to forget. Before you drain the pasta, scoop out a couple cups of that starchy cooking water. You may not need it at all, but it’s perfect for thinning the cheese sauce if it gets a little too thick. Add just a splash at a time until everything is creamy again.

Make It a Meal

Sometimes we top bowls of mac & cheese with crispy bacon and serve roasted broccoli alongside it for a simple dinner. Other nights, it’s the side dish.

It’s especially good with:

• Sloppy Joes
• Pulled pork
• BBQ chicken
• Burgers
• Grilled chicken

Or whatever else you’re putting on the table that night. It’s certainly nothing fancy. Just really good, creamy mac & cheese that takes barely more effort than making it from a box.