Mug Mac and Cheese
Macaroni, milk and grated cheddar cooked together in a mug in the microwave for 4 minutes into a creamy single serving.
Photograph credit: mac&cheese by Ginny · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Where This Goes Wrong
Use small elbow macaroni.
Stir halfway through.
Add the cheese off the heat.
Making Mug Mac and Cheese
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Put the macaroni, water, milk, salt and mustard powder in a large mug and stir.
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Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir well, then microwave for a further 2 minutes until the pasta is tender.
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Stir in the cheddar until melted and glossy.
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Leave for 1 minute to thicken, loosening with a splash of milk if needed.
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Season with the pepper and eat from the mug.
Why the Method Works
A bowl of macaroni cheese for one needs no pot and no draining. This version cooks the pasta and the sauce together in a single mug, using the pasta starch to thicken the milk into a creamy coating in about four minutes. It is the dish for a student, for a desk lunch with a microwave or for a late supper.
Use small elbow macaroni, which cooks quickly and fits the mug. Large pasta takes longer than the sauce can last. Cover the pasta just barely with water and milk in equal parts, and add a pinch of salt. The water softens the pasta, the milk gives richness, and a pinch of mustard powder sharpens the cheese flavour.
Stir halfway and again at the end. The pasta clumps in the first minute if left alone, and the starch settles at the bottom. Cook for 2 minutes, stir, and cook for a further 2, watching in case it bubbles over. Use a large mug or a bowl, since the mixture froths.
Stir in the grated cheese off the heat and mix until it melts into a glossy sauce. If it is too thick, loosen with a splash of milk. If it is too thin, leave it for a minute, and it will thicken as it sits. Top with pepper or a few crushed crackers.
After You've Cooked It
Best eaten at once.
Serving Mug Mac and Cheese
- Green salad
- Hot sauce
- Crispy bacon
- Steamed broccoli
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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