"Instant" Mac and Cheese

No-boil, no-bake, one-pan mac and cheese is not just possibly simple, but simply possible! On top of producing awesome taste and texture, the whole procedure only took a few minutes longer than the boxed stuff; not to mention we avoided about a dozen ingredients we probably shouldn't be eating. Just make sure to grate your own (high-quality) Cheddar and turn off the heat as soon as the cheese melts, and the process should go smoothly.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 539 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1 pinch dried mustard (Optional)
• 1 very small pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup freshly shredded white Cheddar cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring milk, salt, cayenne, mustard, nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon butter to a simmer in a pot over medium heat. Stir in macaroni. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until firm yet tender to the bite, about 8 minutes. Do not undercook.

Step 2

Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toast until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 3

Stir cheeses into the cooked macaroni. Reduce heat to low and stir just until melted. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 3 minutes. Uncover, stir, and season to taste.

Step 4

Spoon mac and cheese into warm serving bowls; sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs on top.