This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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
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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Delicious! I love the hidden vegetables. Great flavor and my family loved it.
Hi Katie,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx
Amazing as usual! I had to use way more water, maybe because I had a somewhat large head of broccoli. But I adjusted as I went and it turned out fabulous ? made for a perfect lunch served with some homemade crispy chicken on top.
Hi Trisha,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx
So quick, easy and delish. Would def recommend and certainly adding to my reg rotation.
Thanks!
Hi Patricia,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
Make it for lunch today (3/9/22) for a friend…..Delicious!!!!!
Instead of the garlic powder and onion powder, I used minced garlic and minced onion. I did not shred the zucchini, I chopped it very fine and only used half. I’m not a big fan of it.
Hi Georgia,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xx
Delicious! We used jalapeno monterey jack and extra old white cheddar. So flavorful & love the veg.
Hi Casey,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Loved this! Turned out great and was a huge hit for the family!! Thanks so much for the recipe?
Hi Jessica,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
Silly question, but when using “1 lb of pasta” is that uncooked? Thanks!
Hi Robyn,
Yes, that is uncooked. Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
We loved it. Used pepper jack and sharp cheddar cheese.
Hi Lib,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
Just made this for dinner and OMG it is amazing ??
Hi Olivia,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
Excellent and easy!
Hi Stacey,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
You had me at mac-n-cheese. This is delicious and creamy. I love having the zucchini and broccoli mixed in. We added some leftover pulled pork to our bowls last night and it was a great addition.
Hi Lori,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Yum! Had for dinner and for the next 2 days lunches. Husband and I both really liked it. I used lumaconi pasta from target and full fat coconut milk. Made exactly as written and it turned out perfect. Next time I will probably leave my broccoli a little larger, I chopped it kinda small and I would have liked some bigger chunks.
Hi Emily,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
SOOOO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! I was hesitant to make because of some of the “negative” reviews but I’m so happy I decided to make it! So tasty and easy to make 🙂 like other comments say it’s basically broccoli cheddar soup but with noodles – can’t get much better than that! I did add a little more water – but that’s because the noodles I used were a little bigger than the ones pictured! Best mac and cheese I’ve made 🙂
Hi Gabrielle,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
WOW! Absolutely delicious. Tastes like broccoli cheddar soup, but in the form of mac and cheese, which makes it ever better! And super easy to make.
Hi Mackenzie,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Didn’t include the veggies cuz I didn’t have them but it was amazing! At first I didn’t like the Dijon taste but I am literally loving it and will definitely be making this Mac and cheese all the time!
Hi Skyla,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan
Made this with mozzarella and sharp cheddar and I used jovial brown rice shells. Also, used yellow squash instead of zucchini because that’s what was available at the store. I love it!
Hi Julie,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Just made this for lunch because I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and it was delicious! I used coconut milk because that’s what I happened to have, but think I would prefer to use heavy cream next time. Thanks for sharing another delicious recipe!
Hi Cori,
Happy Friday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go:) xTieghan