A quick recipe for mac and cheese for one. Easy, cheesy, and oh so good.
Is it lunchtime? Is it dinner time? Are you starving? Do you need a mac and cheese fix? Yes? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you: mac and cheese for one.
This homemade macaroni and cheese is just as quick as the kind that comes out of a box, is one thousand times more delicious, and won’t leave you with a mass of gross congealed leftovers. (Seriously, have you ever tried to reheat leftover boxed mac and cheese? It’s not pretty and neither is food waste!)
I grew up in a boxed mac and cheese household, and just like when I learned how to make homemade mashed potatoes , when I discovered how easy homemade macaroni and cheese was to make, I had no idea why we hadn’t just been making it from scratch all along.
It takes exactly the same amount of time, and if you keep a basic stocked kitchen, cheese and any sort of pasta in your house, YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS.
Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni or pasta of choice: You can use traditional macaroni pasta if you have it or whatever pasta shapes you have on hand. Conchiglie, farfalle, and even larger tube pastas like penne or rigatoni will all work fine. Just pay attention to how you measure your pasta. This recipe calls for 2.5 ounces of pasta, which is 1/2 cup of macaroni, but different pasta shapes have different volume measurements, so if you don’t have a scale to measure your pasta, use a pasta weight to volume table like this one to make sure you’re using the correct amount.
- Salted butter: I call for salted butter here, but if using unsalted, simply add a generous pinch of salt and then adjust salt to taste when making the sauce.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Any cheddar cheese will work fine, but I prefer sharp cheddar because of the stronger flavor it gives the sauce. You can also try mixing in other melty cheeses like Pecorino Romano (my favorite!!), gouda, or gruyere.
- Milk: You can use any percentage milk you have on hand. The higher fat the milk, the richer and creamier your sauce will be.
How to Make Single-serve Macaroni and Cheese
- In a small pot, boil some pasta, and while that cooks, in a separate pot, stir together a little butter and flour. Whisk in milk until the sauce thickens and then add cheese.
- Add salt and pepper to taste along with a bit of cayenne and nutmeg if you’d like and then pour the sauce over the drained pasta and done!
In under 20 minutes, you’ll have rich cheesy mac and cheese for one, portion-controlled and so good you could cry. And if you are feeling extra hungry or want to make it for two or more, the recipe sizes up with just a slightly longer cooking time (see doubling notes).
Variations
Want to up your mac and cheese game? Try these upgrades:
- Hot dog & ketchup: 1/2 cooked hot dog + ketchup. You know what to do with them. (I do not approve of or endorse this upgrade, but everyone I know insists it’s delicious. 😉 )
- Sausage mac & cheese: 1/2 cup sliced smoked sausage browned in a skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer sausage slices to a paper towel-lined plate, and blot gently before stirring into your prepared macaroni and cheese.
- Short rib mac & cheese : Use the meat from 1 or 2 leftover braised short ribs and stir them into your mac and cheese.
- Deluxe mac & cheese : Generously butter both sides of a slice of white bread and use a serrated knife to slice it into 1-inch cubes. Pour your cooked mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish and sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top, followed by the bread pieces. Bake at 375°F for 5 to 10 minutes until bread is toasty.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. The recipe doubles with no preparation changes except the sauce will take slightly longer to thicken when you add the milk. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I make mac and cheese ahead of time?
Like any macaroni and cheese, this recipe is best when eaten right after it’s cooked. You can refrigerate and reheat it, but the sauce won’t be as smooth and creamy.
More Single-serve Recipes
- Fettuccine Alfredo for One
- Scalloped Potatoes for One
- Buttered Noodles
- Tomato Soup for One or Two
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo With Broccoli
- Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- ▢ 2.5 ounces ( ½ cup ) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice*
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ ½ cup ( 2 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ Pinch of cayenne optional
- ▢ Pinch of nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.
- While your water heats, shred cheese, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
- Cook macaroni according to the instructions on the box.
- While your pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until a thick paste forms and turns golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around the edges, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the pasta will cut the level of spice once added. If you like nutmeg and cayenne (I do!), start with a sprinkle, taste, and work your way up. A little of both goes a long way!
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir in cheese sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Frozen Hot Chocolate is the perfect icy and refreshing warm-weather treat and can be made with just five ingredients and five minutes.
Have you ever made frozen hot chocolate? If you haven’t, we should fix that today.
It’s everything you love about a creamy glass of hot chocolate , but iced so you can still enjoy (frozen) hot chocolate even when it’s 100 degrees outside. Best of all, frozen hot chocolate is super simple to throw together at home since it’s literally just hot chocolate ingredients blended with ice.
(You could also technically call it frozen chocolate milk since chocolate milk is just cold hot chocolate, but that name’s not nearly as catchy.)
What does frozen hot chocolate taste like?
In taste and texture, frozen hot chocolate falls somewhere between chocolate milk and a chocolate milkshake . It’s thicker and icier (obviously) than chocolate milk, but not quite as rich and nowhere near as calorie-laden as a milkshake.
In my mind, it’s the perfect warm-weather treat. Icy and refreshing, but not so heavy you want to take a nap afterward.
Tool and Ingredient Notes
- Blender: A high-powered blender is going to give you the best blended consistency (I used a Vitamix for the drinks you see in the photos), but any old blender will get the job done.
- Cocoa powder: Both natural and Dutch-process cocoa powder will work for this recipe, but Dutch-process cocoa powder is considered the gold-standard for hot chocolate.
- Milk: Any milk can be used here (plant-based works just fine). The higher fat the milk, the richer your drink will be. For an extra rich and creamy drink, try substituting half and half or heavy cream for some of the milk.
How to Make Frozen Hot Chocolate
- Make Chocolate Syrup: In your microwave, heat water until steaming and then stir in cocoa powder and sugar until completely smooth. Then stir in half of the milk to cool the syrup down.
- Blend: In your blender, combine ice, the chocolate milk mixture, and remaining cup of milk, and blend until well-combined and frosty.
- Serve and Enjoy: Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and optional fudge sauce , and enjoy!
Variations
- Banana Frozen Hot Chocolate: Replace 1 cup of the ice with a frozen banana.
- Peanut Butter Frozen Hot Chocolate: Add a heaping spoonful (or two) of peanut butter to the blender before blending.
- Coffee Frozen Hot Chocolate: Replace 2 cups of the ice with coffee ice cubes .
- Switch Out the Toppings: Try Peanut Butter Sauce or Nutella Sauce.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Not really. While you can store leftovers in the refrigerator, the pulverized ice in the drink will start to melt and the drink will no longer be thick and frosty.
Can I make this without a blender?
Sorry, no. This drink really needs to be blended with ice. If you’re craving something cold and chocolatey, go make a cup of homemade chocolate milk . It will totally satisfy those chocolate cravings.
Or if you have some ice cream, you can make a milkshake without a blender .
More Frosty Summer Drinks
- How to Make a Milkshake
- Easy Iced Mocha
- Vanilla Milkshake
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha
- Strawberry Milk
Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe Notes
- This recipe will make two very generous servings, slightly more than enough to fill two 16-ounce mason jars, or three to four smaller cups.
- As written, this recipe is not too sweet. If you like your frozen drinks really sweet, add a bit more sugar.
Ingredients
Fudge Sauce
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 heaping tablespoon ( 8g ) cocoa powder
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoons milk, half and half, or heavy cream
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon vanilla optional
Frozen Hot Chocolate
- ▢ 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon ( 63g ) granulated sugar *
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 15g ) cocoa powder
- ▢ 1/4 cup filtered water
- ▢ 2 cups milk any percentage, divided
- ▢ 3 cups ice or 2 1/2 cups crushed ice*
- ▢ Whipped cream optional
Instructions
Fudge Sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in milk. Add cocoa and sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue to whisk continuously, until mixture begins to bubble.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla (if desired). Allow to sit and thicken while you make your frozen hot chocolate.
Frozen Hot Chocolate
- In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa powder, making sure to mix well and crush any cocoa powder lumps.
- In a 16-ounce mason jar or large, microwave-safe mug, microwave water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until steaming. Stir in cocoa powder and sugar mixture until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the milk.
- Combine ice, cocoa and milk mixture, and remaining 1 cup of milk in your blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Divide frozen hot chocolate between glasses, top with optional whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This easy Beef Teriyaki can be made with store-bought or homemade teriyaki sauce and comes out tender and tangy with lightly charred edges and is just perfect over a big bowl of rice.
Today’s recipe is another super easy and fast dinner for weeknights, beef teriyaki.
This beef teriyaki is one of my current favorite weeknight meals. Depending on how ambitious you’re feeling, it can be a two-ingredient dinner (use store-bought teriyaki sauce) or follow my recipe to make your own and feel super smug about the amazing homemade teriyaki sauce you just made from scratch (seriously, this sauce is the best).
Whether you use store-bought or homemade sauce, this teriyaki beef comes out tender and tangy with lightly charred edges and is just perfect over a big bowl of rice.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef: I like to use flap meat in this recipe because it cooks nicely under the quick, high heat of the broiler and is relatively cheap. If you can’t find flap meat, you can substitute flank, hanger, or skirt steak in its place, though they will probably be slightly more expensive.
- Teriyaki sauce: You can use store-bought sauce or I included the recipe for my favorite teriyaki sauce in the recipe card below. The sauce will take an extra 15 to 20 minutes to make, but I think it’s SO worth it.
How to Make Beef Teriyaki
- You’ll start by cutting flap meat into strips and then tossing the meat with teriyaki sauce.
- Lay the strips out on a heavy-duty baking sheet or broiling pan and then broil for just a couple minutes per side. Pull when your meat is medium-rare or your desired level of doneness and dinner’s ready.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. You can cook the beef up to 2 days in advance.
Or if you’d like to prep the ingredients ahead of time for cooking, this is the ultimate make-ahead meal. Sauce can be made up to 1 month in advance, and you can pre-slice the beef and freeze it. So all you have to do on cooking day is defrost the meat, toss it with sauce, and broil. If you plan on serving with broccoli, broccoli can be chopped 3 to 4 days in advance.
What kind of meat is used for beef teriyaki?
We’ll be using flap meat for this recipe. Flap meat, which comes from the bottom of the sirloin, is also known as flap steak or sometimes by its French name, bavette d’aloyau . It’s one of my favorite cuts of beef because it has a really fantastic beefy flavor, is relatively cheap, and is at its best when cooked quick and hot, so it’s ideal for fast weeknight meals.
How do you make tender beef strips?
Aside from choosing the right cut of beef, you can keep your beef tender by 1) cutting the beef against the grain when slicing it into strips and 2) by not overcooking it. Cook your strips to 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium, and pull them out of the oven when they’re just done.
A good instant-read thermometer makes this easy, and you can pull out strips out in batches if necessary, as thinner pieces will cook more quickly than thicker ones.
What goes with Teriyaki Beef?
Serve your teriyaki beef with rice (I’m partial to Calrose rice for Asian dishes) and a side of steamed broccoli or green beans .
More Easy Weeknight Meals
- Beef Ramen Noodles
- Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
- Salsa Chicken
- Slow Cooker Tri-tip Sandwiches
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Quick Chicken Tortellini Soup
Equipment
- Broiler-safe baking sheet
- Foil (optional for easier cleanup)
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- ▢ ⅔ cup store-bought thick teriyaki sauce OR homemade teriyaki sauce
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- ▢ ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup water
- ▢ 2 tablespoons mirin or sherry or Marsala
- ▢ 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 50 g) granulated sugar
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 38 g) brown sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ▢ 1½ teaspoons cornstarch whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Beef
- ▢ 2 pounds flap meat* sliced across the grain into 1x3-inch strips
Serve With
- ▢ Rice
- ▢ Steamed broccoli or steamed green beans
Instructions
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, water, mirin, rice wine vinegar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cornstarch and water slurry in a medium pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened (it will thicken further as it cools). Watch sauce closely while it simmers to make sure it doesn’t bubble over.
- Remove sauce from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool before using.
Beef Teriyaki
- Adjust top oven rack so it is about 4 inches from the heating element. Heat broiler on high.
- In a medium bowl, combine sliced steak and about 1/3 cup of the prepared teriyaki sauce. Toss until all the meat is well coated. Lay meat out in a single layer on a foil-lined broiler-safe baking sheet or broiler pan.
- Broil for 2 minutes, remove pan and flip meat. Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium and meat edges are lightly charred. If necessary, you can remove some of the thinner pieces that are cooking more quickly and return the rest of the pan to the oven.
- Brush meat with remaining sauce and serve over rice. Enjoy!
Notes
A quick recipe for mac and cheese for one. Easy, cheesy, and oh so good.
Is it lunchtime? Is it dinner time? Are you starving? Do you need a mac and cheese fix? Yes? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you: mac and cheese for one.
This homemade macaroni and cheese is just as quick as the kind that comes out of a box, is one thousand times more delicious, and won’t leave you with a mass of gross congealed leftovers. (Seriously, have you ever tried to reheat leftover boxed mac and cheese? It’s not pretty and neither is food waste!)
I grew up in a boxed mac and cheese household, and just like when I learned how to make homemade mashed potatoes , when I discovered how easy homemade macaroni and cheese was to make, I had no idea why we hadn’t just been making it from scratch all along.
It takes exactly the same amount of time, and if you keep a basic stocked kitchen, cheese and any sort of pasta in your house, YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS.
Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni or pasta of choice: You can use traditional macaroni pasta if you have it or whatever pasta shapes you have on hand. Conchiglie, farfalle, and even larger tube pastas like penne or rigatoni will all work fine. Just pay attention to how you measure your pasta. This recipe calls for 2.5 ounces of pasta, which is 1/2 cup of macaroni, but different pasta shapes have different volume measurements, so if you don’t have a scale to measure your pasta, use a pasta weight to volume table like this one to make sure you’re using the correct amount.
- Salted butter: I call for salted butter here, but if using unsalted, simply add a generous pinch of salt and then adjust salt to taste when making the sauce.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Any cheddar cheese will work fine, but I prefer sharp cheddar because of the stronger flavor it gives the sauce. You can also try mixing in other melty cheeses like Pecorino Romano (my favorite!!), gouda, or gruyere.
- Milk: You can use any percentage milk you have on hand. The higher fat the milk, the richer and creamier your sauce will be.
How to Make Single-serve Macaroni and Cheese
- In a small pot, boil some pasta, and while that cooks, in a separate pot, stir together a little butter and flour. Whisk in milk until the sauce thickens and then add cheese.
- Add salt and pepper to taste along with a bit of cayenne and nutmeg if you’d like and then pour the sauce over the drained pasta and done!
In under 20 minutes, you’ll have rich cheesy mac and cheese for one, portion-controlled and so good you could cry. And if you are feeling extra hungry or want to make it for two or more, the recipe sizes up with just a slightly longer cooking time (see doubling notes).
Variations
Want to up your mac and cheese game? Try these upgrades:
- Hot dog & ketchup: 1/2 cooked hot dog + ketchup. You know what to do with them. (I do not approve of or endorse this upgrade, but everyone I know insists it’s delicious. 😉 )
- Sausage mac & cheese: 1/2 cup sliced smoked sausage browned in a skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer sausage slices to a paper towel-lined plate, and blot gently before stirring into your prepared macaroni and cheese.
- Short rib mac & cheese : Use the meat from 1 or 2 leftover braised short ribs and stir them into your mac and cheese.
- Deluxe mac & cheese : Generously butter both sides of a slice of white bread and use a serrated knife to slice it into 1-inch cubes. Pour your cooked mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish and sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top, followed by the bread pieces. Bake at 375°F for 5 to 10 minutes until bread is toasty.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. The recipe doubles with no preparation changes except the sauce will take slightly longer to thicken when you add the milk. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I make mac and cheese ahead of time?
Like any macaroni and cheese, this recipe is best when eaten right after it’s cooked. You can refrigerate and reheat it, but the sauce won’t be as smooth and creamy.
More Single-serve Recipes
- Fettuccine Alfredo for One
- Scalloped Potatoes for One
- Buttered Noodles
- Tomato Soup for One or Two
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo With Broccoli
- Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- ▢ 2.5 ounces ( ½ cup ) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice*
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ ½ cup ( 2 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ Pinch of cayenne optional
- ▢ Pinch of nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.
- While your water heats, shred cheese, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
- Cook macaroni according to the instructions on the box.
- While your pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until a thick paste forms and turns golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around the edges, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the pasta will cut the level of spice once added. If you like nutmeg and cayenne (I do!), start with a sprinkle, taste, and work your way up. A little of both goes a long way!
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir in cheese sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Quick Mac and Cheese for One
Ingredients
- 2.5 ounces ( ½ cup ) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice*
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk any percentage
- ½ cup ( 2 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch of cayenne optional
- Pinch of nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.
- While your water heats, shred cheese, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
- Cook macaroni according to the instructions on the box.
- While your pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until a thick paste forms and turns golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around the edges, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the pasta will cut the level of spice once added. If you like nutmeg and cayenne (I do!), start with a sprinkle, taste, and work your way up. A little of both goes a long way!
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir in cheese sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
