Every bite of this one pot gluten free mac and cheese delivers creamy comfort! A luxurious gluten-free cheese sauce dresses perfectly cooked macaroni for the best homemade version of a classic! Great for weeknights - or anytime.
When you don't have time to make gluten free baked mac and cheese but don't want to rely on a boxed version, whip up a batch of this gluten free mac and cheese made in just one pot! An easy, creamy homemade gluten free cheese sauce wraps around tender gluten free pasta to make the ultimate comfort food meal! Serve with a quick salad, a spoonful of roasted cauliflower or baked sweet potato cubes, or pair with a bowl of vegetarian cream of tomato soup.
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What You'll Love
- The easiest. Don't be intimidated by making the cheese sauce - it's just a couple of extra steps (if that) more than making store-bought mac and cheese. And it's so much better homemade!
- Quick. Look, I love my butternut squash mac and cheese recipe soooo much, but it's admittedly a bit of work to put together. In this version, you don't have to turn on the oven; just make the sauce, make the pasta, combine, and nosh!
- Creamy yet light. I don't use cream or half and half in the cheese sauce, so it's not overly rich, but it's still super creamy and decadent-tasting (of course, you can use cream if you like!).
Ingredients Needed
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Butter - Salted or unsalted butter is fine.
- Sweet white rice flour - This creates the thick roux base of the sauce. Swap cornstarch if needed.
- Milk - I use a combo of whole milk and 2% milk.
- Shredded cheese - You can use 1 cheese or a combination. I prefer to shred my own cheese because pre-shredded cheese can contain anti-caking agents.
- Salt and pepper
- Gluten free elbows - You can use any brand you prefer. I love Jovial brand pasta for all things!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make one pot gluten free mac and cheese:
1. Make roux: Melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Separately, cook the pasta.
2. Finish sauce: Add milk, cook until thick, then stir in cheese.
3. Add pasta: Stir in the drained pasta.
4. Season: Fold and mix the sauce and pasta together, then add salt and pepper to taste.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. You don't necessarily have to cook the pasta to al dente, but watch so that it doesn't overcook and get mushy. Gluten-free pasta is a bit more finicky than regular, so sometimes I'll slightly undercook it so that it doesn't disintegrate when it soaks up the cheese sauce.
- Make it dairy-free - Use non-dairy butter or margarine for the butter and non-dairy milk and cheese.
- Add veggies - A nice add-in here is baby spinach - just fold it into the pasta when combined with the cheese sauce. Or you could saute veggies like chopped red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, asparagus, etc., and stir them into the pasta and cheese sauce.
- Try different pasta shapes. While macaroni or elbows are the classic mac and cheese shape, you can use any kind of pasta shape. I prefer tubed or shaped "nooks and crannies" pasta like penne, ziti, or macaroni, so that the cheese sauce really gets in there.
- Different cheeses. I love a combo of sharp cheddar and Parmesan, but feel free to use others. Nice options include Gruyere, Swiss, pepper or regular Jack, mild cheddar, or Fontina cheese.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge - Transfer any cooled leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing leftovers because the pasta can get mushy after defrosting.
- To Reheat - Place the leftover mac and cheese on a microwave-safe plate or in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes until hot.
More Quick Dinner Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free One Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons sweet white rice flour
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cups 2% milk
- 1 cup shredded cheese (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt , or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 box gluten free elbows
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons sweet white rice flour and cook for about 2 minutes, whisking, until a paste forms. Whisk in the ½ cup whole milk, whisking constantly, until smooth, then whisk in the 1 cups 2% milk until a smooth sauce forms. Cook, whisking often, until a thick sauce forms, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the 1 cup shredded cheese until melted. Stir in the ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Meanwhile, boil a pot of salted water and cook the 1 box gluten free elbows to the instructions. Drain, then fold the cooked pasta into the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper, then serve,.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. You don't necessarily have to cook the pasta to al dente, but watch so that it doesn't overcook and get mushy. Gluten-free pasta is a bit more finicky than regular, so sometimes I'll slightly undercook it so that it doesn't disintegrate when it soaks up the cheese sauce.
- Make it dairy-free - Use non-dairy butter or margarine for the butter and non-dairy milk and cheese.
- Add veggies - A nice add-in here is baby spinach - just fold it into the pasta when combined with the cheese sauce. Frozen broccoli is another option - just add 1-2 cups into the mix before baking. Or you could saute veggies like chopped red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, asparagus, etc., and stir them into the pasta and cheese sauce.
- Try different pasta shapes. While macaroni or elbows are the classic mac and cheese shape, you can use any kind of pasta shape. I prefer tubed or shaped "nooks and crannies" pasta like penne, ziti, or macaroni, so that the cheese sauce really gets in there.
- Different cheeses. I love a combo of sharp cheddar and Parmesan, but feel free to use others. Nice options include Gruyere, Swiss, pepper or regular Jack, mild cheddar, or Fontina cheese.
Nutrition
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