Gluten Free Mac and Cheese is as creamy and decadent as it comes! This one pot recipe is made from fridge and pantry staples in minutes.
It’s a good day to talk mac and cheese (aka any day). Gluten Free Mac and Cheese, to be exact. Get. Ready!
Watch How to Make It!
No Roux Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is one of those meals that’s not inherently gluten free but is a cinch to adapt, especially because my version has no flour roux.
Just 5 ingredients — including salt! — are tossed into a pot then stirred to create the creamiest gluten free mac and cheese that tastes like it has loads of cream and butter but is actually made with, get ready for it…
SKIM MILK.
If you don’t have or like skim milk — no problem. Use whatever you’ve got in the fridge. This recipe is pretty fool proof!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding 6oz dry gluten free elbow pasta into a pot with milk and salt. I recommend using a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta vs brown rice pasta, which takes longer to cook, aka you’ll need more liquid.
Again, you can use whatever you’ve got on hand. I’ve used skim, 2%, and whole milk with fantastic results. At this point you can also add a dash of cayenne pepper for a hint of warmth, if you please.
Turn the heat to medium then stir slowly yet constantly with a spatula until the milk comes to a simmer — NOT a boil — 10-12 minutes. Turn the heat down to low then stir slowly yet constantly until the pasta is tender, another 5-7 minutes or so.
Before your very eyes the milk will thicken from the starches released from the pasta. SO creamy!
Once the pasta is tender add freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese then stir until the sauce is smooth, adding in an extra splash of milk if needed.
This is the fun part of the recipe because you can play around with the cheeses you like and/or have in the fridge – you really can’t go wrong! If you want to stick with a more classic sauce though, choose medium-hard cheeses like sharp cheddar, gouda, and fontina.
Let the mac and cheese thicken for a few minutes with the lid on the pan, then scoop and serve.
Make this once and you’ll be whipping it up from memory at least once a week — it’s a keeper. And you can, of course, use regular pasta in place of gluten free pasta, too. Mac and Cheese for all!
More Easy Cheesy Recipes
- Creamy Ham Peas and Pasta
- Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole
- Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
- Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Pasta
- Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Herbs
- Pink Sauce Pasta
- Gluten Free Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 6 oz dry gluten free elbow noodles, or other short cut pasta, rice/corn blend recommended
- 2-1/4 cups milk, any kind, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions
- Add the pasta, milk, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using) to a medium-size saucepan. Turn the heat to medium then stir slowly and constantly until milk comes to a simmer — NOT a boil — 10-12 minutes. Turn the heat down to low then stir slowly and constantly until the noodles are tender, adding up to an additional 1/4 cup milk if the noodles have absorbed all the liquid but aren’t tender yet. There should be a bit of milk left in the saucepan to create the cheese sauce.
- Turn off the heat then add half the shredded cheese and stir until smooth. Add the remaining shredded cheese then stir until smooth. Scoop the mac and cheese into bowls then serve.
Notes
- I have used skim, 2% and whole milk for this recipe with great results.
- Adapted from White on Rice Couple
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
I don’t usually take the time to comment on recipes (sorry!) but I just had to thank you for this one! I had been looking for a grain-free mac and cheese recipe, or some technique I could use to make the cheese sauce without a thickener. I’m so impressed with the technique of cooking the pasta in the milk–it worked beautifully! I used red lentil pasta, making a delicious grain-free mac and cheese. Thanks!!
this was so good damn i was tryna use up some questionable noodle purchases (like these 100% green pea rotini noodles…) so i tossed a few different kinds of noodles in there — i also added some red lentil penne and brown rice spirals– and all 3 cooked really well… just like really crazy tender and cheesy 10/10 would recommend n u can be darn sure ill be makin it again
the first time i tried it tho i used ancient harvest corn/quinoa pasta and it was the worst thing that has ever happened to me would nOt recommend so maybe try some different noodle varieties when you make it just in case some are terrible and dont cook right… unfortunately had to waste a whole pot of delicious cheese bcause the noodles were so hard and inedible
Thank you! I had never considered cooking pasta in milk but this was very tasty. I miss Mac and cheese and this worked perfectly.
Oh I’m so glad to hear it, Amy! Thanks for your great review and star rating!
Thanks! Was looking for something that didn’t need to go in the oven. Used lentil elbows (an entire package), the two cups of milk, some garlic powder and three different types of cheese. Smoked Gouda, extra sharp cheddar (white) and an organic regular cheddar. Since cheddar tends to run ‘saltier’ the sharper it gets I waited until after to salt and it only required 1/8th tsp to get where it needed to be. Turned out amazing! For those that are lazy like me, I just sliced off a 1TBS sized hunk of each cheese type and threw it in the pot. Just stay on top of it and stir it constantly and it will turn out great.
Sorry but this is the worst mac & cheese recipe I have ever tried. Not only did it ruin our supper but it was a waste of good ingredients.
Oh MAN! This is terrific! I did half smoked Gouda and half sharp cheddar. Aldi’s GF elbows work wonderfully. I love the cooking method!
Yeah!! So glad you loved it – thanks for your feedback, Jessica!
Can you use a milk alternative like Almond Milk? This recipe sounds yummy and very easy. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve never tried it because I use cow milk’s cheese vs vegan cheese. Might be worth a try though!
I just made this and it was a huge fail. The only “variation” is that I used the TJ’s brown rice spirals I had on hand. It turned into a thick, gummy mess that was bland, chalky and over-salted. I can’t figure out if I did something wrong or if this recipe just isn’t for me.
Don’t give up if you live in altitude. I live at 5300 ft and had to add milk little by little and cook for extra time
I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for this recipe. I’ve been gluten free for 5 years and mac n cheese has been a challenge to say the least. I kinda gave up until a craving hit me this week and OMG this is THE BEST. How simple to cook the pasta in the milk to make the sauce. DUH! lol Next time I think I’ll try topping this with GF bread crumbs and stick it under the broiler for a few minutes. Thanks for a great recipe! BTW, for those who are GF, I buy my GF pastas at the Asian grocery store. For whatever reason, their rice pasta is better than any special GF pastas in regular grocery stores.
Wohoo!! So glad you loved it, Kelly, and thanks for the pasta tip! :)
Hi!
I tried out your recipe on my youtube channel and gave it a review!
Super yummy!
Feel free to check it out :)
How many servings will this make.
This recipe makes enough for 2 big or 3 regular sized servings.
Never thought of rinsing the pasta. Sounds delish. Will be making this in the next few days for sure.