This mac & cheese without flour recipe is so easy to make and creamy that no one will notice the lack of flour. Add cooked elbow macaroni with heavy cream, butter, seasonings, and cheddar cheese in just one pot. So skip out on the roux and prepare this simple pasta dish.
Serve with some fried chicken, meatloaf, or shake-and-bake pork chops. Also, check out my post on what to serve with mac and cheese.
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Macaroni and cheese with no flour is an easy and hassle-free way to make a comforting side dish for any weeknight meal.
Whether you are avoiding flour or have simply run out, this recipe will produce a creamy texture with the help of cream, butter, and cheddar cheese.
Trust me, you won't even miss the flour once you try it! Serve it with your favorite main dishes, or add some tasty stir-ins.
🥘 Ingredients
There are minimal ingredients needed to make this easy and flavorful side dish. Make sure to grate the cheese versus buying a package of shredded cheese for the best texture results.
- Macaroni - 1 pound of elbow macaroni (cooked, drained, rinsed).
- Heavy Cream - 2 cups of heavy cream (or a heavy cream substitute).
- Butter - ½ cup of butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons, or use a butter substitute).
- Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper (to taste).
- Onion Powder - ½ teaspoon of (or use an onion powder substitute)
- Cheddar Cheese - 3 cups of cheddar cheese (grated).
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Mac & Cheese (No Flour or Roux)
Mac & cheese without flour is extra easy and beginner-friendly because you don't have to make a roux! You will need a grater set, measuring cups, and a saucepan.
This recipe will make around 8 servings! There's plenty for everyone to enjoy, but you can always scale up if needed!
- Cook pasta. Follow the package instructions to cook 1 pound of pasta until al dente (firm to the bite) in texture. Then drain the pasta and rinse it in cool water. Set aside.
- Heat cream & butter. Heat 2 cups heavy cream with ½ cup butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
- Add seasoning. As soon as the butter melts, add the seasoning - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of onion powder.
- Add cheese. Next, add the grated cheddar cheese and stir until your cheese is melted, then remove the sauce from the heat.
- Serve. Top the cooked macaroni noodles with the cheese sauce, and stir until the pasta is fully coated. Add more shredded cheese as a garnish if desired, then serve immediately.
This delicious and versatile side dish pairs well with many main dishes!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Sauce Preparation: Heat the cream first and let the butter melt into it for a smooth sauce. This approach helps prevent the sauce from breaking, especially when flour isn't used as a base.
- Cheese Selection: Experiment with a combination of your favorite cheeses. Refer to my guide on the best cheeses for macaroni and cheese.
- Freshly Shredded Cheese: Opt for freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded varieties, which can lead to a grainy sauce.
- Creaminess Boosters: Add a bit of American cheese for extra creaminess, or a few ounces of cream cheese for both creaminess and a tangy flavor.
- Spice It Up: Enhance the flavor with a pinch of ground mustard or paprika.
- Customizable Stir-Ins: Make the dish your own with endless options like ham, peas, bacon, brisket, lobster, shrimp, tuna, or jalapenos. This recipe is perfect for personalization!
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place your cooled leftovers into an airtight storage container and refrigerate them for up to 3-4 days.
When fully cool, transfer it into an airtight freezer storage container or heavy-duty storage bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating
The pasta absorbs the sauce, so you will need to add more milk or cream to reheat your mac and cheese best. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed to your satisfaction.
Alternatively, the mac can be baked at 350°F (175°C) or heated in the microwave in 30-second increments on high heat.
See my guide on reheating.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make this mac & cheese ahead of time and reheat it whenever you are ready to serve! I recommend reheating it in the oven or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
You'll want to add a splash of milk or heavy cream to loosen up the sauce if it has thickened up too much in the fridge.
You can use any type of pasta that you prefer! It's better to use pasta with plenty of surface area for the sauce to cling to. I used elbow macaroni for this recipe, but you could also use cavatappi, fusilli, rotini, or shell pasta!
I have an entire post on the best types of pasta for it here.
Absolutely! This recipe is versatile and can be customized to your liking. Add meat to your pasta, like brisket, ham, bacon, lobster, shrimp, or tuna. Or some tasty vegetables like peas, chopped broccoli, or caramelized onions would be delicious too!
😋 More Tasty Macaroni Recipes
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese - A quick and easy way to whip up some creamy and delicious macaroni in just 10 minutes.
- Velveeta Mac and Cheese - A rich and ultra-cheesy mac and cheese recipe that the whole family will love.
- Crockpot Macaroni - The next time mac and cheese is on the menu, try making it in your crockpot so there are fewer dishes to clean.
- Baked Mac & Cheese Bites - A perfectly bite-sized dish that's amazing to serve as an appetizer or as an on-the-go snack for kids.
- White Cheddar Mac and Cheese - White sharp cheddar is used to make this creamy and delicious macaroni dish.
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese - This cauliflower mac and cheese is so incredibly flavorful you won't even notice it's made without pasta.
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📖 Recipe Card
Mac And Cheese Without Flour
Ingredients
- 1 lbs elbow macaroni (cooked, drained, rinsed)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cups cheddar cheese (grated)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Follow the package instructions to cook your 1 lbs elbow macaroni until al dente (firm to the bite) in texture. Then drain the pasta and rinse it in cool water. Set aside
- Heat the 2 cups heavy cream with ½ cup butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
- As soon as the butter melts, add the seasoning - 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper, and ½ teaspoon onion powder.
- Next, add the grated 3 cups cheddar cheese and stir the mixture until the cheese is melted, then remove the sauce from the heat.
- Top the cooked macaroni noodles with the cheese sauce, and stir until the pasta is fully coated. If desired, add more shredded cheese as a garnish, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Your sauce will be best if you heat the cream and allow the butter to melt in the sauce. This prevents your sauce from breaking (when there's no flour as the base).
- Use a combo of your favorite cheeses or see my information on the best cheese for macaroni and cheese.
- Freshly shredded cheese is best. If you use the pre-shredded cheese from the store you can end up with a grainy cheese sauce.
- A bit of American cheese makes this easy stovetop mac and cheese recipe extra creamy.
- Alternatively, a few ounces of cream cheese will also add a creamy texture to the sauce plus a nice tangy flavor.
- A pinch of ground mustard or paprika are great spices to compliment your mac n cheese flavor.
- The optional stir-ins are endless - ham, peas, bacon, brisket, lobster, shrimp, tuna, and jalapenos. This is a great recipe to customize!
- To store: Place your cooled leftovers into an airtight storage container and keep them refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Fully cool the cooked macaroni and cheese then transfer it into an airtight freezer storage container or heavy-duty storage bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: The pasta absorbs the sauce, so you will need to add some more milk or cream to reheat your mac and cheese best. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed to your satisfaction. Alternatively, the mac can be baked at 350°F (175°C) or heated in the microwave in short 30-second increments on high heat.
Shanda Keller says
This was my family's favorite mac and cheese I've ever made! Thanks for the recipe!
Michael R. says
I took this and altered a bit. I ended up with 3 cups cream and about a stick and a 1/2 of butter. 16 oz of mild cheddar, 7 ounces of fontina, 7 ounces of a white cheddar/gouda thingy I found and then about 6 onces of cream cheese. I used white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, mustard powder (not measured at all). It was bloody delicious. I am sure it was the least healthy thing I ate the previous 4 weeks, but it was worth it.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Oh my, that sounds like an excellent dish of mac and cheese!