Ricotta Mac And Cheese
Creamy and delicious, this easy Ricotta Mac and Cheese is made all in one pot without any butter or flour. Supremely cheesy and slightly sweet thanks to ricotta.
Servings: 4
Calories: 448kcal
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni pasta or other small pasta, dry (½ package)
- 1 ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ⅔ cup ricotta cheese full fat (made with whole milk)
- ½ cup milk or more, as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups of water in a pot or saucepan, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
- Add macaroni and stir so it's mostly submerged. Lower the heat to low.
- Cover with a lid and boil al dente according to package instructions. Mine took 7 minutes. Stir occasionally and don't overcook.
- Do not drain the pasta water and leave the burner on on low. To the pot add milk, ricotta cheese, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Stir thoroughly together until combined.
- Now add shredded cheddar cheese and keep stirring until the cheese is melted and creamy sauce forms. Add more milk, if you want to make the sauce more creamy, 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Not all ricotta melts the same. I tested this recipe with 2 brands: Gilbani and Trader Joe's and got better results with Gilbani.
This recipe is truly made in one pot - no need to cook pasta separately.
Remember NOT to drain the macaroni after you boil it. There will be a little bit of pasta cooking water on the bottom - that water is high in starch and will help your sauce thicken.
Once you add cheddar cheese, it will initially look stringy. Just stir patiently on low heat until it melts. Add more milk, if you want creamier sauce. I ended up using ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons.
You can skip the mustard if you don't have any.
You can swap cheddar cheese for monterey jack, gouda or a mix.
Nutrition
Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 882mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 391mg | Iron: 1mg