The ultimate comfort food made easily in one pot, this Gluten Free Mac and Cheese is a go-to. It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is almost as easy as boxed mac and cheese. We love this easy and cheesy pasta dish paired with simple side dishes like my Perfect Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Broccoli. You can also vary what types of cheese you use and you’ll find some more fun additions below. This gluten-free version is made on the stovetop and there’s no need to boil the pasta separately. The whole dish comes together in one pot and it’s the best way I’ve found how to make mac and cheese.
We really got into boxed mac and cheese for our road trips and traveling a few years back. It’s so quick and easy to make, and the variations are so endless, you never get bored.
And while there’s nothing wrong with boxed mac and cheese, there’s no doubt homemade mac and cheese is better all around! So that’s the inspiration for where this recipe came from. It’s 100% inspired by the ease and comforting nature of the childhood classic boxed mac and cheese.
This recipe is as simple as sautéing garlic, then the pasta is added to the pot along with water and a touch of cream. It simmers together until the pasta is al dente before you add the grated cheese and just enough cream to make a silky smooth sauce.
And that’s it… that’s all there is to it! So incredibly easy and definitely done from start to finish in less than 20 minutes. There’s no need to make a roux with flour and butter, the starch of the pasta makes a creamy sauce all on its own.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Gluten-free pasta – I like to use the Jovial 100% brown rice shells or elbow macaroni for this mac and cheese. I have tried other types of gluten pasta with varying results. So for the best mac and cheese, definitely go with Jovial if possible. Any shape you’d like or classic gluten-free macaroni all work here.
- Butter – a little butter goes a long way to adding depth of flavor to mac and cheese. I personally consider it essential even in boxed mac and cheese, so there’s really no good substitute.
- Garlic – adding a touch of garlic takes the flavor over the top, it’s subtle but it’s worth mincing fresh garlic for this recipe. Try using a garlic press to speed up the prep time. You can use garlic powder, about 1/2 teaspoon, but fresh garlic really is better.
- Cream – is also essential to this recipe. It’s added with the water that cooks the pasta and a touch at the end of the cooking time. It’s not much cream in this recipe but it combines together with the starchy liquid around the pasta to make a creamy sauce. I’ve tried this recipe with both milk and half and half and the pasta doesn’t absorb the liquid properly. It also has a tendency to boil over, so heavy whipping cream is the best option here.
- Cheese – I use a combination of grated cheddar and mozzarella. Sharp cheddar gives you the classic mac and cheese flavor, and mozzarella gives you creamy cheese flavor and lovely cheese strings. You can tinker around with different combinations as well. We love a touch of gorgonzola, gouda, or gruyere as well as parmesan.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by melting the butter in a medium to a large pot with a lid. Add the garlic and sauté with a wooden spoon over medium heat just until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Next add the pasta to the garlic butter and stir together.
Step 3: Next add the water and some of the heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Then cover and simmer on low heat.
Step 4: Stir occasionally until the pasta is almost al dente. Uncover and cook over a brisk simmer to evaporate any extra liquid until it looks like the above photo.
Step 5: When the liquid is mostly gone and the pasta is just done, turn the heat to very low and add the cheese. Stir to combine and remove it from the heat. Add cream just until your desired consistency of cheese sauce is reached and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Ways to serve this
- Try this simple classic with simple cooked veggies like my Sautéed Green Beans. I sometimes serve this with 2 veggies and roast my Garlic Carrots and Roasted Broccoli at the same time in the oven.
- For some fresh flavor try serving this with my Strawberry Spinach Salad in the warm months and Apple Spinach Salad in the winter.
- Try some of the mac and cheese variations below if you ever get tired of regular mac and cheese, or just want to mix things up.
FAQ’s
100% brown rice gluten-free pasta makes the best pasta for gluten-free mac and cheese. I’ve used both Delallo and Jovial, and both are good. However, I’ve found Jovial to be more reliable overall with a slightly better texture. You want to avoid any gluten-free pasta that has either corn or legumes in them because they tend to get mushy easily.
Some brands make gluten-free boxed mac and cheese. Our favorite gluten-free boxed mac and cheese is Annies.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free because it’s made with gf pasta. Some mac n cheese recipes call for flour to make the cheese sauce, but you don’t need flour for this one-pot recipe.
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftover mac and cheese into an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- Reheating – place the leftovers into a small skillet or saucepan along with a bit of water. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly adding water as necessary until heated through. If the sauce breaks, add a touch more water. You can also heat the leftovers in a waffle iron as desired above for a ‘mac and cheese waffle’.
- To freeze – I don’t recommend freezing mac and cheese because it comes out on the mushy side.
Tips & Tricks
- Be sure to try out whatever variations sound good to you. The mac and cheese variations listed below can hardly be called ‘mac and cheese’. But they’re delicious, easy to mix things up in the kitchen, and incredible comfort food. I think you’ll really enjoy digging into some of our favorites!
- My #1 tip for mac and cheese is to be sure it doesn’t boil after you add the cheese! When the heat is too high, it will cause cheddar cheese to become grainy. This isn’t a problem with processed cheese, but real cheese is sensitive to high heat.
- If you happen to have any leftovers, you can always put the cold mac and cheese into a waffle iron and make waffles.
- Barilla gluten free elbow pasta is widely available but I don’t recommend it because it can go mushy easily. Jovial 100% brown rice gluten-free pasta has a much better flavor and way better texture.
Mac and Cheese Variations
- Try different cheeses as mentioned above like parmesan, gouda, gruyere, or gorgonzola to taste.
- Make it Fajita-inspired by adding sautéed peppers, onions, and chicken along with some Fajita Spice Mix.
- We love making taco mac and cheese by adding taco meat. Omit the last addition of cream and swirl in sour cream instead. Serve some shredded lettuce and tomato on the side along with any other taco toppings you’d like. Sometimes I just add chopped cilantro and fresh diced tomatoes right to the mac and cheese and skip other toppings.
- Go fancy and add some cooked shrimp, chopped spinach, and grated parmesan to the mac and cheese. We made this variation in Norway with their yummy seafood and now I’m hooked on it.
- Caprese flavors are perfect with mac and cheese. Right at the end of the cooking time add fresh diced tomatoes along with fresh mozzarella torn into small bits, (omit the grated mozzarella) and a large handful of chopped fresh basil. This is my favorite variation to make whenever we’re camping in the summer with boxed mac and cheese, but it’s even better made with this recipe.
- While traveling through Iceland in a van, we also did a bacon and gouda version one night. And on another evening we did green onions, and halved cherry tomatoes with 3 kinds of cheese – cheddar, gouda, and jalapeno Havarti. Another favorite variation is to add Italian sausage with sautéed onions, peppers, and zucchini mixed in.
- For Baked mac, under-cook the pasta and add it to a baking dish, top with gluten-free breadcrumbs, and bake at 375ºF until bubbly and the breadcrumbs are browned.
More Gluten-Free Pasta Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Gluten Free Mac and Cheese! If you get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 12 ounce gluten free pasta - 100% brown rice shells or elbows, I use Jovial
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - or to taste – you can always start with less and add to taste at the end of the cooking time
Finishing ingredients:
- 1/4 cup heavy cream - more if needed
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by melting the butter in a medium to a large pot with a lid. Add the garlic and sauté with a wooden spoon over medium heat just until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the pasta to the garlic butter and stir together. Then add the water and some of the heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Then cover and simmer on low heat.
- Stir occasionally until the pasta is almost al dente. Uncover and cook over a brisk simmer to evaporate any extra liquid until it looks like the above photo.
- When the liquid is mostly gone and the pasta is just done, turn the heat to very low and add the cheese. Stir to combine and remove it from the heat. Add cream just until your desired consistency of cheese sauce is reached and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
- If you happen to have any leftovers, you can always put the cold mac and cheese into a waffle iron and make waffles.
NOTES
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been updated in 2023 with new photos, information, and tips.
This was so delicious! The only addition I made was to add a finely chopped shallot .
That sounds like a delicious addition, and I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I’m very excited to try this recipe! However, I’m in a family of two…you mention that if there are leftovers you can make them into a waffle (sounds amazing, but I have no waffle maker, alas). Does that mean this dish cannot be reheated? I suppose I could half or quarter it for a single side serving for 2, but curious if you have recos on whether or not reheating is a possibility. I’m new-ish to GF pasta.
Thanks!
You could cut the recipe in half, but I would also use a small pan so it cooks more evenly. But you can make the whole recipe and reheat it. With creamy based pastas, the best way to reheat them it to put them in a skillet with a bit of water (or more cream) and heat gently stirring to break up the pasta chunks until it’s smooth again. If you heat up a cream based pasta without water on the stove or in the microwave the sauce will ‘break’ and you’ll end up with a puddle of oil. Also gluten free pasta is extra soft when it’s reheated, so I guess there’s that too. I hope this helps and be sure to let me know which way you go or if you have any more questions. Also since you said you’re new to gluten free pasta, I really recommend Jovial, they’re fantastic! They’re the best GF pasta I’ve ever tried and they have lots of shapes!
This is so much fun to make! My kids and husband love it! My husband does not often praise food but when I made this for him he said it was the best Mac and cheese he’s ever had! And the kids of course gobbled it up. Pretty sure it’s going to be on the menu every week.
I’m so glad you made it, and I’m super impressed too since after we talked I was thinking I’d never be able to make it if I couldn’t personally eat it! Also I hope you’ll tell him I’m honored he liked it!