Cooking and Serving: 22 minutes | 4 servings
Ingredients
How to make gluten free mac and cheese
Description
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes | Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
How to make gluten free mac and cheese
Expert Tips
Instructions
For an “almost instant” cheese sauce.
Notes
* How to make gluten free mac and cheese
* Ingredients and substitutions
* Gluten Free Mac and Cheese Recipe
* Storage Instructions
* For an “almost instant” cheese sauce
This rich, thick mac and cheese is packed with cheddar cheese flavor and still
smooth and creamy. The cheese sauce is made partially with evaporated milk, so
it takes much less time to thicken.
Dried gluten free pasta has something of a bad reputation for being soggy and
falling apart, but I’ve found the perfect gluten free elbow noodles that don’t
get soggy. It’s an Italian brand called Rummo.
You can even make the pasta ahead of time and store it at room temperature for a
couple of hours. All that’s left is to make the quick cheese sauce on the
stovetop, and dinner is served!
For comfort food mid-week meals, special occasions, or because you need a snack,
this easy recipe is always at your fingertips.
Ingredients in small bowls with words indicating what each ingredient is.
in small bowls with words indicating what each ingredient is.
* Gluten fee pasta: You can make this dish with any small dried pasta, but I
like macaroni noodles best.
* Olive oil: Tossing the cooked pasta with oil keeps it from sticking together.
* Butter: Melted butter adds flavor and makes the roux mixture smooth.
* Gluten free flour: Thickens the cheese sauce when you cook it with butter. Be
sure to use something without any xanthan gum or your sauce will be lumpy and
* Milk: Adds liquid, flavor and richness to the cheese sauce.
* Evaporated milk: Has less moisture than regular milk, so the sauce gets
* Shredded cheese: A semi-hard cheese with lots of flavor, like cheddar, is
best. Pre-shredded cheese is fine but you may need to add more milk or
reserved pasta water to thin the sauce.
* Salt and pepper: Brings out the other flavors and brightens the dish; add to
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE MAC AND CHEESE
Follow along with my easy instructions below to see how to make gluten free mac
and cheese in your own kitchen.
* Cook the pasta in a large pot to an “al dente” texture according to the
instructions on the package;
* Drain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water
* Toss the cooked and drained pasta with olive oil and set it aside
Overhead view of cooked elbow noodles with cup of pasta water.
view of cooked elbow noodles with cup of pasta water.
MAKE A ROUX AND ADD MILK
* Melt unsalted butter over medium heat
* Add gluten free flour to the butter, whisk, and simmer
* Whisk in evaporated milk
* Whisk in regular milk
* Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon
Round metal saucepan with melted butter and unmixed white flour.
metal saucepan with melted butter and unmixed white flour.
Hand pouring evaporated milk into a metal saucepan.
pouring evaporated milk into a metal saucepan.
Hand pouring milk from glass measuring cup.
pouring milk from glass measuring cup.
Hand holding spoon with light tan sauce.
holding spoon with light tan sauce.
ADD SHREDDED CHEESE TO COMPLETE SAUCE
* Remove the pan from the heat, and mix in shredded cheddar cheese until the
cheese melts. Sharp cheddar cheese tastes best, but any will do.
* Add more milk or some pasta water to thin the sauce if you prefer it thinner
* Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta, and mix gently to combine
Shredded yellow cheddar cheese in saucepan on top of white sauce.
yellow cheddar cheese in saucepan on top of white sauce.
A hand holding white spatula mixing and turning over light yellow cheese sauce
hand holding white spatula mixing and turning over light yellow cheese sauce in
Cheese sauce pouring on top of cooked elbow noodles in metal mixing bowl.
sauce pouring on top of cooked elbow noodles in metal mixing bowl.
Cooked macaroni mixed with cheese sauce in mixing bowl with spatula.
macaroni mixed with cheese sauce in mixing bowl with spatula.
Closeup view of the macaroni in yellow cheese sauce with metal spoon.
view of the macaroni in yellow cheese sauce with metal spoon.
CHOOSE YOUR PASTA CAREFULLY
Not all dried pastas are created equal, but so many of them are available today
and the best of them really are excellent. My current favorite brand of GF
macaroni is Rummo brand, which you can find for sale online (look for sales!).
It actually cooks al dente and isn’t hard even when it’s cold.
Bionaturae also makes a great gluten free pasta, and its sister brand Jovial
gluten free brown rice pasta is good, too. Barilla gluten free macaroni noodles
also works, but is just much more fragile.
If you’re the kind of person who tends to salt at the table, skip that step by
salting your pot of boiling water instead. The pasta will absorb some of the
salt as it cooks, resulting in a more complex flavor.
Gluten free pasta tends to be sticky, so you have to be diligent while it’s
boiling to ensure you don’t end up with big clumps. As soon as you drop the
pasta into the water, start stirring and continue to stir every few seconds to
keep those noodles from sticking together.
RINSE THE BOILED PASTA
Straining gluten free macaroni isn’t the last step in the cooking process. If
you strain and walk away, trapped heat will continue to cook the pasta. To keep
prevent ending up with mushy macaroni, rinse it with lukewarm water, then drain
Cheese sauce being poured from a small saucepan on top of a white bowl of
sauce being poured from a small saucepan on top of a white bowl of macaroni.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
I’d recommend trying our recipe for dairy free mac and cheese
using this recipe as a base. To make this recipe dairy free, here are the
substitutions I would try:
* For the evaporated milk: evaporated unsweetened coconut milk or oat milk;
also try dairy-free half and half
* For the milk: unsweetened, unflavored Ripple milk, almond milk or coconut
milk (from the carton)
* For the shredded cheese: Violife, Daiya or Miyoko’s Creamy shredded dairy
free cheddar-style cheese
* For the butter: Miyoko’s Creamery or Melt brand vegan butter
Unfortunately, the dehydrated cheese, “almost instant” cheese sauce can’t be
I like cheddar cheese best, but you can replace it with any semi-hard cheese
with some real flavor. Try Gouda, Muenster, Monterey jack, or a mixture. The
Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s is also great, as it’s cheddar with some
parmesan cheese added.
If you can have dairy but you don’t have evaporated milk, try replacing it with
an equal amount of half-and-half. Or, you can make your own half and half by
combining 3/4 cup regular milk with 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
ADDITIONS AND VARIATIONS
To create a more complete meal, mix in some vegetables like peas, corn, or small
broccoli crowns, or proteins like chopped ham or cooked ground beef.
For a little more complex flavor, you can also add a dash of garlic powder,
mustard powder, or chili powder to the cheese sauce before you add the cooked
macaroni. Try adding some toasted gluten free breadcrumbs
right before serving.
Whether you serve it plain or with additions, this dish is so versatile that you
can serve it instead of or along with gluten free creamed corn
Mac and cheese in wide flat white bowl with metal spoon.
and cheese in wide flat white bowl with metal spoon.
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GLUTEN FREE MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
Total Time: 22 minutes mins
gluten free mac and cheese in white bowl with metal spoon
free mac and cheese in white bowl with metal spoon
Fast and easy gluten free mac and cheese is made on the stovetop in 20 minutes
or less. Leave the oven off and have everyone’s favorite creamy, cheesy side
* 12 ounces dried gluten free elbow noodles, I like Rummo brand GF elbow
* 1 ¼ tablespoons (18 g) extra virgin olive oil
* 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, chopped
* ¼ cup (35 g) gum free gluten free flour blend
* 12 fluid ounces evaporated milk, at room temperature
* 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) (regular) milk, plus more as necessary, at room
* 3 cups (12 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
* ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
* ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
* Boil the pasta in a large pasta pot to an al dente texture, according to the
* Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the hot pasta water in a heat-safe
* Rinse the drained pasta with warm water, and drain it again.
* Return the cooked pasta to the pasta pot or to a large mixing bowl, and toss
it with olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
* Cover the pasta pot or bowl, and set it aside.
* You can place the cooked pasta in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap
and leave it out at room temperature for up to 8 hours before proceeding with
* In a medium-sized, heavy-bottom saucepan, place the butter and cook over
medium heat until it’s just melted.
* Add the flour blend and whisk to combine well. The mixture will clump at
first, and then smooth out.
* Cook the butter and flour mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly,
until it has just begun to turn a very light brown color (about 2 minutes).
* Add the evaporated milk to the roux very slowly, stirring constantly to break
up any lumps that might form.
* Add 1 1/2 cups of regular milk, and whisk to combine well.
* Bring the mixture to a simmer, still over medium heat.
* Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened and reduced one-quarter (about 7 minutes).
* When it’s ready, the sauce should coat the back of a spoon and be thickly
pourable. If it seems too thick to pour, whisk in a little bit more milk or
some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up a bit. If it’s too thin,
allow it simmer for a bit longer.
* Remove the saucepan from the heat and place it on a heat-safe surface.
* Add the grated cheese and mix to combine with a silicone spatula or wooden
spoon until the cheese is fully melted.
* Add salt and pepper to taste, and add more milk or reserved pasta water a bit
at a time if you prefer a thinner cheese sauce.
* Pour the hot cheese sauce over the cooked pasta in the pot, and fold the
pasta carefully into the sauce using a silicone spatula.
* Turn it over gently, to avoid breaking the pasta, until all of the pasta is
For the gf flour blend
In place of the gum-free gluten free flour blend, try an equal amount of
superfine sweet white rice flour or half superfine white rice flour and half
tapioca starch/flour. You can also use cornstarch, but a sauce thickened with
cornstarch tends to leak liquid as it cools.
Alternate flourless cheese sauce
You can avoid using any flour entirely cheddar cheese:
* 12 ounces gluten free elbow macaroni prepared as described above
* 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) milk
* 3/4 cup (84 grams) dehydrated cheddar cheese powder
* 7 tablespoons (98 g) unsalted butter chopped
In a small saucepan, place the milk and then the dehydrated cheese. Whisk until
very smooth. The powder will resist combining at first. Add the butter, and
place the mixture over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until the
Cook until the mixture begins to simmer, still whisking frequently. Cook
briefly, until the mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and/or pepper to taste. Fold
the cooked pasta gently into the sauce, and serve immediately.
Nutritional information.
Nutrition information is an estimate only per serving, assuming that the dish is
divided into 4 equal portions. It is created using an online nutritional
calculator as a courtesy and is not to be relied upon.
| Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1022mg | Potassium: 476mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar:
14g | Vitamin A: 1560IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 952mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
Gluten free mac and cheese at its easy best. This recipe only takes about 20
minutes to make from start to finish, and it’s made entirely on the stovetop. So
free mac and cheese at its easy best. This recipe only takes about 20 minutes to
make from start to finish, and it’s made entirely on the stovetop. So good!
gluten free mac and cheese in white dish on white cloth
free mac and cheese in white dish on white cloth
Fingers taking a spoonful of elbow mac and cheese in white bowl.
taking a spoonful of elbow mac and cheese in white bowl.
Let any leftovers cool completely before transferring to a storage container and
refrigerating for up to 3 days.
You can make the prepared cheese sauce ahead of time separate from the macaroni.
Place it in a sealed container and refrigerate it to use within 3 days, then
reheat as recommended below.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. The dish doesn’t maintain the proper
texture and even reheating with some milk doesn’t seem to fully restore it.
REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS
Reheat leftover mac and cheese in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat,
gently stirring in additional milk a few drops at a time until creamy. reheat
the cheese sauce separately.
You can also reheat the entire dish in the microwave for about 1 minute at 50%
power, whisking in some lukewarm milk after heating.
Can I finish this gluten free mac and cheese recipe
You can, but you really, really don’t have to. I can’t explain enough just how
creamy and perfect this recipe on the stovetop is.
But you’re really set on having baked mac (or you’ve somehow added too much
liquid and ended up with goopy macaroni), you can transfer the mac to a baking
dish, add extra cheese, and top with gluten free bread crumbs
baking the dish the oven on 350°F for 15 minutes. Don’t cook for much longer or
Can I use packaged shredded cheddar cheese?
Yes, you can use packaged shredded cheese, but it has anti-caking agents which
make it melt more slowly and cause it to be thicker once melted. You may need to
add more milk to thin the sauce to the proper consistency.
FOR AN “ALMOST INSTANT” CHEESE SAUCE
If you’re willing to purchase some dehydrated cheddar cheese, you can also make
the cheese sauce with just 3 ingredients. The cheddar cheese powder I really
like is called Hoosier Hill Farm brand (that’s an
Amazon affiliate link, but please shop around).
Simply whisk together milk and the powdered cheese until it’s very smooth, add
butter, and cook until melted and combined. Here are the ingredients to make
enough of this style cheese sauce for 3/4 pound (12 ounces) of cooked pasta:
* 12 ounces gluten free elbow macaroni prepared as described in the recipe card
* 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) milk
* 3/4 cup (84 grams) dehydrated cheddar cheese powder
* 7 tablespoons (98 g) unsalted butter chopped
The milk rehydrates the cheese, and the butter helps the sauce coat the gluten
free macaroni. Here are the detailed instructions:
In a small saucepan, place the milk and then the dehydrated cheese. Whisk until
very smooth. The powder will resist combining at first, so keep whisking. Next,
add the butter, and place the mixture over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking
frequently, until the butter is melted.
Cook until the mixture begins to simmer, still whisking frequently. Simmer it
briefly, only until the mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and/or pepper to taste. Add
the cooked pasta, turn over the mixture gently with a silicone spatula, and