Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz. elbow macaroni (about 3 cups)
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk*
- 3 cups (12 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese**
- 2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces (optional)
Instructions
- Measure the macaroni and the salt into a 12 to 14 inch skillet or medium saucepan. Add enough water to just barely cover the pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until a lot of the water is gone and the macaroni is al dente and just a tiny bit firmer than you’d like for the finished dish, 7-9 minutes. DO NOT drain the water away. Instead, add the evaporated milk directly to the pan containing the remaining water and nearly cooked pasta.
- Increase heat to medium-high and, while stirring continuously, bring it up to a simmer. Immediately drop the heat down to low and stir in the cheese and cold butter, if using. Stir continuously until cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened, about 1-2 more minutes.
- Taste and add salt and/or pepper to taste.
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Notes
* Two important notes about evaporated milk: (1) Make sure that you are using evaporated milk and not condensed milk. Condensed milk is often sweetened and you don’t want that. (2) Make sure that your evaporated milk is not reduced-fat, fat-free, low-fat or skim.
**I have had success with this recipe when using hand-shredded cheese as well as pre-shredded cheese. However, some commenters on social media who have tried it with pre-shredded cheese have noted a gritty texture. To be on the safe side, you might want to shred your own cheese for this one.