Rich, creamy, and bubbling with melted cheese, this 3 cheese mac and cheese recipe with a crunchy toasted panko topping delivers everything you want in comfort food. Cream cheese adds silky richness while cheddar, Emmental, or American melt into a smooth sauce that coats every tender noodle-and the best part is you get to choose the cheeses. Even better, this grown up version of microwave mac and cheese comes together in one dish with no stovetop, no draining pasta, and hardly any cleanup.
Mac and Cheese Recipe that Works for One or Two
This recipe is ideal when you want comfort food without leftovers for a crowd.
It makes two modest servings or one very hearty bowl, and everything cooks in the microwave-no draining pasta required.
But Donna's best tip when making this recipe?
Use whatever cheese you have in the refrigerator.
The real secret to the creamy texture is cream cheese. It melts smoothly and helps emulsify the sauce so you get that silky mac and cheese texture without making a stovetop roux.
For the best results, choose cheeses that melt well:
- Cheddar (sharp or mild)
- American cheese
- Cream cheese
- Gouda
- Fontina
- Pepper jack
- Emmental - a yellow, medium-hard cow's milk cheese originating from Switzerland, famous for its distinctive large holes (or "eyes") and mild, savory, nutty flavor. It is a quintessential, versatile melting cheese
My favorite combination is a 3 cheese mac and cheese recipe using:
- Cream cheese
- Emmental
- Cheddar cheese
But you can easily turn this into a four cheese mac and cheese by adding gouda, pepper jack, American or fontina.
Jump to:
- Mac and Cheese Recipe that Works for One or Two
- Donna's Microwave Mac and Cheese Recipe Story
- How to Make Microwave Mac and Cheese
- Microwave Toasted Panko Topping
- Mac and Cheese Variations
- What Goes With Mac and Cheese?
- Common questions about this 3 cheese mac and cheese recipe
- my new cookbook is here!
- 3 Cheese Microwave Mac and Cheese Recipe
Donna's Microwave Mac and Cheese Recipe Story
This recipe came from my friend Donna.
Recently recovering from knee surgery, she finally tackled a project many of us dream about but rarely finish: organizing decades of recipes. Out came the overflowing file folders-handwritten recipe cards, newspaper clippings, pages torn from cooking magazines.
Donna grew up in Detroit with three sisters, and like many families, recipes were passed around like neighborhood gossip-shared, scribbled down, and tweaked over time.
Instead of letting those memories sit in a box, she turned them into a cookbook. One of her favorites is a recipe simply labeled "Easy Does It Microwave Mac and Cheese."
Mac and Cheese Original Recipe
No one knows exactly where the original recipe came from. But microwave cooking became popular in the 1970s and 80s, so it likely dates from that era.
Mac and cheese itself has a much longer history. Recipes for baked pasta with cheese date back to the 14th century, and the first American recipe appeared in 1824. Of course, many of us grew up with the boxed version introduced by Kraft in 1937.
Donna's recipe sits somewhere between those worlds-simple, nostalgic, and endlessly adaptable.
And with a few small tweaks, it becomes a creamy 3 cheese mac and cheese recipe made entirely in the microwave.
How to Make Microwave Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Cook the pasta
In a 1-quart microwave-safe casserole or ramekin combine:
- macaroni
- hot water - that I heat in the microwave until boiling!
- butter
- onion salt
- pepper
- mustard
Cover tightly and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Using hot pads, remove from the microwave, uncover carefully so you do not burn yourself from the hot steam and stir well.
Cover again and microwave on 50% power for 4-6 minutes, until the mixture begins boiling and the pasta softens.
Step 2: Build the cheese sauce
Stir in 3 to 4 types of cheeses, such as:
- pieces of American cheese
- cream cheese cubes
- shredded cheddar
- emmental
Now, add milk and flour.
Cover and microwave on high, stirring every 4 minutes until the pasta is tender, cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and bubbly. This usually takes 10-12 minutes.
Microwave Toasted Panko Topping
A crunchy topping makes this creamy mac and cheese even better.
Combine in a microwave-safe bowl:
- ½ cup panko
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until golden brown (about 1-3 minutes).
Finish the mac and cheese with:
- toasted panko
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
The contrast between creamy pasta and crunchy topping is worth the extra two minutes.
See recipe card for quantities.
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Mac and Cheese Variations
This recipe is incredibly customizable.
Classic 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar (yellow or white and I like to use a sharp cheddar)
- American cheese
Four Cheese Mac and Cheese
Add a fourth cheese such as:
- Emmental
- Fontina
- Gouda
- Pepper Jack
Mexican Style Mac and Cheese
Add:
- diced a small can (4 ounces) of green chilies
- cheese mix: cream cheese, pepper jack and cheddar
- pinch of cumin or chili powder
Top with crushed tortilla chips instead of panko.
Hot Dog Mac and Cheese (Comfort Food Classic)
Yes, I've done it.
Slice up a hot dog and stir it in for a nostalgic hot dog and mac and cheese bowl. No judgment here.
What Goes With Mac and Cheese?
Mac and cheese is rich and creamy, so it pairs best with foods that add freshness or contrast. Great sides include:
Fresh vegetables
- simple green salad
- roasted broccoli
- sautéed green beans
- tomato salad
Protein options
- grilled chicken - try this mayo marinated grilled chicken
- baked salmon - sweet and spicy glazed salmon, Gatsby's salmon loaf or salmon sliders
- pulled pork
- sausages or hot dogs
Comfort classics
- BBQ ribs - try my fall-off-the-bone sticky ribs recipe you prepare in the oven!
- fried chicken
- Baked ham - in this article I walk you through how to cook a small ham
- chili - Turkey chili for two, or easy colorado pork chili
- Loose meat sandwich also known as a Maid-Rite sandwich - super fast and would go great with this mac and cheese.
For a lighter dinner, I often serve this microwave mac and cheese for two with a crisp salad and roasted vegetables.
Common questions about this 3 cheese mac and cheese recipe
You've got questions... I've got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.
Yes. The pasta cooks directly in the liquid, and the cheese sauce forms as the milk, flour, and cheese melt together.
Absolutely. Simply add another melting cheese such as Emmental, gouda or pepper jack to create a four cheese mac and cheese variation.
Great pairings include roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, BBQ ribs, salads, or even chili. Or enjoy it exactly as it is-a bowl of creamy, cheesy comfort.
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3 Cheese Microwave Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 1 cup uncooked macaroni about 4 ounces
- 1 cup hot water
- ¼ cup butter or margarine
- ⅜ teaspoon onion salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Dijon mustard or dry mustard
- ⅝ cup milk half-and-half, or whole milk
- 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cheese Blend (4 ounces total)
- 2 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 1 ounce Emmental cheese shredded, or substitute with gouda or fontina
- 1 deli slice American cheese torn into 6 pieces, optional
- 1 deli slice white or yellow cheddar cheese or substitute with pepper jack cheese
Panko Topping
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the Toasted Panko Topping
- It's easiest to make the topping before the mac and cheese takes over the microwave. Combine panko bread crumbs, olive oil, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time. Continue until the crumbs are light golden brown, about 1-3 minutes. Set aside while you cook the pasta.
Cook the Pasta
- In a 1-quart microwave-safe casserole or large (at least 16 ounces) ramekin, combine: macaroni, hot water, butter, onion salt, pepper and mustard. Cover tightly and microwave on high (100% power) for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave and stir well.
- Continue to cook the pasta. Cover again and microwave on medium (50% power) until the mixture begins boiling and the pasta softens, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Make the 3 or 4 Cheese Sauce
- Stir in: milk or half-and-half, flour, 4 ounces of a cheese mix (your choice).
- Cover and microwave on high (100% power), stirring every 4 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly, the cheese is melted and incorporated and the macaroni is tender. This takes about 10-12 minutes.
Finish and Serve
- Sprinkle the mac and cheese with toasted panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Notes
What are the best cheeses for mac and cheese?
Use cheeses that melt smoothly such as:- cheddar
- American cheese
- gouda
- pepper jack
- Emmental
- cream cheese
Your Notes, Tips and Tricks
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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