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–+ servings
Creamy mac and cheese in a pot with a wooden spoon resting in it.

Camping Mac and Cheese

A woman's face.Angie Zoobkoff
This creamy one-pot macaroni and cheese is made in just one pot with a handful of pantry ingredients and requires only 20 minutes of your time.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings
Calories 595 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups macaroni
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • 8 ounces Cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or milk optional

Instructions
 

  • Combine the macaroni, water, and salt in a Dutch oven.
  • Prepare a camp stove, stovetop, grill, or hot campfire coals for medium-high heat. Cover the Dutch oven, set it over the heat and bring to a boil.
  • Cook the pasta, stirring frequently, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. There will still be some liquid left in the Dutch oven at this point.
  • Remove from the heat and add the mustard powder, cheese, hot sauce, and cream, if using.
  • Stir vigorously until the sauce is smooth and the pasta is evenly coated.
  • Let the mac and cheese stand for 5 minutes before serving. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce.

Video

Notes

  • Stir, stir, stir--Stir the pasta occasionally to avoid sticking.
  • Avoid grainy cheese sauce--Remove the Dutch oven from the heat before stirring in the cheese. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese, and use full fat Cheddar, if possible.
  • Let it rest--It's ok if the sauce is a little thin after stirring in the cheese. It will absorb the sauce and thicken up as it stands.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 595kcalCarbohydrates: 53.7gProtein: 28.3gFat: 29.3gCholesterol: 90mgFiber: 2.3gSugar: 2.3g
Keyword dutch oven cooking, mac and cheese, one pot cooking
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