Small macaroni, sometimes called salad macaroni or ditalini-style short pasta, is the tiny pasta shape that quietly holds more cheese sauce per bite than any elbow noodle ever could. This recipe keeps everything in one pot, so the starch that would normally go down the drain instead thickens the sauce and makes it cling to every little tube.
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It is a stovetop mac and cheese built for weeknights: boil the pasta, whisk a quick roux in the same pan, then fold in sharp cheddar and a splash of evaporated milk for that glossy, diner-style finish. Total time is about 50 minutes, most of it hands-off, and the result feeds six as a side or four as a main.
If you have ever had a potluck macaroni salad or a church-supper casserole made with this shape, you already know why it works. Small pasta means more surface area, more sauce, and more of those crispy, bubbling edges when you finish it under the broiler.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
12 oz (340 g) small macaroni (ditalini, salad macaroni, or small shells)
Look for boxes labeled salad macaroni or ditalini in the pasta aisle; small shells or tubetti work identically. Avoid tiny pastina, which turns to mush in a cheese sauce.
4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
Salted butter works too; just cut the added salt in the sauce by half. For a dairy-free version, use a plant butter stick, not a tub spread, which separates when heated.
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
This is the roux thickener. For a gluten-free pot, swap in an equal weight of white rice flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend and whisk a little longer.
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, warmed
Warm milk blends into the roux without lumps. Half-and-half makes it richer; unsweetened oat milk is the best dairy-free stand-in here.
1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk
Evaporated milk is the secret to that glossy, diner-style sauce. Do not substitute sweetened condensed milk, which is a completely different product.
3 cups (340 g) sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
Shred your own block; pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and gives a grainy sauce. For sharper flavor, use 2 cups cheddar plus 1 cup Gruyere.
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
Kosher salt seasons gradually; if using fine table salt, start with 3/4 tsp. Add the pasta water salt after the water boils so it dissolves evenly.
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
Dry mustard sharpens the cheddar flavor without tasting mustardy. A pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika is a good swap if you are out.
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Fresh-cracked pepper blooms in the warm sauce. White pepper gives the same heat with no visible flecks if you are serving kids.
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Granulated garlic dissolves better than fresh minced, which can burn in the roux. Onion powder is a fine substitute if you prefer a milder note.
1/2 cup (50 g) panko breadcrumbs (optional topping)
Panko gives the crispiest broiler crust. Crushed butter crackers or torn stale sourdough are great pantry swaps.
2 tbsp (28 g) melted butter, for the topping
Toss this with the panko before broiling so it browns instead of scorching. Olive oil works but browns faster, so watch the broiler closely.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not drain the pasta completely dry. Save 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water; it loosens a sauce that tightens too much as the cheese melts.
- Shred the cheese yourself and add it off the heat. Pre-shredded cheese and high heat are the two fastest ways to get a grainy, broken sauce.
- Cook the roux for a full 2 minutes until it smells nutty, not raw. Undercooked flour is the number one cause of a sauce that tastes like paste.
- If you plan to broil the topping, use an oven-safe saucepan or transfer to a 9×9-inch baking dish so the panko browns evenly instead of burning in spots.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Boil the small macaroni
Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and cook the 12 oz small macaroni for 1 minute less than the package's al dente time, about 7 to 8 minutes. The pasta should be firm at the center with a slight bite, and you should reserve 1/2 cup of the cloudy cooking water before draining.
2. Make the roux
In the same pot over medium heat (about 350 F / 177 C), melt 4 tbsp butter until it foams, then whisk in 1/4 cup flour and cook for 2 minutes until it smells nutty and turns pale golden, not brown. This cooks out the raw flour taste that ruins an otherwise good sauce.
3. Whisk in the milks
Pour in the warmed 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup evaporated milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges, about 180 F / 82 C.
4. Melt in the cheese
Drop the heat to low (about 200 F / 93 C), then add the 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar in three handfuls along with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and glossy, with no visible shreds, about 2 minutes.
5. Fold in the pasta
Return the drained macaroni to the pot and fold gently with a silicone spatula until every little tube is coated. If the sauce looks thick, splash in the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until it flows like warm honey.
6. Add the crispy topping
Heat the broiler to 500 F / 260 C. Toss 1/2 cup panko with 2 tbsp melted butter and scatter it over the top of the macaroni in an oven-safe pot or 9×9-inch dish, then broil 6 inches from the element for 3 to 4 minutes until the crumbs are deep golden brown and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
7. Rest and serve
Let the pot sit off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce sets to a spoonable, non-runny consistency. Serve hot with a crack of black pepper on top.
Delicious Variations
Baked Casserole Style
Transfer the finished macaroni to a buttered 9×13-inch dish, top with buttered panko, and bake at 375 F / 190 C for 20 minutes for a firmer, sliceable casserole.
Bacon and Chive
Fold in 8 slices of crispy crumbled bacon and 2 tablespoons chopped chives just before the broiler step for a smoky, savory version.
Buffalo Chicken
Stir in 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and 1/3 cup buffalo sauce with the cheese, then top with crumbled blue cheese before broiling.
How to Store Small Macaroni
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it chills, so stir in a splash of milk before reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture; the pasta softens slightly but the flavor holds.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk per cup to loosen the sauce back to its creamy state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a different cheese instead of sharp cheddar?
Yes, Gruyere, Colby Jack, or a smoked gouda all melt beautifully in this sauce. Keep at least half the cheese as a good melting variety and avoid aged parmesan alone, which turns stringy under heat.
Grab your smallest pasta shape and a block of sharp cheddar, and let this one-pot small macaroni land on your table in under an hour. If you make it, snap a photo of those golden broiled edges and let me know which variation you tried.
Small Macaroni
Small macaroni is a creamy, cheesy stovetop comfort side that comes together in one pot in 30 minutes with pantry staples.
🧂 Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) small macaroni (ditalini, salad macaroni, or small shells)
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk
- 3 cups (340 g) sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup (50 g) panko breadcrumbs (optional topping)
- 2 tbsp (28 g) melted butter, for the topping
📋 Instructions
- 1Boil the small macaroni — Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and cook the 12 oz small macaroni for 1 minute less than the package's al dente time, about 7 to 8 minutes. The pasta should be firm at the center with a slight bite, and you should reserve 1/2 cup of the cloudy cooking water before draining.
- 2Make the roux — In the same pot over medium heat (about 350 F / 177 C), melt 4 tbsp butter until it foams, then whisk in 1/4 cup flour and cook for 2 minutes until it smells nutty and turns pale golden, not brown. This cooks out the raw flour taste that ruins an otherwise good sauce.
- 3Whisk in the milks — Pour in the warmed 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup evaporated milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and bubbles gently at the edges, about 180 F / 82 C.
- 4Melt in the cheese — Drop the heat to low (about 200 F / 93 C), then add the 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar in three handfuls along with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and glossy, with no visible shreds, about 2 minutes.
- 5Fold in the pasta — Return the drained macaroni to the pot and fold gently with a silicone spatula until every little tube is coated. If the sauce looks thick, splash in the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until it flows like warm honey.
- 6Add the crispy topping — Heat the broiler to 500 F / 260 C. Toss 1/2 cup panko with 2 tbsp melted butter and scatter it over the top of the macaroni in an oven-safe pot or 9×9-inch dish, then broil 6 inches from the element for 3 to 4 minutes until the crumbs are deep golden brown and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- 7Rest and serve — Let the pot sit off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce sets to a spoonable, non-runny consistency. Serve hot with a crack of black pepper on top.
