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4-ingredient air fryer mac ‘n’ cheese

By: Thea Everett
Deputy editor (audiences), delicious.

Published: 21 Jul 23
Updated: 21 Mar 24

Air fryer mac ‘n’ cheese using just four ingredients and ready in 30 minutes? It’s possible! Once you master this comforting evaporated milk cheese sauce, you’ll want to use it on everything – it’s just so easy. Cheesy chips, nachos, burgers, you name it.

Feel free to top the finished dish with crispy breadcrumbs and a little thyme for a little crunch.

Easy
July 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2-3

Feel free to top the finished dish with crispy breadcrumbs and a little thyme for a little crunch.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 691kcals
Fat: 40g (25g saturated),
Protein: 36g
Carbohydrates: 46g (18g sugars)
Fibre: 1.8g
Salt: 2.1g

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Ingredients

250g macaroni
410g tin evaporated milk
200g cheddar, coarsely grated
30g parmesan or pecorino, finely grated

Specialist kit

Air fryer

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Method

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 6 minutes, then drain.
While the pasta cooks, pour the evaporated milk into a large saucepan and put over a medium heat. Once simmering, add the cheddar and whisk until melted.
Add the pasta to the cheese sauce, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then transfer to a baking dish which fits inside your air fryer.

Heat your air fryer to 180°C. Top the pasta with the grated parmesan or pecorino, then cook for 12 minutes until golden and bubbling on top.

Recipe from July 2023 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 691kcals
Fat: 40g (25g saturated),
Protein: 36g
Carbohydrates: 46g (18g sugars)
Fibre: 1.8g
Salt: 2.1g

delicious. tips

We love this classic version, but feel free to experiment with different cheeses such as mozzarella, blue cheese and gruyère next time you try this.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Thea Everett
Deputy editor (audiences), delicious.

Published: 21 Jul 23
Updated: 21 Mar 24

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Read what others say...

Vicki Trigg says:

20th Oct 2024 at 7:10 pm

added some freshly grated nutmeg to balance out the sweetness a touch, absolutely gorgeous

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Sheila Shaw says:

1st Feb 2024 at 11:26 am

I made this exactly to recipe because I thought it would be lovely & creamy. It wasn’t. And I found it really sweet, which I did not like.

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1. Thea Everett says:
  
  2nd Feb 2024 at 11:41 am
  
  Thanks for giving it a go Sheila! The sweetness comes from the evaporated milk, so you can switch for regular butter, flour and milk in the cheese sauce next time, then just baked in the air fryer instead of the oven. Happy cooking.