I’m convinced this Air Fryer Mac and Cheese is the easiest recipe you will ever make. It’s a mostly hands-off recipe that comes together in 20 minutes – the most perfect lazy day meal!
What if I told you that you could make Mac and Cheese in just one bowl, and in the AIR FRYER at that?
That’s right! No more waiting around for water to boil, with this mac and cheese recipe you just need to dump your ingredients & let the air fryer do its magic. This is easily one of my favorites out of my pasta and noodles recipes right now and perfect for the tiffin too.
I’ve been making this all the time (for my kiddos and for myself!) and serving it up with some crusty garlic bread. Literally doesn’t get more perfect than this!
Jump to section: Macaroni and Cheese in air fryer
Air Fryer Mac & Cheese Ingredients
Boxed macaroni: We don’t need to boil our macaroni ahead for this recipe, which is the best part IMO!
Grated Processed Cheese: I use freshly-grated processed cheese because it melts the best, but you can use any grated/shredded cheese of your choice here.
Water: To cook the macaroni
Milk: For creaminess!
Grated Garlic: For flavor and aroma.
Salt and Pepper: For seasoning.
Kasundi/Mustard Paste: An unconventional ingredient that adds a lovely tang without being overpowering. Highly recommend!
Breadcrumbs and melted butter: For that crunchy crinkly topping!
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe will take around 19-20 minutes of air fryer cook time. But this could vary depending on the brand and temperature settings of your air fryer. Just make sure to keep checking and stirring every 5 minutes.
Since this recipe requires you to keep stirring the mac and cheese, it works best in an air fryer. You could make this in the oven by following a similar process, but the timing may vary. If you’re looking to use the stovetop, check out my Stovetop Jalapeno Mac and Cheese recipe!
I’m a big fan of regular Amul processed cheese because it melts really well. But any grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese will work well here.
Yes! Feel-free to swap with plant-based milk and cheese. It will taste different, but still delicious!
Richa’s Top Tips
Now if you’ve never made mac and cheese or any type of pasta in the air fryer before, I can understand that you’d be skeptical. But don’t worry – this is a totally fool-proof recipe.
- Before air frying, make sure that the macaroni is fully submerged in the water sauce mixture or it won’t cook all the way through.
- Make sure to keep stirring the mac and cheese every 5 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl.
- If the mac and cheese feels dry after air frying, you can add in a couple tablespoons of warm milk and mix through before air frying again with the bread crumb topping.
- The cheese thickens as it cools, so allow it to rest for a few minutes for before serving to make it creamyyy.
- Mustard paste or kasundi adds a lovely tang, but you can skip it if you don’t have it.
- Pre-shredded cheese are coated with anti-caking agents to prevent clumping. So use freshly-grated cheese for best results.
Serving Ideas
I honestly just love to tuck into this bowl of mac and cheese on its own but it’s also fabulous with some garlic breadsticks dipped into it and some refreshing cocktails on the side!
Mac and Cheese Recipe Variations
- Add a protein of choice: Make this air fyer macaroni and cheese protein-rich by adding in some diced chicken or crispy bacon for added flavor.
- Veggies: Grilled veggies like broccoli,, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, etc. taste delicious in here while making it more wholesome!
- Low-fat: You can use skimmed milk or half-and-half instead of full cream milk to make this low fat. Low-fat cheese would also work here.
- Make it spicyyy: Add some chilli flakes or jalapenos for a spicy kick!
Storage Tips
I would recommend serving this air fryer mac and cheese fresh as it tends to get a bit dry on refrigeration and reheating will change the texture slightly.
However if you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. When reheating, mix in some warm milk into the mac and cheese to get back some of that creaminess.
Once you try out this Air Fryer Mac and Cheese recipe, there’s no going back. You’ll be a baked pasta fan! I absolutely love the convenience of this recipe and how comforting it is. Sometimes you just need carbs on carbs brought to you QUICK and this is my fix. Give it a try and send me all your lazy day meal pics over on my IG @my_foodstory!
If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my other Air Fryer Recipes too!
Watch How To Make Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Video
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Preheat the air fryer to 180C.
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Add all ingredients mentioned under for mac and cheese to an airfryer safe bowl or baking pan, and place it on the airfryer basket.
1 ¾ cups macaroni, 1 ½ cups processed cheese, 3 ½ cups water, 1 ¾ cups milk, 1 ¾ tablespoons kasundi or mustard paste, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon grated garlic
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Air fry for 17 minutes at 180 C till the macaroni is cooked well. Keep stirring every 5 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl.
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Add the breadcrumbs on top of the cooked macaroni, drizzle melted butter and air fry for 2 minutes at 190 C till it browns on top.
¼ cup breadcrumbs, ½ tablespoon melted butter
Calories: 474kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 1500mg, Potassium: 362mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 719IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 715mg, Iron: 1mg
This article was researched and written by Navya Khetarpal.