Don't You Dare Drain The Noodles For Boxed Mac And Cheese. Here's Why
In the never-ending quest to get weeknight dinners on the table in a reasonable amount of time, a new champion has emerged: pasta water. TikToker Nikki Gillespie posted a video back in 2021 that needs another round of recognition. In it, Gillespie ignores the iconic blue box's directions instructing her to boil and drain the pasta, instead using the pasta water to simultaneously shave time off the preparation and create an extra-rich, creamy cheese sauce her kids love while making boxed mac and cheese better for everyone.
@_nikkigillespie_ ♬ original sound – Nikki Gillespie
Instead of using the boatload of water pasta usually calls for, she pours in just enough to barely cover the pasta and adds the powdered cheese and butter straight to the pot. A generous splash of heavy cream ("generous" meaning about a third cup per box) added in the home stretch turns the already creamy mixture into a silky, luscious sauce after just a few minutes of cooking, no draining required.
Why it works and how to adapt it
The no-drain mac and cheese hack works because the pasta's starch seeps into the pasta water as you cook. The starch molecules in the water become gel-like and thicken when cooled, as gelatin is apt to do. That increases the sauce's viscosity (thickness) and even helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
While you can get 75% of the way there with the pasta water, the butter and cream do their jobs too. In addition to contributing to thickening, they add flavor, richness, and sheen. So you can skip them, but you'll be happier with them. You can even substitute butter for margarine and heavy cream for milk, half and half, or sour cream if needed.
By now, you're probably wondering if you can cook other kinds of pasta like this. And the answer is yes. In fact, there's nothing new about this technique. Chefs have been doing it for ages. Just use any pasta that cooks in around 10 minutes with half the amount of any kind of liquid (such as water or stock). It may take a bit of adjustment to specific recipes, but you can try it on anything from other boxed pasta dishes to your favorite pasta recipes.