Air Fryer Mac and Cheese for One

Air-fryer mac and Cheese for one, is absolutely delicious. It’s filling, easy, and quick, making it the perfect lunchtime treat or simple meal for one!

I work from home. So I spend all of my time here and much of it alone. 

This could easily mean that I always eat sandwiches for lunch, but I refuse! I hate eating the same things all of the time. 

Recently, I’ve been working on single portions of some of my favourite things. This Mac and cheese was the first thing I tried, using a recently purchased charity shop mini Le Creuset and my favourite easy air fryer Mac and cheese recipe. 

It’s perfect and a new favourite weekday lunch!

Why I Love Individual Mac and Cheese

Air fryer individual Mac and cheese is perfect because:

• It’s quick and easy. 
• It’s the perfect single-size portion. 
• You can serve it with salad, bread and butter, or plenty of your other favourite lunches. 
• Mac and cheese is the perfect comfort food. Great for those cold lunches when you need cheering up. 
• It’s also a super cute dinner, especially if you’ve got two cute ramekins!

Ingredients For Macaroni Cheese for One

When I make air fryer Mac and cheese for one, I use:

Elbow Macaroni Pasta

Mature Cheddar – A sharp cheddar cheese is best. 

Parmesan Cheese

Dijon Mustard – English mustard is ok, too. I use a full teaspoon for a strong flavour, so use less if you prefer something milder.

Garlic Puree – A whole clove of garlic might be too much, so I recommend a little puree or powder instead unless you want it very garlicky! 

Semi-Skimmed Milk 

You’ll Also Need

For my single portion air fried Mac n cheese, I use:

• Glass jug and small whisk.
• Cereal bowl and spoon to mix. 
• Cheesegrater.
• Cooking dish. I use a mini Le Creuset (affiliate link). I got mine for £2.50 from a charity shop, but they aren’t hugely expensive anyway, and you can get cheaper non-branded ones (affiliate link). 

That said, you don’t need a special bowl. You could just bake it all in the bowl you mix everything in or a small cake dish. Anything that’s fairly small and heatproof will do. 

I recommend a mini pot or large heatproof ramekin if you make meals for one a lot. 

My little Le Creuset is around 0.3l and 11cm across. 

How to Make Air Fryer Mac and Cheese for One – Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Preheat your air fryer to 170 degrees C and set for 25 minutes. If your machine doesn’t have a preheat setting, just turn it on for a few minutes before you add the food.

Step Two

In a jug, mix the milk, garlic, and mustard. 

Step Three

Place the pasta in a small bowl. You can do this in the dish you are going to cook it in, but mine comes pretty close to the top, so I find it easier to give it a thorough first mix in a larger bowl. 

Step Four

Add the cheese, retaining a little bit of cheddar cheese. 

Step Five

Pour over the milk mixture. 

Step Six

Stir well. 

Step Seven

Tip into a small bowl or ramekin suitable for your air fryer. Anything big enough for the ingredients and heatproof will do.

Step Eight

Place in the air fryer basket and air fry for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes. 

Step Nine

After 15 minutes, stir again before carefully sprinkling on the remaining cheese. I recommend carefully tasting a piece of pasta to see if it’s close to how firm you like it. If not, cook for another 5 minutes before adding the cheese top. 

Step Ten

Air fry for 5-10 minutes until the cheese on the top has melted and is golden, and the pasta is as you like it.

Serving Suggestions

I tend to serve my air fryer Macaroni cheese for one with a simple side salad. 

If I were having it for dinner, I’d perhaps serve it on the side of burgers or something else substantial. 

Variations

Anything you can do to a big macaroni and cheese, you can do to a little one!

Make Cheese Sauce on the Hob

If you prefer a more traditional hob-made cheese sauce, you can prepare it (and the pasta) on the hob and bake it in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes to brown the top. 

Add Breadcrumbs

Adding a teaspoon of Panko breadcrumbs to the top with your cheese can give it a nice crunch. 

Air Fry In a Bowl

I love making things in my cute ramekin. But I find it easier to mix the ingredients in a bigger bowl first. 

If that bigger bowl is heat-proof, you can just air fry it in that too. 

Add Different Cheese

I tend to stick to a basic mature cheddar and parmesan mix. 

But all (most) of the cheese works! Experiment with different flavours and additions. 

Skip the Mustard

I like to add some mustard for a little extra flavour. You can use less or skip it entirely. The same goes for the garlic. 

Use Whole Milk

I use semi-skimmed milk because that’s what we have, and I try to use what we’ve got in.

If you want a richer, creamier flavour, use whole milk. 

FAQ

Other Air Fryer Recipes 

If you like this individual air fryer Mac and cheese, you might also want to try:

• Frozen Sausages in the Air Fryer
• Air Fried Chicken Katsu
• Air Fryer Fish Pie
• Air Fryer Cottage Pie
• Perfect Air Fried Baked Potatoes 
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
• Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese
• Air Fryer Stuffed Potato Skins
• Crispy Chicken Wraps
• Mac and Cheese with Hot Sauce

Recipe Card

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