The box mac and cheese you have calls out for one thing: brown butter and cracked pepper to lift it from ordinary to actually worth eating. This takes what the box gives you and makes it taste like you meant it.

Serves 2. 12 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 290 calories a serving, 7 g protein, 37 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta from the box according to package directions until tender, about 7 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.7 min
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pan over medium heat, swirling often, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 4 minutes. Pour it into a bowl.4 min
3. Stir the cheese sauce packet into the drained pasta along with 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water, stirring until the sauce coats every piece. Add more pasta water if it seems dry. Pour the browned butter over the top, crack 1 teaspoon of pepper onto it, and toss well.
4. Divide between two bowls and serve right away.

Note Swap the butter for olive oil if you prefer. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days in an airtight container; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed broccoli on the side.