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No Boil Mac and Cheese

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No boil mac and cheese is completely cooked in the oven. You don’t have to boil the noodles first. Just load everything in the pan and let it bake to creamy no boil macaroni and cheese perfection!

Large serving spoon filled with cheesy baked no boil mac and cheese fresh from the oven.

Make cheesy mac and cheese without boiling the noodles first. There’s no cheese sauce to make either. 

Just dump the ingredients in the pan and let the oven do the work.  This is the easiest baked macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll find and it’s delicious too! 

It’s a perfect filling side dish for almost any meal. It is also a great meatless entrée if you would like.

Ingredients including pasta, cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce ready to be baked into macaroni and cheese.

Why no boil macaroni?

Have you ever had one of those days where you can’t handle one more thing? You know the kind where things feel overwhelming or the schedule is so full that you can’t fathom adding one more thing to the day.

I love to cook. Everything from simple to more intense labor (and dirty dish!) filled recipes. 

But sometimes even I can’t take one extra step in the kitchen. Those are the days where boiling and draining pasta seems like too much.

Tell me you’ve been there too! Days like that one pot pasta recipes come in handy because it all cooks together.

We love dinners like one pot taco pasta and one pot abc (asparagus, bacon and chicken) pasta for just that reason.  You don’t have to wait for the water to boil or for the macaroni noodles to cook before you move to the next step.

Plus the starch from the pasta helps thicken the sauce, which means you don’t have to mess with making a bechamel sauce. The meal and the cook are working together in unison to make a delicious and easy dinner.

So when Nicole from Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom mentioned her favorite macaroni and cheese recipe was baked but no-boil during an intense macaroni and cheese conversation on Facebook, I had to check it out. I had a feeling we were going to like it.

In general we like a creamy stovetop macaroni and cheese. Luckily we are not so set in our ways that we can’t appreciate a good baked macaroni and cheese. We actually enjoy the “challenge” of trying new recipes.

Rested pan of fully baked no boil mac and cheese showing all of the extra liquid has been absorbed by the pasta and the cheese on top is melted.

Honestly, it doesn’t get any easier than this either. That is always helpful, whether you are having one of “those days” or not.

Just throw it together and bake it. It does take a little time in the oven, but that gives you time to make the rest of the meal.

plate of mac and cheese with grapes and pulled pork sandwich.

Or fold some laundry.

Or relax for a bit?!

The results are cheesy and delicious. I’m not sure it took over our top spot. We still love super creamy stove top macaroni and cheese in all of its forms. But we will certainly be enjoying it again!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, we have doubled this recipe several times when we are feeding a larger crowd. Just double the ingredients and bake it in a 9×13 dish.

What kind of cheese can I use for mac and cheese?

We usually use sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe because the flavor and texture are great for macaroni and cheese. However, you can combine cheeses or substitute another kind of cheese as long as it is a good melting cheese. Use American cheese or half mozzarella and half sharp cheddar for a milder super cheesy mac. Try using gruyere if you are looking for something different. Or use some pepper jack if you want to add a little zip.

Can I add a crunchy topping?

Yes! Add bread crumbs or cracker crumbs at the end when you add the extra cheese.

Fork getting a bite of macaroni and cheese from a plate of no boil macaroni and cheese.

More no boil pasta recipes:

No boil cheesy pasta bake is a dump and bake main dish that has all of the flavor of your favorite pasta dishes with no time spent over the stove. It’s the perfect mix of pasta, cheese, sausage and sauce without any of the effort!

Enjoy all of the goodness of baked ziti with a fraction of the prep work! You don’t have to boil the noodles or brown the meat, just layer it up and bake it to perfection. 

Love this recipe? Give it a star rating in the recipe card below!

Large serving spoon filled with cheesy baked no boil mac and cheese fresh from the oven.

No Boil Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Carlee
This mac and cheese is completely cooked in the oven. You don't have to boil the noodles first. Just load everything in the pan and let it bake to creamy no boil macaroni and cheese perfection!
4.52 from 130 ratings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 196 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups uncooked pasta
  • cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • cups cheddar cheese divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat you oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Combine the milk, uncooked macaroni, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of cheese in the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.
    2 cups uncooked pasta, 3½ cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Remove foil and stir. Top with remaining cup of cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.
  • Let stand for 10 minutes and then serve.

Notes

Feel free to add a little bit of garlic powder, mustard powder or hot sauce to your macaroni if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 10gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 298mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g
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Recipe Rating




Jill Beebe

Friday 8th of March 2024

Next time I will wait to add the cheese until near the end. Was delicious but the cheese did break . I added more at the end and it ended up great.

Carlee

Friday 8th of March 2024

That's a good idea! I am glad you liked it.

Mary

Sunday 11th of February 2024

The recipe is much better when you reduce the amount of milk and replace it with chicken broth. I’ve made it several times this way and receive multiple compliments.

Carlee

Sunday 11th of February 2024

That's a great tip, I will have to try it next time!

Kara

Thursday 26th of October 2023

I made this tonight, the taste was good except the cheese curdled so the texture wasn’t pleasant. If I can figure out how to keep it from curdling I may make it again. I did add a tin of green chilies and a bit of mustard to it as well, plus a bit extra salt at the end.

Karen @karenskitchenstories

Saturday 6th of May 2023

I'm definitely trying this! I love baked mac and cheese, and the no boil option is fabulous!

Carlee

Saturday 6th of May 2023

It makes it so easy and only 1 dirty dish!

Richa

Monday 9th of January 2023

My pasta was cooked at the 50 minute mark but it was still really liquidy. Is it supposed to still have quite a bit of liquid at that point? I followed directions precisely including covering with foil!

Carlee

Monday 9th of January 2023

Some of the liquid will evaporate during that last 10 minutes and it will thicken as it sits for a bit too. It's hard to say without seeing it, but my hunch is it's fine.