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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    No-Boil Mac and Cheese

    Published: Sep 27, 2012 · Modified: Feb 13, 2023 by Kelsey Smith

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    This no-boil mac and cheese recipe is extra-cheesy and super creamy, made with Velveeta, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella.

    This dish is gooey and super cheesy. The Velveeta/shredded cheese combination makes for an extra cheesy, super creamy dish.

    This is the ideal dish when you need a fix-it-and-forget-it dinner idea or when you are cooking multiple things in the kitchen at once. It is a vegetarian-friendly meal.

    This can be served as a main dish, or it is a great side dish alongside another classic family dinner recipe like meatloaf with Ritz crackers.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Top down view of the finished dish, no-boil macaroni and cheese. The mac and cheese is creamy and extra cheesy.

    Recipe Highlights

    • Easy cleanup: This is a one-dish recipe. There is no need to boil the macaroni in its own pot or use a strainer or colander. This is a minimal effort recipe.
    • Cheesy: Velveeta, sharp cheddar cheese, and mozzarella make for a creamy mac.
    • Simple ingredients: This is a classic recipe made with pantry staples.

    This is a variation of The Country Cook's Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. Be sure to check out the original recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Highlights
    • Ingredients
    • Directions
    • Substitutions
    • Equipment
    • Frequently asked questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    This recipe calls for three kinds of cheese: Velveeta, cheddar, and mozzarella.

    No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients: milk, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, hot sauce, elbow macaroni, Velveeta cheese cut into thin slices, salted butter cut into thin slices, shredded cheddar, and shredded mozzarella.
    • milk
    • salt
    • ground mustard
    • garlic powder
    • hot sauce
    • elbow macaroni
    • Velveeta cheese, thinly sliced
    • salted butter, thinly sliced
    • shredded cheddar
    • shredded mozzarella

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Directions

    Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. The casserole dish size is important to ensure the noodles are submerged in the liquid.

    In the baking dish, mix the milk, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, and hot sauce.

    Top down view of a baking dish. The milk is mixed with salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, and hot sauce in the dish.

    Add the dry pasta and spread in an even layer. The macaroni at this step is uncooked pasta, it will cook as it baked.

    Uncooked macaroni being poured into the milk mixture in the baking dish.

    Layer with the Velveeta slices and half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella. Top with butter slices, pushing them down into the milk.

    Top down view of baking dish. The uncooked macaroni and milk mixture is topped with Velveeta slices and half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella. The butter slices have been pushed down slightly into the milk.

    Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.

    Partially macaroni submerged into the milk mixture in a baking dish.

    At this point, the macaroni should be cooked and much of the liquid will be absorbed. You will have the beginnings of your creamy sauce.

    Remove the foil and top with the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

    The remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese are sprinkled on top of the partially baked macaroni and cheese dish.

    Bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

    Top-down view of a baking dish filled with baked creamy macaroni and cheese.

    Allow the mac and cheese to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

    A side view of a baking dish filled with macaroni and cheese. A large wooden serving spoon is holding a large scoop of mac and cheese as melted cheese falls off the spoon.

    Substitutions

    • Milk: This recipe uses whole milk for the fat content. It has not been tested with other kinds of milk.
    • Hot sauce: Use your favorite hot sauce like Cholula or Crystal Hot Sauce (or feel free to omit). This is a small amount of hot sauce and will not make your macaroni and cheese spicy. It's just enough to add a hint of flavor.
    • Pasta: I recommend macaroni elbows because they are small and are easy to submerge in the liquid for even cooking. Small shells are a good substitute for elbow macaroni noodles. Cellentani works in this recipe but may take a few extra minutes of baking. This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free pasta products.
    • Velveeta: This is an important ingredient. I use Velveeta Original (or the store brand version. You can also use the Velveeta Slices product (12 slices is 8 ounces) for convenient prep.
    • Shredded Cheese: Mix and match your favorite cheeses such as Monterey jack, pepper jack, or fontina cheese. Mozzarella makes the cheese slightly stringy and cheddar (sharp and medium are preferred) add a great flavor and texture.
    Extra creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese in a small bowl next to a baking dish of mac and cheese.

    Equipment

    • 9x13 baking dish
    • Chef's knife
    • Aluminum foil

    Frequently asked questions

    Why make no-boil mac and cheese?

    So, why would you make a no-boil macaroni and cheese recipe when it takes an hour in the oven? It takes less time to make stovetop macaroni and cheese, doesn't it?

    This no-boil pasta dish is a low-effort recipe. Sometimes the overall cook time is less important than the amount of hands-on effort a recipe takes.
    It's difficult to be in and out of the kitchen while watching the kids, making this an excellent option for busy parents in particular. No-boil mac and cheese makes dinner that much easier when you don't have to precook the noodles.

    It takes fewer dishes. This recipe is much easier on the cleanup side of things than traditional stovetop or baked macaroni and cheese.
    No-boil means no macaroni pot, no strainer, and no saucepan.

    📖 Recipe

    No Boil Mac and Cheese
    Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Email Print

    No-Boil Mac and Cheese

    This no-bake mac and cheese recipe is extra-cheesy and super creamy, made with Velveeta, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella.
    4.43 from 7 votes
    Recipe by: Kelsey Smith
    Prep time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook time: 1 hour hour
    Total time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 people

    Equipment

    • 9x13 baking dish
    • Chef's knife
    • Aluminum foil

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
    • 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
    • 8 oz Velveeta Original Cheese thinly sliced
    • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
    • 4 tablespoon salted butter thinly sliced

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
    • In the baking dish, mix the milk, salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, and hot sauce.
    • Add the uncooked elbow macaroni and spread in an even layer.
    • Layer with the Velveeta slices and half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella. Top with butter slices, pushing them down into the milk.
    • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.
    • Remove the foil and check that the macaroni is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, baking for an additional 5 minutes if needed. Discard the foil. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

    Notes

    Adapted from The Country Cook.
    Note that sometimes after baking the milk can have a curdled appearance but this is normal.
    To make in advance: To make this dish ahead of time, this recipe can be prepared the night before and then baked the following day. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 419kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 21gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 1034mgPotassium: 370mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 888IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 483mgIron: 1mg
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cheese, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Rate it to let me know how it was!
    No-Boil Mac and Cheese

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    About Kelsey Smith

    I am a freelance content writer by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing comfort food recipes.

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    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing easy comfort food recipes.

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