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.
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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.
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Ingredients
This recipe calls for three kinds of cheese: Velveeta, cheddar, and 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.
Add the dry pasta and spread in an even layer. The macaroni at this step is uncooked pasta, it will cook as it baked.
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.
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.
Bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
Allow the mac and cheese to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
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.
Equipment
Frequently asked questions
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
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.
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