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When that first fall chill hits and you need a bowl of something creamy and comforting, this no-boil Mac and Cheese is the move. One pot, no strainer—just silky cheese sauce clinging to every noodle.
It’s the kind of weeknight recipe you can make on autopilot, but still tastes like you slowed down.
Moving is kind of stressful, tiring and just plain not all that fun.
While I have been in the new house for over two weeks now, we are just now doing the big haul of transferring all the families belongings.
Oh my gosh, so much stuff, it’s insane.
We need to purge.
And on top of moving everything into the new house yesterday, I actually cooked a full meal, photographed and made even more chaos for everyone.
What I was thinking I have no idea.
Since things are crazy over here right now I thought this mac and cheese would be the perfect thing to post.
Just like the title says it is no boil. Meaning you do not have to cook the pasta before adding it to that dreamy cheese sauce. Which makes this the easiest mac and cheese ever. Like easier than the boxed stuff. Ah huh.
Oh, and there are toasted bread crumbs.
And tons and tons of cheese.
It is total Sunday comfort food, or birthday food in my mom’s case. Yeah, she spent her birthday moving. There was not even a cake. So sad. But do not worry, there will be cake. Just once I get the kitchen put back together.
FAQ
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
You can, but the anti-caking powders can make the sauce feel grainy. For the smoothest melt, grate cheese from a block.
Why did my sauce turn gritty?
Heat was likely too high or cheese went in too fast. Take the pot off heat, add cheese a handful at a time, and stir until glossy; thin with warm milk if needed.
What pasta shapes work best for no-boil?
Short shapes like elbows or shells hydrate evenly and hold onto sauce. Thicker or larger shapes may need a touch more liquid and time.
How far ahead can I make this?
Cook just under your ideal doneness, cool, and refrigerate covered. Reheat gently with a splash of milk to bring back the silky texture.
NO-BOIL MAC AND CHEESE.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 710 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 1/2 cups milk I use 2%
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded havarti cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 cup Progresso™ panko crispy bread crumbs or Progresso™ plain bread crumbs
- Parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the pasta and about 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the prepared baking dish, set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard powder, cayenne pepper (if using), salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta, stirring to coat. The pasta should be submerged in the sauce. Cover with foil and bake until pasta is almost tender, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wipe your same sauce pot clean, then add remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Add garlic and breadcrumbs, toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. If desired you can toast the crumbs over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove the pasta from the oven and remove the foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup havarti cheese, then the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10-20 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with
Head on over to Tablespoon for this No-Boil Mac and Cheese Recipe!! <— Do it.
This post was originally published on January 12, 2014
It was good while it was warm, but basically turned into big block of cheese as it cooled. After it cooled, still tasted good after taking a serving out of the pan and putting in a bowl with milk and reheating.
Hi Jan,
Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback! Glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Very delicious but it curdled. So the texture was off. I loved the flavor and want to prevent curdling. I am in Denver, if that matters.
Hi Kristin,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. At what point did it curdle? Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Let me know how I can help! xT
My sauce curdled in the pan before I poured it on the pasta. Still tasted great, but didn’t look so great. What did I do wrong?
Hi Elisabeth,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry to hear about your sauce. Did you use room temp ingredients and grate your own cheese? That really prevents any curdling. Let me know how I can help! xT
So so so delish!!! Easy and so good. Turned out to perfection. The breadcrumbs almost made it for me with that added texture crunch. I even used leftover garlic bread for breadcrumbs and it was so great!!
Hey Erin,
Thanks a lot for trying out this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed and hope you have the best week! xTieghan
bad it was crusty without boiling #gross #crusty
Loving your website. This is on menu for tomorrow night. Unless I can convince someone to switch Friday night pizza night. 🙂
I’m sure nothing lasts long enough in your house to make it to the freezer, but do you have anyany thoughts on baking this & then freezing? Will the cheese sauce hold up or will it get grainy?
Good luck with your move! Moving is one of my least favorite things ever!
Hey Tiffany!! I think this would be fine frozen. I cannot say for sure since I have not tried it, but I do not see why the cheese sauce get grainy.
Hope you love it and thanks so much!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Genius!!
Thanks Becca!
Yum! Always happy to find new recipes that you can assemble and throw in the oven like this. Thanks!
Thanks Helen!