Next Post
Pull Apart Garlic Butter Spinach and Artichoke Dip Sliders.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Easiest No-Boil Brie Mac and Cheese. Make this on nights when you need a recipe loved by all that takes almost no effort to make! You can’t mess this mac and cheese up! Dry pasta shells baked together with milk, 4 types of cheese, and a buttery Ritz cracker topping. No pre-boiling pasta or messing around with cheese sauce, simply bake and enjoy – so simple and so yummy. Everyone adores this special mac and cheese!
Did you know that mac and cheese is one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes aside from all the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and stuffing? Apparently, mac and cheese is right up there in the top 4 with green bean casserole just below or above depending on the state.
Who knew? Surely not me. I didn’t grow up with mac and cheese served at Thanksgiving, but geez, my brothers and I were really missing out. We would have loved a plate of mac and cheese over whatever it was we were eating (usually something “fancy” that we did not enjoy, like glazed carrots).
Anyway, when my cousin Abby mentioned to me that mac and cheese is one of her favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. That’s when I knew this year would be a good year to share this recipe.
It’s actually a rift off of a recipe I made back in 2013. It’s my creamy brie mac and cheese that I actually still make, even nine-ish years later!
I love that mac and cheese, but I had the idea to make it simpler. No boiling, no cheese sauce, nothing fancy. It’s what we NEED on Thanksgiving.
This turned out just so wonderfully delicious. It’s special, not like a classic mac and cheese, but better in its own way. Creamy, extra cheesy, and so yummy with cubes of brie cheese!
The details
Locate the perfect baking dish. I like to use something with lower sides so the top of the mac and cheese can become just a little crisp.
Then mix everything together. And I really mean pretty much everything. The dry pasta, cheeses (sharp cheddar cheese, havarti cheese, and fontina), milk, sour cream, and seasonings. For the pasta use a smaller shape like elbow macaroni or shells. They’ll cook the best.
Cover the dish with foil, then bake. What happens is the milk bakes into the pasta while the cheeses melt. It works so well, you will be shocked, but pleased.
While the pasta is baking, mix the Ritz cracker up with a little butter and seasonings. Don’t skip the crackers, I think they make this mac and cheese really good!
Top the mac and cheese off with the remaining cheeses and sprinkle over the Ritz crumbs. Bake until everything is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
It’s going to smell delicious! The crackers really are the key though, I love them.
You can prepare this ahead of time, then just bake it off before you would like to serve. It’s the perfect easy Thanksgiving side or dinner!
If you’re looking to impress with a side dish, make this. As I’ve said, it’s loved by everyone. You can’t go wrong!
Looking for other Thanksgiving sides? Here are a few ideas:
Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans
Shredded Brussels Sprout and Prosciutto Salad
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Sage Butter
Crispy Parmesan Thyme Sweet Potato Stacks
Winter Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Citrus Avocado Salad with Orange Tahini Vinaigrette
Kale Caesar Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Crispy Chickpeas
Lastly, if you make this Easiest No-Boil Brie Mac and Cheese. be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easiest No-Boil Brie Mac and Cheese
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 436 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry shells or elbow macaroni
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Havarti cheese
- 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 ounces brie, rind removed, and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.2. To the baking dish, add the dry pasta, half of each shredded cheese, the milk, sour cream, ground mustard, cayenne, and 1/3 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Push the cubes of brie into the pasta. Tightly cover the baking dish with the foil. Bake for 25 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the Ritz with the butter, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. 4. Uncover the pasta and sprinkle over the remaining shredded cheese. Top evenly with the Ritz. Bake another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven. Dig in and enjoy!
This post was originally published on November 14, 2022
Love this Mac! I made this over Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I love the fact it was all in one pot. I cheated on my southern roots mac recipe and opted for yours, lol!
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Friday!!❄️🧑🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Hi! Is there anything I could use in place of fontina I’m having trouble finding!
Hey Alisha,
Of course, any cheese you like will work here but provolone, gruyere, and gouda would also be great in place of the fontina. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
We loved this recipe and definitely want to make it again for Christmas night. Any suggestions for it making ahead? Thanks!
Hey Aimee,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! Just make up until baking and then bake when you are ready to serve! xT
Have been waiting to make this recipe for a while and unfortunately it came out disappointing 🙁 Not sure if I did something wrong but I did everything exactly as written (even used the same cheeses). Pasta was VERY Al dente and it wasn’t nearly as creamy as I hoped. Unfortunately I was late to read the reviews and maybe should have left it in the oven longer.
Hey Michelle,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear this was not enjoyed. What kind of pasta did you use? Let me know how I can help! xx
High praise for this recipe! I made both GF and regular and family could not tel the difference!! Delish! Thank you!!!
Hey Betsy,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
I made this for my family for dinner tonight before basketball games. They devoured it! It did take my oven quite a bit longer to finish cooking. 25 minutes covered and 40 minutes uncovered with the cracker topping. I just kept checking the shells every 7 minutes until they were al dente. The flavors and cheesiness were perfect. Thanks for a new go-to comfort food recipe for the whole family!
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Happy Tuesday! 🎄
Good to know! I have it baking now and it did not look ready for the Ritz topping at 25 minutes, convection /bake, which is usually faster. Looking forward to this. I made two, one Gluten free and the other with the shells. Have a caprese pesto tarts ready to go in as well.
I am excited to make this for an upcoming Christmas party! Could I substitute half n half or heavy whipping for whole milk and could I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream?
Hey Megan,
Totally, both of those will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish! xT
This mac and cheese is everything! One of the tastiest recipes I’ve ever made and the leftovers warm up great. I can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Kayla,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xT
This was so good!!! super easy to make and really delicious and flavorful. The ritz cracker crust adds some really nice flavor as well, i used the shell shape and thought that was a good choice. The cleanup for this is also very easy. I would want to know about freezing and reheating since this made a lot!
Hey Morgan,
Happy Friday!!🌟 Love to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
I’ve made many of your recipes but this one was a total disappointment. I made it exactly as the recipe stated but it came out way to dry. It was as if it needed a couple cups more liquid. The flavor was good. The group I served it too also agreed it was not a Mac and cheese I would repeat. . The next day I sliced the Mac and cheese and pressed in bread crumbs and sautéed. That was excellent.
Hey Nedra,
So sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out for you. What kind of noodles did you use? It could have been the size. Let me know how I can help! xx
Hi, would this still work with chickpea pasts shells? Like the Banza brand?
Hey Morgan,
Yes, that should work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s a hit! xx
Hi! I made this for dinner & it was delicious, but some of the noodles on top weren’t cooked all the way.
I’d like to make it again for an upcoming Xmas party. Would it still turn out ok if I cook the noodles first?
Hi Tracy,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! You’ll have to adjust your liquid measurements if you cook the noodles first! xx
I loved this recipe! I was nervous as well when I got to the point that I needed to add the cheese, because the noodles looked quite hard still, but I made the recipemas directed and it turned out delicious! The house smelled amazing and my whole family loved it.
Hey Lonnie,
Wonderful!!❄️ Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a winner:)
This was amazing! I made it to bring to thanksgiving at my in-laws. I did substitute Gouda for the fontina (my store didn’t have fontina) and I prepped it the day before, baking everything together then the next day I added the topping and heated through. The only thing I would suggest is probably mixing everything in a big bowl instead of in the casserole dish, it would be less messy for me I think. But otherwise fantastic! Everyone loved it!
Hey Danielle,
Wonderful!!❄️ Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a winner:)
What a massive hit! My husband and daughter were fighting over the leftovers. I subbed smoked Gouda and Gruyère for the havarti and fontina & it was perfect. Thanks so much for the easy no-boil pasta – way easier!
Hey Kelli,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
Made it last night for dinner. Amazing! LOVED it! Thank you.
Hey Karen,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT