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No-Boil Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

No Boil Homemade Macaroni and Cheese! The easiest, creamiest homemade macaroni and cheese ever. No boiling the noodles first and it is made all in one pan!

AN EASY HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE

Is there anything more comforting than mac and cheese? I have been making this recipe for years now and it is one of our favorites. You get perfectly cooked noodles and gooey, melted cheese and it all cooks in one baking dish!

A small white bowl of macaroni and cheese in front of baking dish.

TIPS FOR MAKING MACARONI AND CHEESE:

A whole 16 ounce block of Velveeta is being pictured here. You’re only going to use half of that block (8 ounce) Also, I have had readers tell me that they have used half milk and half chicken broth for the liquid and it turns out great! Did you know you can make your own Homemade Velveeta!

YOU DO NOT BOIL THE NOODLES BEFOREHAND

The key to this recipe for No Boil Homemade Macaroni and Cheese? You aren’t going to boil the macaroni beforehand. Did you copy that? Do not boil the macaroni beforehand. This is going to not only save you time, but you aren’t gonna have to also wash up a pot, strainer and bowls too!

a spoon scooping out a serving of macaroni and cheese from a white baking dish.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • milk (2 % or higher)
  • salt
  • mustard powder
  • salted butter
  • elbow macaroni
  • Velveeta
  • shredded cheddar cheese
shredded cheddar cheese, elbow macaroni pasta, Velvet, milk, butter, salt, ground mustard.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE NO-BOIL MACARONI AND CHEESE:

Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the bottom of your baking dish (or in a separate bowl), mix together milk with salt, dry mustard powder.

milk, salt and dry mustard powder in a baking dish.

Pour in uncooked macaroni (spread it out evenly).

elbow macaroni added to milk in baking dish.

Then add slices of Velveeta and one cup shredded cheese into baking dish making sure to distribute it evenly.

Velveeta slices and shredded cheese added to baking dish.

Top evenly with slices of butter (pushing them a bit under the milk).

pats of butter evenly placed in baking dish with milk.

Cover with aluminium foil.

covering baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes (until macaroni is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed). Oven times vary so check it around the 40 minute mark. Take it out of the oven, remove foil, and top with another cup (or so) of shredded cheddar cheese. 

a white spoon scooping out some macaroni and cheese from a baking dish.

Put it back in the oven (uncovered) for another 10-15 minutes (until cheese is melted.)

a fork poking into a bowlful of macaroni and cheese.

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Originally published: January 2012
Photos updated and republished: October 2019

No Boil Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese! The easiest, creamiest homemade macaroni and cheese ever. No boiling the noodles first!
4.97 from 87 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 4 cups milk (2% or higher)
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 2 cups macaroni, uncooked
  • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, sliced into 1/2-inch thickness (1/2 block)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided use)
  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter, sliced into 1/2-inch thickness

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In the bottom of your baking dish, mix together 4 cups milk with 1 teaspoon table salt and 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder.
  • Pour in 2 cups macaroni, uncooked and spread it out evenly.
  • Then add 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, sliced into 1/2-inch thickness and HALF of the 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese into baking dish making sure to distribute it evenly.
  • Top with 4 Tablespoons salted butter, sliced into 1/2-inch thickness (pushing them down a bit under the milk.)
  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 50-60 minutes (until macaroni is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed). Oven times vary so check it around the 40 minute mark.
  • Take it out of the oven, remove foil, and top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese (Note: you can add more cheese if you prefer.)
  • Put it back in the oven (uncovered) for another 10-15 minutes (until cheese is melted.)

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • I have not tried this with milk alternatives so I can’t tell you how that would turn out. I do not recommend low fat or skim milk as it is too watery and may not turn out properly. 
  • Use as little or as much cheese as your enjoy. 
  • Other pasta shapes can be used as long as they are about the same size as elbow noodles. 
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 797mg | Sugar: 6g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




229 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my go-to macaroni and cheese recipe. I make it in giant baking dishes now because I can show up with 5 pans of this and it all gets eaten! LOL

  2. 5 stars
    Hi, Brandie!
    This was a perfect no-fuss recipe for my after-work, all-done-in self. It was great! My sweetie was raised on homemade mac & cheese at least once a week and was a happy boy. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this for a neighborhood block party. I doubled recipe and put in a roaster pan and it was a huge hit. Completely gone in no time! I’m planning to add this to my Thanksgiving table. Honestly the best Mac n cheese recipe I’ve made. Thank you!!

  4. Hi Brandie, cant wait to try this recipe, was wondering if it’s possible to add a bread crumb topping? Instead of adding more cheese at the end.

  5. Have you heard of people using gluten-free pasta for this? Like a brown rice pasta or Banza (chickpea pasta)?

    1. Hi Cherilyn! I really don’t think most gluten free pasta will hold up to this. It just too easily turns into mush. I think they’re getting better with gluten free pasta so hopefully we’ll have something soon that really is better at holding up in something like this 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    This was the BEST mac and cheese I have ever had(sorry grandma). I cut the recipe in half since I was only making it for 2 people, and the only thing I did differently with the recipe is use half and half for half of the milk. So creamy and delicious, thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    It turned out so good! I didn’t have Velveeta, so I used 8 Oz of slice cheddar and 1 cup grated. It was plenty cheesy. Don’t forget the butter!

  8. This is sooooo good! I have given to several friends and they’ve given to theirs! Thank you very much for the recepie

  9. 5 stars
    I’ve probably made your recipe about 100 times (no joke) over the last 7 years or so! Just wanted to say thank you for making so many of our family events a hit!!! It’s such an easy quick recipe and delicious. Thank you!!! I’m curious, do you think it would work with more cheese in place of velveeta?

  10. 5 stars
    Normally I make Mac and cheese and go through all the trouble of making a roux and boiling the noodles, etc. I am the official Mac and cheese maker for the holidays. Well, let me tell you! I made this and people absolutely rave!!! They had zero idea of how it was made but they all wanted to know what I did to make my Mac and cheese even better. LOL – thank you for making the holidays so much easier on me!