No Boil 4-Cheese Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese is so cheesy and so easy! It comes together all in one pan that you bake in the oven. It is super customizable meaning you can add whatever cheese or add-ins you like. Topped with a buttery cracker topping and LOTS of cheese it is an amazing weeknight dinner option.

No Boil?? Say What?!

Yep that is right! No boiling required for this mac and cheese! I used a small pasta (elbow macaroni) which means it does not take long to cook. The milk and water is added right into the baking dish and as the cheese melts, the pasta cooks as well. This saves the step of boiling the pasta, straining and making a separate sauce. This mac and cheese is awesome because it is easy but also saves you from making cheese sauce and cooking pasta as well.

The Pasta

Traditionally, for mac and cheese elbow macaroni is what is used. That is what I used for this recipe. You can use another pasta shape. Some other pasta shapes that would work well:

Radiatore
Campnelle

Shells
Anelli
Penne

Rotini

Note: Deepening on your pasta shape you may need to alter your cooking time by a few minutes. For larger pastas you will have to add time and for smaller pasta shapes you will need to take away cooking time. I recommend watching the pasta closely for it to cook perfectly to your liking.

The Types of Cheese

So obviously the cheese is the main star in this dish. There are a lot of differnt cheeses to use in this but I would reccomend using cheddar at the minimum. I used four cheeses: cheddar cheese, gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese. Other cheeses that you could use:

Brie Cheese

Muenster
Fontina
Monterey Jack

Guyere
Parmesan
Pepper Jack

Gorgonzola

This mac and cheese is sooo customizable so use whatever cheese you prefer or have on hand!

Cracker Topping

I used Ritz crackers to top the mac and cheese because they are so buttery and yummy. This step is completely optional so feel free to skip the cracker topping step. If you do skip the cracker topping step, make sure to still only add half of the cheese the first round of baking and the other half of cheese at the end. This is so the cheese doesn’t become overcooked and is still gooey and melty at the end. Other crunchy topping ideas besides Ritz crackers:

Toppables
Plain Potato Chips

Italian Bread Crumbs
Panko Bread Crumbs

Or any other crunchy topping you prefer!

The Ingredients You Need…

1 Pound Elbow Macaroni

1 ¼ Cups Gouda Cheese, Shredded
1 ½ Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1 ¼ Cups Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded

3 Cups Whole Milk
⅓ Cup Water
½ Cup Sour Cream

½ Cup Cream Cheese, Cubed
½ Tsp Yellow Mustard
¼ Tsp Cayenne, Salt, Pepper, Each

Cracker Topping

2 Cups Ritz Crackers

¼ Cup Butter, Melted
½ Tsp Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Dried Parsley, Dried Oregano, Dried Basil, Each

Method:

Step 1:

Start by placing the pasta, 1/2 of the shredded cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, water, spices and mustard in a baking dish. Stir and cover tightly with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes.

Step 2:

Start by placing the pasta, 1/2 of the shredded cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, water, spices and mustard in a baking dish. Stir and cover tightly with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes.

Step 3:

After 25 minutes, stir the mac and cheese and add the rest of the shredded cheese and the cracker topping. Place back in the oven uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Step 4:

Once the macaroni is cooked, dig in and enjoy! :)

Other Recipes You May Like…

Garlic Parmesan Baked Chicken Tenders

Hi There I’m Victoria!

I make easy to follow, simple, and DELCIOUS recipes. Here at Vic Eats you will find many different kinds of recipes whether that be breakfasts, main course yummy desserts or easy snacks!