If you’ve been searching for an easy-to-make, extra delicious baked mac and cheese recipe, you’ve finally found it! While this method of cooking mac and cheese is extremely convenient, as it saves steps in prep, cook time and clean up, it has another fabulous bonus: baking the dry pasta in a creamy cheese sauce, rather than boiling it first as in most mac and cheese recipes, results in a delicious and perfectly cooked mac and cheese. Every. Single. Time. Try this no boil mac and cheese recipe out and see for yourself. Then share it with your friends and family on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.
To make the easiest mac and cheese recipe, preheat your oven to 375°F.
Place dry pasta in a 13 x 9 baking dish, Dutch oven or casserole dish, add one cup of the Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar (or your favorite Cabot Cheddar) and mix together.
Melt Cabot Salted Butter in heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour a little at a time, until well blended. Continue stirring for a minute or two longer.
Gradually whisk in milk and continue stirring until sauce has thickened a little. At this point, you’re aiming for a thin sauce that will continue to thicken as it bakes with the pasta.
Add remaining Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar (or your favorite Cabot Cheddar) and stir until cheese is melted and blended.
Reduce heat to low, add basil and thyme and cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 more minutes. Remove sauce from heat and pour over the dry pasta and cheddar. Stir to mix well.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and, if you’d like to add toppings, now is the time to do so! Breadcrumbs, vegetables, hot sauce…whatever you’re craving to go on top or your mac and cheese!
Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until top starts to brown a bit. Enjoy!
Love Cabot Alpine Cheddar? Then you’ll really love our Alpine Mac and Cheese. As a co-operative of farm families, Cabot is dedicated to working hard to ensure that all of our dairy products are made using high quality ingredients. We’re confident that you and your family will love this baked mac and cheese recipe and would love to hear your feedback after you try it, so please consider rating and reviewing it.
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Ingredients
16 ounces dry penne, elbows, pennette. alphabets or other small pasta
8 tablespoons (1 stick) Cabot Salted Butter
¼ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 cups warm whole, skim or reduced fat milk
1 pound Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, or your favorite Cabot Cheddar grated (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or ½ teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
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Get the ingredients you need at a convenient nearby location.
Directions
Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 35 mins | Total: 55 mins
PREHEAT oven to 375°F.
PLACE dry pasta in a 13 x 9 baking dish, Dutch oven or casserole dish. Add one cup of the shredded cheddar and mix.
MELT butter in heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour a little at a time until well blended. Continue stirring for a minute or two longer.
WHISK in milk gradually and continue stirring until sauce has thickened a little. The idea is to make a thin sauce that will continue to thicken when baked with the pasta.
ADD cheese, stirring until melted and blended.
REDUCE heat to low. Add basil and thyme and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
REMOVE sauce from heat and pour over the dry pasta and cheddar. Stir to mix well.
COVER with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
REMOVE the foil and add toppings if you wish. Panko or breadcrumbs BBQ sauce or hot sauce, sautéed vegetables or sliced tomatoes and basil……have fun!
BAKE for another 10 to 15 minutes or until top starts to brown a little.
Calories: 430
% Daily Value
Total Fat: 18g
28%
Saturated Fat: 11g
55%
Cholesterol: 50mg
17%
Sodium: 140mg
6%
Carbohydrates: 50g
17%
Dietary Fiber: 1g
4%
Protein: 13g
Calcium: 192mg
20%
4.5 out of 5 stars (based on 4 reviews)
No Title
December 20, 2020
This mac and cheese method really works! I seasoned the cream sauce with salt, nutmeg, mustard powder, pepper, and fresh thyme before adding the cheese. Baked the whole thing 25 minutes covered, then topped with a panko mixture and baked uncovered 10 minutes more. The sauce absorbed perfectly into the noodles. Would definitely make again!
Bernadette Boulier
June 22, 2020
Going to make this Monday yummy
Audrey
April 30, 2019
Already know we're going to LOVE this! Going to use the Cabot Smokey Bacon Cheddar!!! Can't wait!! Just the thought is making us so hungry now 🙂 Love the time saving 'no-boil' pasta recipe's!!!! Thank you for this!!!!
HJKlein
January 10, 2019
Spectacular recipe!!!!! So delicious.
It may look runny when you first take it out of the oven, but be patient. Absolutely delicious!!!!
