Easy Baked Mac and Cheese

By Melissa Clark

Updated Nov. 20, 2024

Easy Baked Mac and Cheese
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
1¼ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
4(268)
Comments
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You don’t have to boil the pasta ahead to make this easy baked macaroni and cheese. The noodles will absorb enough moisture from the milk to cook through while the pan is in the oven. Enriched with cream cheese (or cottage cheese, ricotta or sour cream, depending on what you have), and topped with plenty of Cheddar and a crunchy, Parmesan-spiked bread-crumb topping, it’s a simple, adaptable and crowd-pleasing recipe that you can probably even make from what’s already in your pantry.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

    For the Macaroni

    • 4½cups milk
    • 1(8-ounce) block cream cheese (or use 1 cup cottage cheese, ricotta or sour cream)
    • Salt and black pepper
    • 1garlic clove
    • 1teaspoon mustard powder or mustard (optional)
    • Pinch of ground cayenne or nutmeg (or both)
    • 1pound elbow macaroni or another small pasta shape
    • 1pound/5 cups grated Cheddar (or a mix of cheeses)

    For the Topping

    • ¼cup butter
    • 1½cups bread crumbs, preferably panko
    • ½cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping if needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

753 calories; 43 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 61 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 717 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In the blender, combine milk, cream cheese, 1½ teaspoons salt, garlic, mustard powder (if using), a lot of black pepper and a pinch of cayenne, nutmeg or both. Blend until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Put pasta in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, and scatter Cheddar on top.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the milk mixture over the macaroni and cheese in the pan.

  5. Step 5

    Make the topping: Melt butter in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave, and stir in bread crumbs and Parmesan. Scatter the mixture over the top of the macaroni.

  6. Step 6

    Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the heat to 450 degrees and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving; this gives the pasta a chance to absorb all of the milk.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
268 user ratings
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Comments

Bert

I cooked exactly as written, with raw pasta, and ricotta instead of cream cheese, and it all worked out fine. I will grease the pan next time though, the pasta stuck to the pan.

Kim

Yes, also wondering if this could be prepared a day in advance and then reheated for Thanksgiving.

regina s.

cooked this exactly as described, including the “pinches,” and it was fantastic. this will be my new go-to mac recipe, perhaps switching up the shredded cheese layer if i’m feeling adventurous.

Dolly, on Long Island

Easier still: Boil pasta. Drain. Leave pasta in pot. Add butter, milk, cheese and any other ingredients all at once. Let this mixture melt slowly as the milk heats up. Make it a little soupy because as the pasta cools, it takes up the liquid. I usually skip the baking because the crust thus produced is not worth losing control of the sauce. This freezes well in individual portions.

Mary R

I tried this method with different additions and am completely sold on making a pasta based casserole this way, now. I used some bone broth from my freezer, cream cheese, and a box of thawed spinach and brought to a simmer to melt the cheese. Then, sauteed some chicken toluca sausage from my local butcher, along with one chopped onion. Layered penne pasta into a buttered 9x13 pan, added the uncooked pasta, topped with cheddar, then broth. Baked at 350 for 1 hour and it was perfect!

Ellen

Made this during the blizzard and used what I had on hand. I had exactly 4 cups of milk so I added .5 cup of half and half and ricotta (the kind that comes in the tin). I didnt have any cheddar, so I used pepper jack (slices), provolone (slices), and pecorino. I skipped the cayenne, but did add a lot of black pepper and more garlic. I also tossed the pasta and sauce together before baking. I used a heavy ceramic baking dish and it came out beautifully. It was even better reheated today for lunch

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