Egg Noodle Mac & Cheese - egg noodles smothered in 4 kinds of cheese and topped with croutons. An easy side dish or meatless main dish. Egg noodles, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese soup, half-and-half, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, butter, parmesan, and croutons. Can add leftover cooked ham, chicken, or steak for an easy main dish. Comfort food at its best!
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Combine noodles and cottage cheese and pour into prepared baking dish. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine cheddar cheese soup, half-and-half, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until blended and cheeses and butter are melted. Season with salt and pepper; spoon over noodle mixture. Toss together in the dish, if desired.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and crushed croutons. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
Notes:
I used Olive Garden Croutons for the topping on the casserole.
You can use freshly grated parmesan cheese or the cheese in the green can. Either is just fine.
Feel free to mix up the cheeses to your personal preferences. Sometimes I use smoked gouda instead of cheddar. YUM!
Can Macaroni & Cheese be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. You will need to increase the cooking time since the dish won't be hot when it goes in the oven.
Can Macaroni & Cheese be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and let cool completely. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. The casserole will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
To bake the casserole after freezing, thaw and bake at 350ºF for 35 to 45 minutes, until heated through.