Creamy No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese - hands down the BEST mac & cheese EVER! Cottage cheese, milk, dijon mustard, cayenne, salt, pepper, sharp cheddar cheese, and macaroni. Everything cooks in the same pan, even the pasta! Can make the cheese mixture ahead of time and add noodles right before baking. Delicious side dish or meatless main dish.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly spray a 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a food processor or blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper together.
Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and uncooked pasta.
Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes:
You can use any shredded cheese that you enjoy. Gouda or colby would be delicious.
Feel free to toss in some cooked chicken, steak, or ham and turn this side dish into an easy main dish.
Can No-Boil Mac & Cheese be made in advance? you can make the cheese mixture ahead of time and add noodles right before baking.
It is important to let the casserole rest 15 to 20 minutes before serving. The mixture will be hot and runny when it comes out of the oven. Once it has cooled a bit it will be super creamy and delicious.