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A baking dish with simple macaroni and cheese - only 4 ingredients!

Simple Macaroni and Cheese

Diana Rattray
This recipe is the perfect solution if you crave macaroni and cheese but don't have time to make a cheese sauce. Combine the cooked macaroni with the cheese, cream, butter, and seasonings, and bake!
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Servings 4
Calories 690
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Butter, for the baking dish
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked, about 8 ounces
  • 1 tbsp Kosher salt, for the pasta water
  • black pepper, to taste
  • Fine sea salt, to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or a blend
  • 4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 ¼ cups half-and-half, or light cream

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and the macaroni. Lower the heat to maintain the boil and cook for the amount of time recommended on the package. Drain well.
    2 cups elbow macaroni | 1 tbsp Kosher salt
  • Transfer half of the macaroni to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle lightly with fine sea salt and pepper. Top with half of the cheese and half of the butter pieces.
    black pepper | Fine sea salt | 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese | 2 tbsp butter
  • Top the cheese layer with the remaining cooked macaroni, another light sprinkling of salt and pepper, the remaining cheese, and the remaining butter pieces.
    black pepper | Fine sea salt | 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese | 2 tbsp butter
  • Pour the half-and-half (or light cream) evenly over the casserole.
    1 1/4 cups half-and-half
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 25gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 2254mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1184IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 500mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword macaroni and cheese
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