Make-ahead Meal : Cheese Noodles

If you love cheese as much as we do, this dinner is for you! It’s perfect for a night that you don’t want to run to the store and haven’t planned ahead for dinner because the ingredients are simple and common. I try to always have a bag of extra shredded cheese or two in the freezer. 

Three reasons I love these noodles:

• These keeps for days baked or unbaked, and you can freeze it before or after baking.

• This can be a main dish but is also makes a great side dish for steak, fish or chicken.

• This recipe isn’t fussy and is still good with substitutes. You can use any combination of noodles and cheese you have at hand. I’ve used canned milk when I was out of fresh and wheat flour when I was out of white. Try what you have on hand and chances are, it’ll be great!

For this recipe, you have to know how to make a roux or gravy. I remember trying to make my first gravy when we were first married and it was not pretty. But learning to make a roux is a great skill to have. Here is a great tutorial to get you started.

This is a recipe Paul had growing up and on the original recipe card, it is called, “Homemade Macaroni and Cheese.” But when our kids were younger if I said we were having macaroni and cheese for dinner, they assumed it was going to be the kind that came from the blue box. So, sometime we changed the name to cheese noodles to avoid confusion. Call it whatever you’d like but try it out!

Make-ahead Meal : Cheese Noodles

This cheesy dinner is a perfect go-to for when you need something warm and comforting. Keep some extra shredded cheese on hand in your freezer and make this your go to when you haven't planned dinner and don't want to run to the store. It's also a great side dish for steak or fish.

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Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups dry noodles (any kind but we prefer macaroni or small shells)
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups cheese (any combination but we usually do half cheddar and half mozzarella or monterrey jack

Instructions

 

• Cook noodles until al dente according to the instructions on box. Drain.
• While noodles are cooking, make a roux. Melt butter in large, shallow sauce pan over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and stir until well combined. Add milk and stir until thickened and bubbly. Salt and pepper generously. If you've never made a roux, YouTube it before this step. 🙂
• Combine roux and noodles and mix well.
• Layer half of the noodles with sauce in an 8x8 pan, then top with half the cheese.
• Top with other half of noodles and rest of cheese.
• Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes.

Love these and want to try another make-ahead meal? These Chicken Enchiladas are also cheesy, warm and super quick to prep.