Greek Noodles – A Step By Step Guide To Making Greek Noodles With Cheese
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Greek Noodles are a rich and decadent macaroni and cheese recipe that is sure to be at hit at your house. With butter, milk, heavy whipping cream and half and half, there’s no doubt that this Greek Noodles with Cheese recipe is divine.
Greek Pasta
What do you talk about with your friends? For me, it revolves around food 50 percent of the time. I love food. I love to eat food, and I love to talk about food.
I’m always asking my friends if they’ve eaten anything good lately, or if it’s around the holidays, I’m always asking what they made or ate that was especially amazing.
My friend Julie told me that her family serves these Greek Noodles at every Thanksgiving for as long as she can remember.
So you know what I did next? Of course, I asked for the recipe, and she happily obliged.
A Greek Noodles with Cheese Recipe
I had to know what all the hype was about.
When Julie told me these Greek Noodles with Cheese had butter, milk, heavy whipping cream and half and half (aka a bechamel sauce), I knew that there was no way they could be bad. How could they? The result is a heavy, hearty, soul-warming, extra cheesy and decadent casserole.
The cheeses involved in Greek Noodle Casserole are shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese from the jar, you know, the cheese in the green containers that you buy from the shelf at the grocery store.
Those cheeses are layered in the center and layered on top. The best part is that you brown the cheese for a few minutes right before serving.
It is to die for!
Greek Macaroni and Cheese Ingredient List
Mostaccioli noodles
Milk, preferably whole milk
Heavy Whipping Cream
Half and Half
Butter
Grated Parmesan Cheese (the canned kind)
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded or grated
What can I use instead of mostaccioli?
If you need a substitute for mostaccioli pasta, try using penne or ziti pasta instead. These two pasta types are most similar to mostaccioli noodles.
How to Make Greek Macaroni and Cheese
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven.
- Take the stick of butter and use it to grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle a generous layer of the parmesan cheese on the bottom of the pan.
- In a large pot, cook the mostaccioli in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain and set aside. (Add some salt to the water for more flavor.)
- In a large saucepan, heat butter, milk, heavy whipping cream and half and half. Continue to cook on medium low heat until the sauce thickens to the point that it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil, and stir often with a wooden spoon.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce, and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Pour half the noodles mixture into the prepared dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese and half the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.
- Layer the remaining noodles, and top with remaining cheese. Add more shredded mozzarella to the top, if desired.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minute or until golden brown.
- Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes to set up completely before serving.
For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for this Greek Noodles recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe FAQs
- Penne or ziti are good substitutes if you can’t find mostaccioli noodles.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream equals 8 ounces or 1/2 pint.
- 2 cups half and half equals 16 ounces or 1 pint.
- Use whole milk, I mean you’re using heavy whipping cream and half and half already, so what’s the point in using skim milk?
- For the grated parmesan cheese, use the green containers that you buy on the shelf at the grocery store or on Amazon.
- Margarine could be substituted for butter, if needed.
- Be sure to let this Greek mac and cheese rest for a minimum of 10 minutes before serving. This will help it set up.
- This Greek noodle casserole retains heat well making it a great option for the holidays. Bake it before you leave, cover tightly with foil and serve when you get to your destination.
Recipe Variations
- Make this a main course by adding cooked ground beef or cooked chicken to the casserole.
- To make it authentic Greek, add some sliced black olives or kalamata olives.
- Add some crumbled feta cheese!
- Try adding some dried herbs such as dried oregano.
- For more flavor, add minced garlic to the white sauce.
Easy Cheesy Recipes
Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
Greek Noodles – A Greek Noodles with Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mostaccioli pasta
- 1 stick butter 1/2 cup
- 8 ounces Parmesan cheese grated (from jar)
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use stick of butter to grease bottom and sides of 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle bottom of the dish generously with some of the parmesan cheese (approximately 1/3 of the 8-ounce jar).
- Cook mostaccioli pasta noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
- In a very large saucepan, heat remaining butter, milk, heavy whipping cream and half and half. Cook on medium low heat (without boiling) until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Use the wooden spoon to stir often.
- Add drained, cooked noodles and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
- Pour 1/2 of the noodles and sauce into prepared baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the remaining grated parmesan cheese and all of the mozzarella cheese.
- Pour the remaining noodles and sauce over top. Sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese. (see notes about additional mozzarella).
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Let sit at room temperature at least 10 minutes before serving to let it set up.
Notes
- Penne or ziti are good substitutes if you can’t find mostaccioli noodles.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream equals 8 ounces or 1/2 pint.
- 2 cups half and half equals 16 ounces or 1 pint.
- Use whole milk, I mean you’re using heavy whipping cream and half and half already, so what’s the point in using skim milk?
- For the grated parmesan cheese, use the green containers that you buy on the shelf at the grocery store or here on amazon.
- If you love extra cheese, add an extra cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Margarine could be substituted for butter, if needed.
- Be sure to let this Greek mac and cheese rest for a minimum of 10 minutes before serving. This will help it set up.
- This Greek noodle casserole retains heat well making it a great option for the holidays. Bake it before you leave, cover tightly with foil and serve when you get to your destination.
- This would go great served with Classic Beef Brisket.
Linking up to Weekend Potluck.
Healthy mac n’cheese, pah! That wouldn’t taste good would it?? But then… *takes a forkful*… speechless. OH MY. So good. The “Greek ingredients’ add so much flavor and the crunch of the pita chip topping is to die for! So good. Thanks hon, love everything about this healthy recipe! x
Am I missing something? This recipe has me so confused every step of the way. (I hope this doesn’t come across rude, I’m just genuinely confused). 1) why would you put parmesan on the bottom of the pan? it seems like that would just stick to the pan even if you liberally butter it. 2) why use 3 different kinds of milk/cream. Just use all 1/2 & 1/2
or 1/2&1/2 and some heavy cream and that would pretty much give you the same effect as adding the whole milk and heavy cream. 3) (and most confusing of all to me) why boil the pasta and then boil it again in the milk/cream mixture? wouldn’t you end up with severely overcooked pasta? Even I light simmer for 20 minutes seems crazy after boiling it in water until done. I thought I read it wrong and you were just cooking it in the milk all the way which I could see being an option.
This recipe looked like exactly what I was craving, though, so I went ahead and kinda made it. here’s what I did:
I used like half the dairy – half a stick of butter and about 3 cups half and half and 1 cup of cream. I let that reduce a bit (probably about 20ish minutes) while I boiled water and cooked the noodles for 5 minutes.
once drained I added the noodles to the cream and simmered for 2-3 minutes and added a good handful of parmesan (basically making alfredo). from there I followed the recipe of layering and baking. It turned out really well and I would make it again for sure.
Glad it turned out the way you wanted to with your changes that this is a recipe that has been made as is for years and enjoyed!
My husband made this because he remembers his friends Greek grandmother
( Neitza) make something like this when he was young. He also made fried feta cheese cubes that he remembered as a kid. It was wonderful. My husband thought it was a bit bland and we drizzled lemon on top. I bet it will be even more delicious tomorrow as leftovers.