Macaroni and cheese has been one of my favorite recipes since childhood, and it’s the perfect comfort food for the whole family. While I love a classic homemade macaroni and cheese, there’s nothing better than keeping things fresh and mixing up recipes once in a while. Today I’ve compiled an exciting list of 30 homemade macaroni and cheese recipes for you to try, all with slight twists on this delicious classic dish.
30 Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
1. Baked Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese recipe is one of my all-time favorites, and it’s great for serving at Christmas or Thanksgiving. It has a delicious white creamy cheese sauce and is topped with buttery breadcrumbs. This recipe from Recipe Tin Eats is easy to follow, and to avoid lumps in your meal it encourages you to constantly stir while pouring the milk in to get that perfectly smooth texture.
2. Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese
I love adding new ingredients to mac and cheese, and chicken is the ideal addition for getting that extra protein. Cafe Delites shows us how to create this delicious dish that needs only one pot and is cooked on the stovetop. With minimal work and only thirty minutes of cooking time, it’s an excellent recipe for after a busy day at work. The ingredients include garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pan-seared chicken, and spinach, and they all come together to create an extremely flavorful dish.
3. Vegan Mac and Cheese
If you are looking to cook for a big group or party this year, this recipe will allow you to serve any guests who follow a vegan diet with no issues. It still creates a super creamy and cheesy tasting dish that even non-vegans will love. Chocolate Covered Katie shares this recipe that takes minimal effort and time to create and would be perfect for your holiday parties this year.
4. Stuffing Topped Baked Mac and Cheese
For a special occasion, try this twist on homemade mac and cheese, which is a delicious carb-loaded dish. A Beautiful Mess shares this recipe that combines the creaminess of macaroni and cheese with the tasty flavors of stuffing. You can serve it straight out of the oven, and then if you have leftovers, it can easily be reheated the next day and enjoyed all over again.
5. Green Goddess Mac and Cheese
I absolutely love macaroni and cheese, but sometimes I feel guilty about its lack of vegetables when I’m serving it for my family. This recipe puts those concerns at ease, as it packs in the greens with this dish. Simply Recipes adds parsley, garlic, and loads of baby spinach to this meal, and it’s the ideal way to sneak in extra healthy goodness to your family’s dinner while still enjoying one of their favorite foods.
6. Best-Ever Keto Mac & Cheese
If you’re on a keto diet, it can be troublesome finding a replacement for some of your favorite dishes, and mac and cheese is no exception. This version from Delish removes all of the problem ingredients, without having to sacrifice the taste. For an additional crunch in the texture, you can add pork rind to the top of the dish. The leftovers will last three to five days, and you can simply reheat them in the oven until warm, which will help to crisp up the topping.
7. 4-Ingredient Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
I love simple recipes that take little of my time and use minimal ingredients yet still taste delightful. This homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is no exception, as it uses just four ingredients and is ready in about twenty minutes. Even with so few ingredients, it still makes the perfect, creamy dish the whole family will enjoy. The Modern Proper shares this recipe that simply requires macaroni, parmesan, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese for a quick and easy dish that can be made any night of the week.
8. Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe
If I’m ever out and about and in a rush for lunch, I regularly stop to grab something to eat at Panera Bread. Their mac and cheese is a delicious white cheddar dish that I can’t help but order every time I’m there. This recipe from Shugary Sweets is a fantastic recreation of their dish that can be made on your stovetop. It’s a thick and creamy recipe that is much cheaper to recreate at home than to order out every time.
9. Confetti Mac and Cheese
This recipe is a veggie-filled twist on a classic macaroni and cheese dish. Peas and Crayons shares this yummy and healthy recipe that uses just one pot. The dish is topped with an easy cheese sauce and packed with vegetables to create a wonderfully colorful dish, as the name suggests. You can even add any leftover veggies in this recipe, so it’s the ideal way to use up anything you have in your fridge.
10. Super Simple Mac and Cheese Italian Style
You’ll need just seven ingredients and 15 minutes on the stovetop to create this Italian-style dish. It’s the perfect comfort food option when you’re in a rush after a busy day at work and looking for that ideal last-minute meal to make. The Slow Roasted Italian adds plenty of Italian spices and cheese into the mix, and you can also add any leftover vegetables or meat into the mix for additional protein.
11. Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese Recipe
This recipe from Becky Excell caters to a wide range of dietary requirements. It is gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and low FODMAP. However, from its cheesy, warming filling and crispy top, you’d never know it wasn’t a traditional homemade macaroni and cheese. This recipe has the perfect seasoning that’s smoky and cheesy and is topped off with fresh chives.
12. Macaroni and Cheese for One
If you’re home alone, there’s no reason for you to miss out on your favorite meals. In fact, those evenings alone are the perfect time to indulge in your favorite foods. Made on the stovetop, this recipe from One Dish Kitchen makes a complete serving in minutes for just one person to enjoy.
13. Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
If you aren’t familiar with this style of macaroni and cheese, it’s a custard-style baked dish that uses eggs and evaporated milk in the recipe. The Hungry Bluebird uses three kinds of cheese, butter, and a little sour cream to bake a firm and hearty dish that your whole dinner party will enjoy.
14. Dessert Macaroni and Cheese
Who says macaroni and cheese has to be reserved for the main course? I absolutely love this sweet twist on the classic comfort food, thanks to this recipe from Baking Sense. It incorporates cream cheese, blueberries, and vanilla to make a sweet and unique dessert.
15. Skillet Mac & Cheese Pizza Style
If you can’t decide between pizza and homemade macaroni and cheese one night, why not have both with this perfect compromise? Appliances Reviewed shares this unique way of serving the classic dish that needs only one saucepan and an oven-safe skillet. It doesn’t take much time at all to create, as the prep and cooking time is just 40 minutes.
16. Lobster Mac and Cheese
For a decadent, luxurious dish, consider adding lobster to your mac and cheese. Amy in the Kitchen adds three different types of cheese, juicy chunks of lobster, and tops off this dish with bacon and breadcrumbs for the ultimate comfort food.
17. French Onion Mac and Cheese
This recipe from Hungry Couple combines mac and cheese with one of my other favorite winter dishes, French onion soup. If you have an excess of onions in your kitchen, this is the best way to use them up quickly, and the creamy pasta pairs perfectly with them to create a fun twist on these two classic dishes.
18. An Irishman’s Mac and Cheese
For one of the most unique ways to serve this delicious comfort food, check out this recipe from Half Baked Harvest. The recipe combines sharp Irish cheddar, bacon, and kale pesto. It’s topped off with what may seem like a weird topping – potato chips! Crumbled on top, they create the perfect crunch to finish off this Irish twist on a traditional macaroni and cheese dish.
19. Bacon Mac and Cheese Melt
Have you ever tried adding mac and cheese to a grilled cheese sandwich? If you haven’t, you don’t know what you’re missing out on! This two-in-one recipe from Real Food by Dad combines a pair of the best comfort food options into one dish that will be enjoyed by anyone you serve it to.
20. Mac & Cheese Burgers
Sorted Food has created this incredible burger that uses a base of deep-fried macaroni cheese in place of standard buns. Topped with homemade ketchup, rocket, and juicy chicken thigh meat, you’ll have an indulgent and adventurous dish to try.
21. Chili Mac and Cheese
If you’re looking to mix things up a bit this winter, you should give this chili mac and cheese a try. The recipe makes a hearty meal that is easy to serve in a large dish for sharing. It’s perfect for the colder seasons and will surely be enjoyed by children and adults alike. This recipe from Delish takes just forty-five minutes to prep and cook and uses minced beef and kidney beans in the mix.
22. Fried Mac and Cheese
If you’ve ever tried this classic appetizer from TGI Friday’s, you’ll know how delicious they are. It’s the perfect combination of creamy mac and cheese, covered in a crispy coating. This recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen shows you how easy they are to create, meaning you can enjoy this restaurant dish in the comfort of your own home.
23. Macaroni and Cheese Pancakes
Perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this is a great new way to serve up macaroni and cheese. Breakfast Drama Queen shows us how to make this fun twist on pancakes that uses three types of cheese and butternut squash in the recipe.
24. Macaroni Cheese Lunchbox Muffins
If you are looking for a new addition to your children’s lunchbox, these macaroni and cheese muffins with peas are a perfect choice. My Fussy Eater shares this recipe that takes just thirty minutes to cook and uses minimal ingredients, making them ideal for even the pickiest of eaters.
25. Rainbow Mac and Cheese
Brit + Co shared this recipe recently, and it’s one of the prettiest dishes I’ve ever seen. Young girls will absolutely adore this dish, and it’s ideal for a birthday party or gathering with friends. You’ll enjoy mac and cheese in every color of the rainbow, and it requires little extra effort than the regular recipe.
26. Jalapeno Poppers with Mac and Cheese Cheetos
This spin on the standard macaroni and cheese dish is an incredible combination of tastes that would be perfect for serving at your holiday gathering. Topped with crunchy Cheetos, these jalapeno poppers are packed with flavor and are quick and easy to create thanks to this recipe from Foodness Gracious.
27. Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know how much I love to sing the praises of the Instant Pot. I was delighted to find this recipe from Pinch of Yum that requires little effort and clean-up afterward. As with any Instant Pot dish, you’ll have plenty of time to set the table and relax while your dinner is cooking.
28. 4-Cheese Caprese Mac and Cheese
This one-pot dish is the perfect summer twist on homemade mac and cheese and will use up any leftover summer tomatoes and basil. It’s topped off with garlicky Ritz cracker crumbs for a quick and easy crunchy topping. Half Baked Harvest shares this recipe that would make a great dish to bring to a summer potluck dinner or barbecue.
29. Breakfast Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese doesn’t need to just be reserved for dinner time, thanks to this recipe from I am a Food Blog. Combining eggs, bacon, and mac and cheese, you’ll have a dish that can be enjoyed by the whole family at any time of the day. If you make it for breakfast, you can keep the leftovers and enjoy it again come dinner time.
30. Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese
I can never get enough garlic in my pasta dishes, so I absolutely love this recipe from Just a Taste. It uses a whole head of garlic in the dish, which is roasted and then mashed before being whisked into the creamy cheddar sauce.
If you are as big of a macaroni and cheese fan as I am, I’m sure you’ll be excited to start trying these recipes listed above. Regardless of whether you are cooking for yourself, for the whole family, or for a special occasion, there’s something for everyone on this list. Who knew this comfort food could have so many exciting variations? With the cold weather and winter here for the next few months, it’s the perfect time to enjoy experimenting with your favorite classics.
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