Think Outside The Box: 17 Macaroni And Cheese Recipes
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While I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Kraft mac and cheese, I’m more likely to make it from scratch these dayshomemade stovetop mac is almost as easy as the boxed stuff, anyway, and way tastier. I’m perfectly happy with plain mac and cheese, but we’ve got variations packed with flavorful mix-ins like bacon, chicken, black beans, and spinach. If you’re more into baked mac and cheese, we’ve got you covered, too. We’ve even got a few surprises!
Slightly Undercook The Pasta For The Perfect Al Dente Bite
One of the most common complaints that we heard from our expert sources was that the cooking instructions provided on mac and cheese boxes overestimate the amount of time required to boil the pasta, and following those directions can result in mushy, less-than-appealing mac and cheese.
“Undercook the pasta from the time listed on the box by 2 to 3 minutes to ensure some texture,” says Jim Mumford, cookbook author and recipe developer of Jim Cooks Food Good.
Spicy Italian Sausage + Onions + Marinara
One of my go-to pasta recipes is as straightforward as it is satisfying. First, sautée diced onions, then add broken-up spicy Italian sausage to the pan. Once everything is cooked through, incorporate a cup or two of my favorite canned marina sauce . That, plus a little bit of penne pasta, is a weeknight no-brainer, but I think it might be even better mixed into the sharp cheddar of instant macaroni and cheese.
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Ignore The Box Instructions
When the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 2 minutes less than the box says to cook the noodles. Because most boxed macaroni shapes are little and flimsy , they can turn to mush quickly. Start checking for doneness once your timer goes off. Youll want to get the noodles outta there as soon as theyreal dente, which means just cooked all the way through, with a firm bite in the center.
Meanwhile, as the noodles cook, prepare your mix-ins.
The Ultimate Boxed Mac And Cheese Hack
Because for some weird reason, in an era when all I have is time on my hands, I really wanted to make my mac and cheese even faster and easier, and in doing do, accidentally made it better! Not wanting to wait for the pasta water to boil, or to add the step of draining, I gave my mac a one-pot makeover and I will definitively never make it any other way. Even better? I upped the creaminess while reducing the fat, and I did not add any additional ingredients to those listed on the box.
Heres what to do:
1. Put 1½ cups of water and ½ cup of milk in a saucepan . Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the dry pasta. Yes, the pasta in the cold water and milk mixture, with a little floating butter nugget.
2. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium and hard simmer, stirring every minute or so, until most of the liquid evaporatesabout 6 minutes.
4. Add the packet of powdered cheese sauce mix and a second tablespoon of butter, stirring until the mixture thickens and the noodles are fully cookedabout another minute to 90 seconds.
5. Serve and be amazed at how creamy and delicious it all is.
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Stovetop Mac And Cheese
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This truly is the BEST stovetop mac and cheese recipe! It only requires one pot , its ready to go in about 20 minutes from start to finish, and its perfectly creamy and cheesy and delicious.
This weekend, Barclay and I went to a food festival here in Barcelona that was fabulously, deliciously,entirely devoted to CHEESE.
And it was just about the best thing ever.
Literally everywhere you turned, ooey gooey cheesy dishes were being served. And youd better believe we took full advantage of them. From freshly-scraped raclette toasts, to the most amazing Korean-inspired mushroom grilled cheese sandwiches, to Spanish onion and smoked cheese soup, to vegan Mexican cheesy quesadillas, to the best ricotta Ive ever sampled, to the most dreamy Italian gyoza-ish dumplings filled with potato and cheese and served in a pecorino-sage saucethe day was all of our cheesiest dreams come true. And we left feeling so happy. And soooo full, ha.
That said, there was one dish notably missing at the festival. But, it just so happens that Ive been on a mission this month to nail down my all-time favorite recipe for it. So yesterday, we decided to round out our cheesy weekend by taste-testing a final version of this recipe. And ohhh guys, I think weve got it. Im humbly calling it
The Best Stovetop Mac and Cheese recipe. Ever.
Dinner Recipes That Use Boxed Kraft Mac And Cheese
Invented in 1937, Kraft Mac and Cheese was created during the Great Depression as a way to combine nonperishable dried enriched macaroni noodles and processed cheese. The new Kraft Macaroni & Cheese dinner was a way for families to eat a simple meal that was affordable and meatless.
While Kraft Original macaroni & cheese is always a tasty family meal, we love adding our own twist to the convenient boxed dinner. Whether you like to add paprika, cauliflower, or turmeric to your creamy macaroni & cheese, these cheesy goodness boxed mac and cheese recipes are for you!
Most recipes use the original blue box which can be bought at most grocery stores or online.
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Storage And Reheating Instructions:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a scant amount of water to the saucepan to thin out the sauce.
If you like this recipe, you may also be interested in these other macaroni and cheese recipes:
Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese By The Vegan Rhino
If you dont have rotini pasta on hand, youll want to purchase a box for this recipe. This noodles spiral shape clings onto the sauce which allows for every bite to burst with cheesy goodness. Be sure to pay attention to the chefs tip at the bottom of the recipe for a quick vegan sage butter sauce to top your pasta.
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Modern Baked Mac And Cheese With Cheddar And Gruyre
Our stovetop macaroni recipes use American cheese for its supremely gooey texture. American’s meltability comes from sodium citrate. These days you can order food-grade sodium citrate online, meaning that any cheese can be made into a super-gooey sauce. That’s the key to this creamy macaroni and cheese, which walks the line perfectly between baked and stovetop mac.
Can I Use Pre
Pre-shredded cheeses are mixed with either potato starch, powdered cellulose, and natamycin, or a combination of the three to prevent clumping. These agents have an impact on how the cheese melts. The best mac and cheese uses freshly shredded cheese as they melt better, but pre-shredded cheese can also be used in a pinch. The results may not be as velvety smooth, but itll still taste delicious.
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Hack #: Canned Beans + Salsa
Want another south-of-the-border take? Prepare mac and cheese according to package directions. Mix in drained and rinsed canned black beans and 1/2 cup salsa, or more, to taste. Feel free to experiment with other add-ins, like using baked beans in place of canned beans or spicy stewed canned tomatoes, such as Rotel, in place of the salsa.
Olives And/or Anchovies + Cherry Tomatoes + Parsley
Puttanesca is one of our favorite pastas, fully of briny olives and anchovies, sweet tomatoes, and herbs. While puttanesca doesn’t traditionally include cheese , I’m all about experimenting. Just tear up some olives , slice some cherry tomatoes, and chop up some parsley to sprinkle on top, and mix it into your mac. Also feel free to throw in some capers if you have ’em on hand.
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Swap Out Regular Milk For Tangy Kefir
According to editor Alicia Harper of ProbioticReviewGirl, replacing cow’s milk with kefir delivers on both the health and the flavor front.
“Fermented organic kefir is packed with lactobacillus probiotic bacteria, and studies have shown this particular strain to have a wide range of digestive health benefits. Also, adding kefir to your boxed mac and cheese can add an extra thickness and a great sour taste,” says Harper.
Kimchi Mac And Cheese By The Korean Vegan
Basic mac and cheese may not do it for the self-proclaimed heat seekers, but thats where this recipe comes in. Not only is the cashew-and-potato-based sauce infused with kimchi juice, its also flavored with jalapeño, gochujang, Korean chili powder, and chipotle pepper. The spicy casserole is topped with sesame oil-coated breadcrumbs and caramelized kimchi in gochujang. Spicy enough for you?
Bianca Zapatka
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Plum Bistros Mac And Cheese By Makini Howell
Taken from the pages of Plum: Gratifying Vegan Dishes from Seattles Plum Bistro, this recipe defines white tablecloth mac and cheese. The luxuriously thick, thyme-infused cheese sauce flows over baked elbow macaroni and is finished with toasty breadcrumbs and smoked tofu. Plums vegan mac is definitely worthy of date night. Get the recipe here
Ways To Dress Up Boxed Mac And Cheese
- Add in hot dogs, great for little kids. Just slice thin and mix in.
- Slice up little smokies for a fun protein twist.
- Can of tuna and peas for a cheesy tuna dish.
- Sprinkle with a season salt for added flavor
You can really dress up this mac and cheese to be a main dish or opt for something simple to dress it up for a side dish. Either way, it is a fantastic way to make the boxed mac and cheese you love in a new way.
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Real Cheese Tastes Best
This one is pretty obvious, but it bears stating in this test! A handful of the brands we tried just didnt live up to our cheesy expectations. Some tasted too buttery, others too artificialit was pretty shocking to us how some options lacked that authentic cheese flavor. In the end, the cheesiest reigned supreme.
Veggie Mac And Cheese
If you want to feel better about your indulgent mac and cheese, add some vegetables to the dish and kill two birds with one stone. Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and peas pair surprisingly well with mac and cheese, and this recipe from Momables shows you one way to combine them. You can feed veggie mac and cheese to yourself and your loved ones with zero guilt, and this recipe takes one box of mac and cheese and serves 4 to 6, so you even get your moneys worth.
Ingredients:
- 1 box natural or organic macaroni and cheese
- 1 package reduced-sodium chicken broth/stock
- 1 bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
- ¼ cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions: Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat in a saucepan. Add the vegetables, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cooked macaroni and cheese to the veggies and broth, add the milk and cheese. Stir well to combine until the cheese is melted, turn off the heat, and serve.
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Kimchi + Bacon + Chopped Scallions
We have to thank cook and food writer Caroline Choe for introducing us to this sublime, Korean-inspired combination. Ever since she dreamed up her recipe for Kimchi Macaroni & Cheese, her family, friends, and co-workers haven’t been able to get enough of itand there’s no reason it can’t work for boxed mac and cheeses . The key is to sauté the kimchi to cut down the acidity before mixing it into the cheesy macaroni, along with crispy bacon bits, and garnishing with chopped scallions.
How To Add In Mac And Cheese Mix
My favorite way to add in these mix-ins is to cook the macaroni and cheese according to the package instructions, and then once it’s completely cooked and set for a few minutes, add in the mix-ins. I like to do it after it cooks because then I can customize each bowl to everyone’s preferences and make everyone happy.
You can add in one or more of the above mix-ins to take your mac and cheese to a whole new level!
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My Honest Review Of Tiktoks Mac And Cheese Hack
Because I was dedicated to conducting a thorough, scientific review of this mac and cheese hack, I felt it was only right for me to make one version of this TikTok mac and cheese and another prepared according to the package. In both versions, I added the extra cup of shredded cheese as instructed in the video for the sake of fairness. Admittedly, the difference in flavor between both preparations was minimal, but the TikTok hack version made for a slightly better tasting pot of mac and cheese.
There are two camps of people when it comes to mac and cheese: those who like the distinctive powdered mac and cheese flavor, and those who dont. Admittedly, I fall into the latter camp, so I preferred the TikTok preparation because it slightly masked that flavor. If you fall in the former camp, I would say just keep on keeping on. The powder flavor is much more pronounced when prepared according to package directions. Both preparations were improved by adding a handful of shredded cheese at the end, so regardless of which camp you fall in, I found this to be a worthwhile trick. I would definitely do this again for any future bowls of boxed mac and cheese.
Is the cheese flavor infused into the noodles? Well, Im not so sure about that. But by incorporating the cheese powder earlier and into a larger solution of liquid, its flavor was less pronounced in the final product .
Add Spice With Hot Sauce Black Pepper Mustard Or Kimchi
The indulgent creaminess of mac and cheese is arguably its biggest selling point, and a hint of spice will both highlight that richness and add some flavor-related intrigue.
Founder and recipe developer Jessica Clark of Gluten Free Supper says that she jazzes up her boxed mac and cheese by adding a dash of dry mustard and a bit of Frank’s buffalo sauce. She tops it off with some cracked black pepper.
For an extra mac and cheese ingredient that offers spiciness, acidity, and a bit of funk, kimchi is an ideal choice. “Stir in 1 cup of store-bought or homemade kimchi before serving. The combination of kimchi spices and the texture of the noodles and cabbage together make for one truly satisfying dish,” says cookbook author and recipe developer Kristen Wood of Moon and Spoon and Yum.
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Does Macaroni And Cheese Go Bad In The Box Meaning
However, cooked macaroni and cheese can go bad, and if they do, you know it. Rotten and cooked pasta and cheese smell bad. The cheese will have a rancid smell and you will probably notice some discoloration. You will also find that the pasta cheese has taken on a musty appearance when you throw it away.
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Add Your Favorite Cheese To The Cheese Powder
All boxed mac and cheeses come with a packet of cheese powder, but if you’re a serious cheese enthusiast, then those small, salty packets aren’t likely to hit the spot on their own. But if you add some actual cheese to the powder, both the flavor and texture will get a very welcome boost.
Food blogger and recipe developer Ashley Schuering of Confessions of a Grocery Addict says that her cheese of choice for this process is a slice of American cheese. “I know it’s processed, but so is the neon orange cheese powder, so what’s the harm? It will give the mac a bit of cheese pull, which makes it feel almost like the real thing,” says Schuering.
If American cheese isn’t your thing or you want to add even more depth of flavor, feel free to sub in other cheeses like cheddar, gruyère, fontina, smoked gouda, or pepper jack.
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How Do You Make Kraft Easy Mac
Pour 2 Macaroni pouches into 1 quart microwave safe bowl. Add 1 cup water. Microwave on HIGH 4.5 minutes or until noodles are tender. Add your 2 cheese pouches and butter. Thin out with milk and serve.
We havent done this method yet, but others have with success. I think weve done just about everything with this popular boxed food. I grew up with it and it was definitely a big part of my childhood growing up.
- It was most likely the first thing I ever cooked all by myself.
How To Make Tiktoks Creamier Cheesier Boxed Mac And Cheese
The package directions on boxed mac and cheese typically instruct you to boil the pasta, drain it, and then heat the milk with the cheese powder in the same pot. To finish, you toss the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. For this trick, instead of sprinkling the cheese powder into the milk to make a sauce, you sprinkle the cheese powder directly into the pasta water so that the cheese powder is infused into the pasta.
In this method, you also never drain your pasta because it cooks in a combination of both milk and water. The creator clarifies in a that she uses 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups milk so that she never has to strain, though if you need more liquid, you can add it gradually to ensure that the noodles are fully cooked. Once the noodles are done cooking, she adds 1 cup shredded cheese and mixes it all up for the perfect pot of mac and cheese from a box.
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