Mac and cheese is the BEST comfort food and if it’s not on your Easter table, what even is the point of making an Easter feast?
My dream Easter brunch would be a mac and cheese buffet, with all the various macs just waiting to be scooped up into my mouth, no plates needed.
Mac and cheese is one of those things that people feel very strongly about and everyone has their very own favorite recipe. Not me though — I’m not a purist. I am a mac and cheese, how shall we say, equal opportunity lover. I will happily eat a bowl of boxed mac as well as an absurdly expensive artisanal concoction. Cheesy noodles, come to me! Anyway, here are 5 off-beat mac and cheese recipes to inspire you for your Easter feast.
Tini’s mac and cheese
Tini’s is an elevated version of the ultimate classic: rich and delicious, with a golden cheese crust giving way to luscious creamy corkscrews aka cavatappi. This is the recipe you make when you want to impress your guests and yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta corkscrew/cavatappi preferred
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb colby jack cheese
- 1/2 lb cheddar cheese sharp preferred
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 12 oz evaporated milk ~1 can
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp mustard Dijon preferred
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. When done, drain well.
- While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta cooks, shred the cheese. Grate the cheese with the coarse side of a box grater. Once you finish grating, mix all the cheese together in a large bowl, then divide into two even portions and set aside.
- Make the seasoning mix: in a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Set it aside.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/2 of the seasoning mix. Stir, bringing out the aromatics. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until everything bubbles slightly and looks incorporated.
- Slowly stream in the evaporated milk while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Next, add the heavy cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in the Dijon and remaining seasoning mix. Let the sauce come to a simmer and thicken, giving it an occasional whisk.
- Add HALF of the cheese. Turn the heat to low (or remove it from the heat if needed) and slowly melt in 1/2 of the cheese, handful by handful, making sure the cheese melts before adding more.
- Stir in the drained pasta, making sure to coat all the noodles in sauce.
- Grab your casserole dish and add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the bottom of the dish, spreading evenly. Layer on 1/2 of the remaining cheese then the remaining mac and cheese.
- Finish by evenly layering on the last of the shredded cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top melts and bubbles. Broil for 2 minutes to give it a crispy crust, the remove, let sit for a bit so you don’t burn yourself, scoop and enjoy!
Notes
Serves about 10 as a side or 5-6 as a main dish.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Tini’s Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 743
Calories from Fat 426
% Daily Value*
Fat 47.3g73%
Saturated Fat 29.3g183%
Cholesterol 139mg46%
Sodium 843mg37%
Potassium 164mg5%
Carbohydrates 40.3g13%
Fiber 1.6g7%
Sugar 5.6g6%
Protein 35.8g72%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Creamy mac and cheese
This is the mac of your childhood, but ten times better. Creamy, smooth, spoonable comfort food at its best. Serve up a glossy bowl of this cheesy goodness and settle into a cheese dream.
Velveeta Mac and Cheese
If you’re looking for the creamy mac and cheese of your childhood, this is it.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni about 2 cups dry, or other small pasta of choice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1.5 cups milk of choice
- 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni in a large pat of salted water according to the package directions and drain well. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, stir in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard, until smooth and incorporated.
- Pour the milk into the pan in a thin stream while whisking, until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cubed Velveeta and shredded cheddar and stir until melted and creamy.
- Add in the drained macaroni, mixing until evenly coated, taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
To bake: Scoop the mac and cheese into a oven safe casserole dish, top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers and bake at 350°F until the cheese melts and is golden and crisp, 20-30 minutes.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Velveeta Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 501
Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 12.8g80%
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Sodium 920mg40%
Potassium 194mg6%
Carbohydrates 56.6g19%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 9.9g11%
Protein 21.9g44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Pumpkin-y mac and cheese
It’s spring, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the earthy, sweet taste of pumpkin. The flavors of pumpkin and sage are grown up enough for all the mac haters out there while sneaking in some pumpkin nutrients for the kids. The crispy sage is what takes this over the top, so make extra!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 stick
- 20-25 leaves sage
- 2 cups milk whole preferred
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 8 oz ziti or macaroni noodle of choice
- 2 1/4 cups cheddar grated
- 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until crisp, 5 to 15 seconds, depending on the size of the leaves. Remove the crisp leaves to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour into the melted butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is a blond color and the mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk in a thin stream, continuing to whisk until any lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth and quite thick, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of milk along with 2½ cups of water, as well as the garlic, mustard, and onion powders. Add the uncooked ziti and stir until wisps of steam come up, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Let cook, gently bubbling, until the ziti is tender and the sauce starts to thicken, 9 to 10 minutes. (It will still be quite saucy at this point—adding the cheese will thicken it up.)
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and pumpkin puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand for a couple of minutes; the sauce will thicken as it rests. Crumble the crispy sage leaves on top, and serve hot.
Notes
Top with freshly grated nutmeg and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 667
Calories from Fat 341
% Daily Value*
Fat 37.9g58%
Saturated Fat 23g144%
Cholesterol 109mg36%
Sodium 527mg23%
Potassium 262mg7%
Carbohydrates 55.5g19%
Fiber 2.9g12%
Sugar 9.8g11%
Protein 27.9g56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Spicy mac and cheese
A bit of spice is always nice and the smokiness of the green chile makes you want to eat it more and more as the heat builds up. It’s not overly spicy, just nicely warm and smoky, and all things delicious. The fire roasted Hatch chiles pairs perfectly with Monterey jack and tender noodles.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta of choice about 2 cups small macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups grated cheese of choice I used a mix of Monterey Jack and cheddar
- 1 cup diced fire roasted hatch chile peppers or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In another large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for about three minutes, until completely smooth and incorporated.
- Pour in 1 cup of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking and it will smooth out into a thick paste. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Cook the pasta according the package, then drain well.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and add the salt and pepper, diced hatch chile, and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add the drained pasta and gently mix. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed and enjoy hot.
Notes
If you’re going to roast your own chile, you need about 3-4 depending on size. Rub them with a bit of oil, place on a sheet pan and broil on high until black and soft, flipping once. Place in a bag and seal (or put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap) and let steam. Skin, stem, de-seed, and chop. You can also use canned chopped green chile.
Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main. Estimated nutrition is for a side serving
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Spicy Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 530
Calories from Fat 150
% Daily Value*
Fat 16.7g26%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 1073mg47%
Potassium 266mg8%
Carbohydrates 65.1g22%
Fiber 6.1g25%
Sugar 12.7g14%
Protein 27.1g54%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Over the top
A long time ago, I came up with the genius idea of combining two of my great loves: mac and cheese and shepherd’s pie (aka cottage pie because ground beef instead of lamb). Cheesy and creamy noodles on top of savory seasoned ground beef with onions, carrots, and peas. It’s just the kind of weird esoteric food combination I love (and Mike hates). All good though, because I can eat this whole dish.
Ingredients
Beef base
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Mac and cheese
- 1 cup pasta macaroni preferred, of course
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a skillet, heat up a bit of oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the beef until deeply browned. Drain off excess fat, if needed. Stir in the onions, carrots, and frozen peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the beef mixture into a oven proof dish and set aside while making the macaroni and cheese.
- Cook the pasta according to the package, drain and set aside.
- Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes, until smooth. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. When smooth, add the rest of the milk. Keep on medium heat and stir for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of cheddar. Add the drained macaroni and stir to coat.
- Top the beef and sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy warm.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Mac and Cheese Pie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 338
Calories from Fat 122
% Daily Value*
Fat 13.6g21%
Saturated Fat 6.3g39%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 346mg15%
Potassium 283mg8%
Carbohydrates 31.8g11%
Fiber 2.4g10%
Sugar 6.4g7%
Protein 21.7g43%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
BONUS: Crispy Mac and Kimcheese
Kimchi and cheese are a match made in heaven, no cap. The acidity and spiciness of kimchi and the creamy richness of cheese play off each other in the best way. This is as glorious mess of flavors plus a crunchy cheese crust thanks to a hot stone bowl a la a Korean dolsot. Seriously good. This is the one I would make if I wanted to make someone fall in love with kimchi.
Mac and Kimcheese Dolsot Bibim-mac Recipe
Mac and cheese with a kimchi twist in a hot stone bowl
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup pasta macaroni preferred, of course
- 1 1/2 butter
- 2 flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar plus extra to top
- 1/2 cup kimchi chopped
- 1 sac mentaiko optional, see notes
- 1 tbsp gochugaru optional
Special Equipment
- 1 Stone Bowl
Instructions
- Heat up a stone bowl, lightly oiled, over medium-low heat.
- Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about three minutes, until completely smooth and incorporated. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking and it will smooth out into a thick paste. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the macaroni.
- Sprinkle some cheese into the dolsot then add the macaroni and cheese. Top with more cheese, the chopped kimchi, and the mentaiko, if using. Mix it all up and push the macaroni against the sides of the bowl. The cheese will form a crispy frico/socarrat. The longer you wait, the crispier it will get. Enjoy, adding some gochugaru for an extra kick!
Notes
To scoop out the mentaiko: cut it open with a knife, then use a spoon to gently scoop out the insides. Discard the membrane.
This is a pretty sauce-heavy mac and cheese, which is needed because you’re heating it up in the dolsot. You can make this without the dolsot, just mix everything up and enjoy! Or you could try frying it up in a cast iron pan as well.
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Mac and Kimcheese Dolsot Bibim-mac Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 480
Calories from Fat 149
% Daily Value*
Fat 16.6g26%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 634mg28%
Potassium 253mg7%
Carbohydrates 54.6g18%
Fiber 1.9g8%
Sugar 8.6g10%
Protein 26.5g53%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hoppy Easter, friends!
-steph
