38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (2024)

38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (1)

Delicious Everyday

Macaroni and cheese is everything we could want: hot, melted cheese blended in creamy harmony with pasta, one of our all-time favorite comfort foods. Whether your favorite version is classic, jazzed up or lobstered, it’s hard to get enough. But who was responsible for making it popular, anyway?

Thomas Jefferson was an American founding father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. But one could argue his greatest achievement was helping to popularize macaroni and cheese in the U.S.

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After encountering macaroni in France and northern Italy in the late 1700s, Jefferson arranged for a special macaroni extruder to be shipped to his home in Virginia, where he served macaroni to guests at presidential dinners, putting the noodle in the spotlight. There even exists a recipe for macaroni noodles written in Jefferson’s own handwriting.

In honor of this important contribution to American cuisine, let’s make some of our favorite recipes for the dish. We’ve got 38 variations, including some for vegans.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (2)

Completely Delicious

Classic Baked Macaroni And Cheese

Get the Classic Baked Macaroni And Cheese recipe from Completely Delicious.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (3)

Pinch Of Yum

Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

Get the Instant Pot Mac And Cheese recipe from Pinch Of Yum.

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Completely Delicious

Easiest Stovetop Macaroni And Cheese

Get the Easiest Stovetop Macaroni And Cheese recipe from Completely Delicious.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (5)

Half Baked Harvest

4-Cheese Caprese Mac And Cheese

Get the 4-Cheese Caprese Mac And Cheese recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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Delicious Everyday

Classic Vegan Mac And Cheese

Get the Classic Vegan Mac And Cheese recipe from Delicious Everyday.

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I Am A Food Blog

Breakfast Mac And Cheese

Get the Breakfast Mac And Cheese recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

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Damn Delicious

Cauliflower Mac And Cheese

Get the Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe from Damn Delicious.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (9)

I Am A Food Blog

Truffle Mac And Cheese

Get the Truffle Mac And Cheese recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (10)

Minimalist Baker

Vegan Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese

Get the Vegan Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese recipe from Minimalist Baker.

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Half Baked Harvest

Creamy Four Cheese Brie And Buttery Ritz Cracker Mac And Cheese

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Adventures In Cooking

Roasted Garlic Mac And Cheese

Get the Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese recipe from Adventures In Cooking.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (13)

How Sweet Eats

Blue Cheese Mac And Cheese

Get the Blue Cheese Mac And Cheese recipe from How Sweet Eats.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (14)

A Spicy Perspective

Beer Mac And Cheese

Get the Beer Mac and Cheese recipe from A Spicy Perspective.

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How Sweet Eats

Skillet Brussels Bacon Mac And Cheese

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Minimalist Baker

Vegan Green Chili Mac 'n Cheese

Get the Vegan Green Chili Mac 'n Cheese recipe from Minimalist Baker.

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Foodie Crush

Lobster Mac And Cheese

Get the Lobster Mac and Cheese recipe from Foodie Crush.

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Minimalist Baker

Best Vegan Gluten-Free Mac 'n Cheese

Get the Best Vegan Gluten-Free Mac 'n Cheese recipe from Minimalist Baker.

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Damn Delicious

Stovetop Mac And Cheese

Get the Stovetop Mac And Cheese recipe from Damn Delicious.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (20)

Half Baked Harvest

Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Mac 'n Cheese With Buttery Bacon Ritz Crackers

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Adventures in Cooking

Bacon, Pear And Blue Cheese Macaroni With Caramelized Onions

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A Beautiful Mess

Creamy Garlic Mac And Cheese

Get the Creamy Garlic Mac And Cheese recipe from A Beautiful Mess.

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Half Baked Harvest

Cheese Maker's Mac And Cheese

Get the Cheese Maker's Mac And Cheese recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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Foodie Crush

Chicken Divan Macaroni and Cheese

Get the Chicken Divan Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Foodie Crush.

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Naturally Ella

Sweet Potato Mac And Cheese With Spinach

Get the Sweet Potato Mac And Cheese With Spinach recipe from Naturally Ella.

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Little Leopard Book

Roasted Red Pepper Chorizo Baked Mac And Cheese

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Half Baked Harvest

Sneaky Zucchini Mac And Cheese With Everything Bagel Chip Crumbs

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Pinch Of Yum

Steak Mac And Cheese

Get the Steak Mac And Cheese recipe from Pinch Of Yum.

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Half Baked Harvest

Baked Squash Mac And Cheese

Get the Baked Squash Mac And Cheese recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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I Am A Food Blog

Mac And Cheese Pie

Get the Mac And Cheese Pie recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

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The View From The Great Island

Smokey Gouda Mac And Cheese

Get the Smokey Gouda Mac And Cheese recipe from The View From The Great Island.

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I Am A Food Blog

Stovetop Jalapeno Broccoli Mac And Cheese

Get the Stovetop Jalapeno Broccoli Mac And Cheese recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

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Steamy Kitchen

Greek-Style Mac And Cheese

Get the Greek-Style Mac and Cheese recipe from Steamy Kitchen.

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I Am A Food Blog

One Pot Creamy Pumpkin Mac And Cheese

Get the One Pot Creamy Pumpkin Mac And Cheese recipe from I Am A Food Blog.

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Half Baked Harvest

Irishman's Mac And Cheese

Get the Irishman's Mac And Cheese recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

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Foodie Crush

Stovetop Pesto Macaroni And Cheese With Corn And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Minimalist Baker

Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'n Cheese

Get the Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'n Cheese recipe from Minimalist Baker

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Minimalist Baker

Vegan Garlic Mac 'n Cheese

Get the Vegan Garlic Mac 'n Cheese recipe from Minimalist Baker.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (39)

Love Lemons

Vegan Spinach Mac And Cheese

Get the Vegan Spinach Mac And Cheese recipe from Love & Lemons.

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38 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes On Planet Earth (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

Did Thomas Jefferson eat mac and cheese? ›

During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson went to France. He also took his enslaved cook, James Hemings, who studied cooking there. Hemings brought macaroni and cheese to America, and Jefferson frequently asked for it to be served.

How do you make mac and cheese not boring? ›

Add more cheese

Improve both the taste and texture of boxed mac and cheese by adding some actual cheese to the mix: mozzarella for stretch, an aged Alpine cheese like gruyere for sweet and savory notes or a hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino for depth and additional saltiness.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What are the ingredients in Gordon Food Service mac and cheese? ›

COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA [MILLED WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, CHEDDAR CLUB CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES ...

Why is my homemade mac and cheese not creamy? ›

Things that I've learned are:
  • don't use low fat milk -- the higher the fat content the smoother your cheese will melt/incorporate.
  • once the base is made (the flour, butter, milk "sauce" -- bechamel?) take the pot OFF the heat.The more your heat your cheese sauce, the more it will get gritty.
Sep 5, 2019

Why do you add flour to homemade mac and cheese? ›

Both the flour and the cheese help thicken the sauce.

Which president loved mac n cheese? ›

Bottom line, Jefferson loved his macaroni and when he became president, he pushed a pro-macaroni agenda on official Washington. This did not always go over well. One guest wrote of a presidential dinner: “Dinner not as elegant as when we dined before.

Did Elvis eat mac and cheese? ›

Priscilla Presley told Graceland archivist Angie Marchese that Elvis was a big fan of Southern food, including meatloaf, mashed potato, fried chicken and mac and cheese. Marchese stated that Elvis would “obsessively eat one kind of food over and over until he became bored of it.”

Which president made macaroni and cheese? ›

James Hemings: The Enslaved Chef of Thomas Jefferson Who Created Mac and Cheese.

Why does my mac and cheese not taste good? ›

There wasn't enough cheese

If you're baking your mac and cheese, don't forget to top it off with a healthy amount of fresh cheese. “Too often, people skip this step thinking that their sauce is cheesy enough, when in fact this layer is meant to keep the moistness inside the dish,” said Menager.

How can I keep my mac and cheese creamy? ›

Add more milk if you haven't already. More milk leads to less dry mac and cheese. If that doesn't work and you've already tried, use a different type of cheese. Velveeta works well.

What can I add to macaroni and cheese to make it taste better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

What is the most perfect cheese to use on Mac & cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

1. It takes two cheeses to tango with mac. For really great macaroni and cheese, you need a cheese that melts well and a cheese that packs a punch. A few cheeses do both (that's a shout out to you, cheddar, emmentaler, and your other alpine-style, fondue favorites).

What kind of cheese does Gordon Ramsay use? ›

Ramsay's recipe calls for Romano cheese with Pepperberry, Asiago cheese, thick slices of country bread, and kimchi. Some standard butter, olive oil, and salt are also in the mix. I went to my local grocery store, Foodtown, to see if I could find the slightly upscale ingredients. I had to purchase a few alternatives.

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