5 Macaroni and Cheese Recipes for Every Taste
From Grandma’s Blue Box Upgrade to Decadent Baked Mac and Cheese
If there is one thing I have learned from sharing recipes on The Tipsy Housewife, it is that people have VERY strong opinions about macaroni and cheese.
Some people want the old-fashioned baked kind that you scoop out of a casserole dish. Some want it creamy and practically swimming in cheese sauce. Some of us have absolutely no problem starting with the blue box, because Grandma did it and Grandma knew what she was doing.
Then there are the slightly different versions I have picked up inspiration for over the years from traveling, Disney trips and just seeing something that made me think, “I need to make my own version of that.”
Over the years I have ended up with quite the collection of macaroni and cheese recipes on this site, and the funny thing is that they are all completely different.
Instead of making you hunt around for them, I thought it was time to put my favorites in one place.
Whether you need macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving, an easy weeknight dinner, something the kids will love or something a little different, there is a mac and cheese here for you.
1. Decadent Macaroni and Cheese
The One I Make When I Want REAL Mac and Cheese
If someone asks me for a traditional homemade macaroni and cheese recipe, this is the one I am sending them.
My Decadent Macaroni and Cheese is exactly what the name says. This isn’t diet macaroni and cheese. This isn’t the macaroni and cheese you make when you’re trying to be good.
This is the macaroni and cheese you put on the table for a holiday, Sunday dinner, family gathering or anytime you want everyone hovering around the casserole dish trying to get the cheesy crispy parts.
It’s rich, creamy, cheesy comfort food and the kind of recipe that feels special enough to put on a holiday table.
Make This One For:
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Sunday dinner
Potlucks
Family parties
Anyone looking for classic homemade macaroni and cheese
2. Grandma’s Kraft Dinner
The Mac and Cheese That Tastes Like My Childhood
This one is probably the most personal of the bunch.
My Grandma worked all day, but she still loved putting dinner on the table. Food was love to her, and this was one of the first things she taught me to make when I was old enough to use the stove.
And yes, it starts with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
I can already hear someone yelling that this isn’t a recipe.
That’s fine. More for me.
Grandma took the regular blue box and doctored it up with evaporated milk, seasonings and extra cheese. When she had time, she added buttery crackers on top. Sometimes she even added ground beef and turned the whole thing into dinner.
There is something about this one that will forever taste like home to me.
Also, I have rules about this recipe. You need the ORIGINAL Kraft blue box. Not the spirals. Not the shells. Not SpongeBob or whatever character they are putting on noodles these days.
Trust Grandma and me on this.
Make This One For:
Busy weeknights
Kids and grandkids
Beginner cooks
Nostalgic comfort food
When you have boxed mac and cheese but want to make it better
3. Mini Mac and Cheese
The Little Noodles That Make Mac and Cheese More Fun
I originally came up with this one after watching Tim and Jenn Tracker, who are some of my favorite YouTube vloggers. They were eating a meal at a Star Wars attraction in Disney and I saw this little mac and cheese and immediately thought it looked so good that I needed to make my own version.
Instead of regular elbow macaroni, this recipe uses ditalini pasta, those tiny little noodles you usually see floating around in soup.
Turns out they are also VERY good covered in cheese sauce.
I make a simple homemade cheese sauce with butter, flour, milk, seasonings and whatever cheese you like. I have made mine with sharp cheddar and Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar, but this is definitely one where you can use cheeses your family likes.
The little noodles get completely coated in the silky cheese sauce, which makes this especially fun for kids. Although let’s not pretend the adults aren’t going to eat it too.
The Disney version that inspired me was served with fried chicken, and I loved that whole old-school cafeteria lunch idea. This is a great one to serve with chicken tenders, burgers, sloppy joes or really anything that needs a scoop of creamy mac and cheese sitting next to it.
Make This One For:
Kids and grandkids
Quick weeknight dinners
Chicken tenders
Burgers and sloppy joes
Anyone who prefers creamy stovetop mac and cheese
People who love tiny food as much as I do
4. Ramen Macaroni & Cheese
The Weird One That Turned Out To Be REALLY Good
This recipe also exists because of Disney.
I tried Ramen Macaroni & Cheese during the Food & Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure and did not have particularly high expectations.
Then I tasted it.
Of course I came home and immediately started figuring out how to make my own version.
Mine combines super sharp cheddar and creamy Chihuahua cheese with ramen seasoning for this really savory, salty flavor that tastes familiar but completely different from traditional mac and cheese.
Then it gets furikake on top.
I know this one sounds a little strange. That’s exactly why I think you should try it.
If you are someone who likes the really savory, umami side of food, this may end up being your favorite recipe on this entire list.
Make This One For:
Disney food fans
People who love really savory food
Potlucks where you want to bring something different
Mac and cheese lovers who have tried everything
Anyone who keeps ramen seasoning packets in a drawer
5. Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
The Cozy Fall Mac and Cheese
This one came to me during fall in the Northwoods.
The trees were getting bare and I was thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes and wanting something that still felt like traditional comfort food but looked and tasted like fall.
Enter the butternut squash.
The squash blends right into the cheese sauce and gives it a silky texture, a little sweetness and that beautiful fall color. There is also a little cinnamon and chili powder in there, which gives it warmth without turning it into something that tastes like pumpkin pie macaroni and cheese.
Because nobody needs that.
Another reason I love this one is that it feels a little different from an extremely heavy traditional mac and cheese while still being creamy and satisfying.
And I absolutely buy the already peeled and cubed butternut squash from the grocery store.
We’re making macaroni and cheese. We don’t need to prove anything.
Make This One For:
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Fall dinners
Roasted chicken, pork or turkey
Anyone who wants a different holiday side dish
People who swear they don’t like squash
Five Mac and Cheeses, Five Completely Different Reasons To Make Them
The thing I like about putting all five of these together is that they really aren’t competing with each other.
Grandma’s Kraft Dinner is what I want when I want to feel like a kid again.
Mini Mac and Cheese is the easy, creamy one I want next to chicken tenders or a burger.
Decadent Macaroni and Cheese is what I want when I’m putting out the big casserole dishes and feeding a crowd.
Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese belongs on a chilly fall table.
And Ramen Macaroni & Cheese is what I make when I want people to say, “Wait…what did you put in this?”
There is room in our lives for all five kinds of macaroni and cheese.
I certainly have room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which macaroni and cheese is best for Thanksgiving?
For a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I would choose my Decadent Macaroni and Cheese. If you want something a little different, the Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese is especially good for fall and goes beautifully with turkey.
Which macaroni and cheese is easiest for kids?
Grandma’s Kraft Dinner is probably the most familiar for picky eaters because it starts with the classic blue box. Mini Mac and Cheese is another great choice because the tiny ditalini pasta is fun to eat and everything is coated in a creamy homemade cheese sauce.
What’s the difference between Mini Mac and Cheese and the Decadent Macaroni and Cheese?
Mini Mac and Cheese is the one I would choose when I want a creamy, easy mac and cheese for a weeknight meal. The Decadent Macaroni and Cheese is the richer choice I would make for holidays, Sunday dinner or a special occasion.
Which macaroni and cheese is the most unusual?
Definitely the Ramen Macaroni & Cheese. The ramen seasoning adds a salty, savory flavor and the furikake on top gives it even more flavor and texture.
Can macaroni and cheese be the main dish?
It certainly can in my house. Add some chicken tenders, ground beef, a salad or vegetables and you’ve got dinner. Grandma sometimes added ground beef to her Kraft Dinner, which is still one of my favorite ways to turn macaroni and cheese into a meal.
Can I make these macaroni and cheese recipes ahead of time?
It depends on which recipe you choose. Some baked versions are better suited to being assembled ahead of time than creamy stovetop versions. I recommend clicking through to the individual recipe for the specific preparation, storage and reheating instructions.
Save This List for the Next Time You Need Mac and Cheese
If you are a macaroni and cheese person, bookmark this page because I will continue adding my mac and cheese recipes here as I make them.
Apparently five versions aren’t enough for me.
And if you make one, let me know which one you picked. I always love hearing which recipes become part of someone else’s family dinners.