Best 9 Easy Italian Mac Cheese Skillet Recipes

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When seeking a quick and delightful meal, "Easy Italian Mac Cheese Skillet" emerges as a culinary masterpiece. This scrumptious dish blends the cheesy comfort of macaroni and cheese with the zesty flavors of Italian cuisine. With minimal ingredients and a brief cooking time, this skillet recipe promises a delectable dinner option for busy weeknights or cozy family gatherings. So, let's embark on a culinary journey and discover the secrets to crafting this mouthwatering Italian-inspired mac and cheese in the convenience of your own skillet.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

SKILLET MAC & CHEESE



Skillet Mac & Cheese image

This super creamy mac 'n' cheese is so simple it seems almost too easy! Kids really go for the rich cheese flavor, but I've never met an adult who didn't love it too. -Ann Bowers, Rockport, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
3/4 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
Optional toppings: fresh arugula, halved cherry tomatoes and coarsely ground pepper

Steps:

  • Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain., Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted., Add macaroni; cook and stir until heated through. Top as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 600 calories, Fat 37g fat (23g saturated fat), Cholesterol 144mg cholesterol, Sodium 1185mg sodium, Carbohydrate 40g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 23g protein.

ITALIAN MAC-N-CHEESE



Italian Mac-n-Cheese image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings, plus leftovers

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews)
1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
1/2 cup Parmesan, a couple of handfuls

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.
  • In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
  • Preheat broiler to high.
  • To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
  • Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to flameproof baking dish, casserole or flameproof serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

QUICK ITALIAN SKILLET DINNER



Quick Italian Skillet Dinner image

Dinner in 30 minutes - and only one pot to clean! Combine Italian sausage with peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, vegetable juice and rice for a meal that is better than anything you'd make from a box!

Provided by Red Gold

Categories     Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips     RED GOLD®, Inc.

Time 30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 pound Italian sausage
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can RED GOLD® Diced Tomatoes
2 cups RED GOLD® Vegetable Juice from Concentrate
1 ½ cups instant rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • In large skillet cook sausage until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add green bell pepper and onion; cook until crisp.
  • Add diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir in rice.
  • Cover and let stand 6 to 8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
  • Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 357.9 calories, Carbohydrate 30.7 g, Cholesterol 41.8 mg, Fat 17.5 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 1012.2 mg, Sugar 3.4 g

STOVETOP ITALIAN MACARONI



Stovetop Italian Macaroni image

It's not every day that a cost-conscious menu pleases both the eye and the stomach, but this scrumptious stovetop entree does just that. -Laila Zvejnieks, Stoney Creek, Ontario

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 25m

Yield 5 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound ground beef
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups water
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, water, soup mix, Italian seasoning and, if desired, pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-9 minutes or until macaroni is tender., Remove from the heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410 calories, Fat 17g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 76mg cholesterol, Sodium 969mg sodium, Carbohydrate 34g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 30g protein.

EASY ITALIAN MAC & CHEESE SKILLET



Easy Italian Mac & Cheese Skillet image

This is a one pan mess! I love this because it is so easy to make. I must give credit to the Kraft Foods website because this is where I got the idea from. HOWEVER I did modify the recipe a bit, because first off I didn't write down what I needed and thought I could remember so when I got home I had to improvise. I served this to my somewhat picky husband, and parents and they all got up for seconds! So I'm very impressed! Some pointers to keep in mind. Because this website is picky on wordage it's suspposed to say 2 boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Shells Three Cheese Flavor and not 1 lbs but rather 3 large pieces of boneless skinless chicken breast. I made this in a rather large deep skillet. And will have leftovers for tomorrow. If you're making this for only two people only use one box of mac and cheese, less chicken, less peppers/onions, and less milk/water. Also, what I like to do is have everything chopped up BEFORE putting anything in the pan to start cooking. I didn't really time how long it took me to cook this so I just guessed.

Provided by ChrissyVas

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 40m

Yield 4-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
2 (14 ounce) packages macaroni shells and cheese
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 medium onion
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 dash of mccormick italian seasoning (optional)
1 dash pepper (optional)

Steps:

  • Chop Chicken into bite size pieces.
  • Chop Onions, and peppers seperately into small pieces.
  • Coat skillet with olive oil to lightly fry the chopped chicken. (You be the judge of how much oil you wish to use to lightly fry the chicken.).
  • While chicken is sizzling, add a dash of Italian seasoning and a dash of.
  • pepper. Stir it up to spread your spices evenly on the cooking chicken.
  • Once chicken has turned white all the way around on the outside add the.
  • onions and peppers. Keep cooking on a medium heat until the veggies are soft.
  • and the meat has no pink on the insides.
  • Next add the milk, water, shells and cheese packets. Make sure to stir.
  • everything well. Allow it to simmer and reduce to a low heat, and cover with a.
  • well fitting lid.
  • It will be done when it looks creamy, but shells are soft not mushy.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1087.5, Fat 26.9, SaturatedFat 8.7, Cholesterol 110.9, Sodium 1742.5, Carbohydrate 147.4, Fiber 5.7, Sugar 23.1, Protein 63.4

CHEESY STOVETOP MAC WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE



Cheesy Stovetop Mac With Sausage and Kale image

Quick, easy and delicious, this one-pan meal is perfect for weeknights when cleaning up is the last thing you want to do. It's reminiscent of hamburger skillet macs, which gained popularity in the 1970s, thanks to Hamburger Helper, when beef prices were high and families wanted to stretch a pound of meat. This kale-packed version spices up that classic with herby sweet Italian sausage, fresh garlic, red-pepper flakes and hot sauce. Like the original, the starch from the pasta helps thicken the cooking liquid into a quick sauce that becomes creamy once the cheese is added. Serve with a crisp green salad and toasted bread.

Provided by Romel Bruno

Categories     dinner, easy, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
1 large bunch kale, leaves only, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound loose sweet Italian sausage (see Tip)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
1 pound short pasta (such as macaroni, cavatappi or fusilli)
2 cups/8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, plus more to taste

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot or a very large, deep skillet over medium-high, then add the onion, kale and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale has cooked down and the onion is smaller in size, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly, 1 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until it loses its pink color, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the red-pepper flakes, sprinkle with salt and give everything a good stir. Add the chicken broth and pasta and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on the pan and cook until the pasta is soft but still has some bite to it, about 10 minutes. Be sure to check on the pasta and stir every now and again. (The sauce will have thickened from the starch in the pasta.)
  • Add the cheese and hot sauce and mix well. Add salt and additional hot sauce to taste before serving.

SKILLET MACARONI AND CHEESE



Skillet Macaroni and Cheese image

I have another version of Skillet Macaroni and Cheese posted, but this one is different with the cheeses it includes and several other ingredients. In addition, it adds a bit of heat with the hot sauce. This recipe calls for homemade bread crumbs. To make them, pulse 2 slices of hearty white sandwich bread in a food processor until coarsely ground. The recipe is from Cook's Country.

Provided by CookingONTheSide

Categories     Cheese

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
salt
pepper
3 3/4 cups water, plus more as needed
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
3 cups elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons hot sauce
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

Steps:

  • Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add bread crumbs, 1/4 t salt, and 1/4 t pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer to bowl and wipe out skillet.
  • Bring water, 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk, and 1/2 t salt to simmer in skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add macaroni and cook, stirring often, until macaroni is al dente, 8-10 minutes.
  • Whisk remaining evaporated milk, cornstarch, and hot sauce in small bowl, then stir into skillet.
  • Simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  • Off heat, stir in cheeses, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust consistency.
  • Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs.
  • Serve.

ITALIAN MAC & CHEESE



Italian Mac & Cheese image

Make and share this Italian Mac & Cheese recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Danac210

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 50m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
salt
black pepper
4 cups shredded cheese (your choice, but I use one bag of sharp and one bag of cheddar, it doesn't matter as long as you hav)
1 (12 ounce) box of barilla medium shell noodles (or your choice of brands, I just like Barilla best)
2 tablespoons butter

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Bring one large pot of water to a rolling boil.
  • Add whole box of shells and a pinch of salt to boiling water, cover and switch to low heat.
  • Spray oven safe dish with cooking spray.
  • Put milk, one bag of cheese,a few dashes of pepper, the butter and a pinch of salt in the dish; mix well.
  • When noodles are still firm, but partially cooked drain them and add them to the bowl of milk and other mixed ingredients.
  • Stir together coating noodles in cheese mixture.
  • Cook for 20 minutes.
  • Add second bag of cheese and stir.
  • Top with breadcrumbs and cook for 15 more minutes or until golden brown at the edges.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 539.6, Fat 24.1, SaturatedFat 14.5, Cholesterol 59.9, Sodium 945.8, Carbohydrate 56.1, Fiber 2.3, Sugar 2.1, Protein 24

QUICK SKILLET MACARONI AND CHEESE



Quick Skillet Macaroni and Cheese image

In the time it takes to make the boxed stuff, you can make this far superior version, cooked on the stove top and finished under the broiler. From "Noodles Express" Cookbook.

Provided by Raspberry Cordial

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 13m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

8 ounces elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup heavy cream (or up to 1 cup cream- use light cream if desired)
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated, divided (choose an aged cheese)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Steps:

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
  • While the macaroni cooks, melt butter over medium heat in an oven safe skillet or saucepan.
  • Add onion and cook, stirring often until soft and golden.
  • Add flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until flour is combined and mixture is light brown.
  • Whisking constantly, add cream slowly until well mixed. Stir in pepper, salt, nutmeg and garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring.
  • Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, a little at a time, until melted.
  • Stir in the macaroni to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley on top.
  • Place skillet under broiler for 2 or 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Tips:

  • Use a large skillet to ensure that the macaroni has enough room to cook evenly.
  • Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, but drain it a minute or two before the recommended time to prevent it from becoming overcooked.
  • Use a combination of cheeses for a more flavorful macaroni and cheese. A good starting point is to use equal parts cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella.
  • Add some cooked vegetables to the macaroni and cheese for a healthier and more colorful dish. Broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini are all good options.
  • Season the macaroni and cheese to taste with salt, pepper, and other spices. A little bit of garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika can go a long way.
  • Top the macaroni and cheese with a breadcrumb topping for a crispy and golden crust.
  • Serve the macaroni and cheese immediately after it is cooked, while it is still hot and bubbly.

Conclusion:

This easy Italian mac and cheese skillet is a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is quick and easy to make, and it can be easily customized to your liking. So next time you are looking for a satisfying and flavorful pasta dish, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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