Best 5 Easy Weeknight Mac And Cheese 4 Ways Recipes
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's a great way to use up leftover pasta, and it can be easily customized to suit your own taste. Whether you like your mac and cheese cheesy, creamy, or crunchy, there's a recipe out there for you. If you're looking for an easy weeknight meal, mac and cheese is a great option. It can be made in less than 30 minutes, and it's sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
EASY WEEKNIGHT MAC AND CHEESE 4 WAYS
A classic, creamy macaroni and cheese. Take it to the next level with Almond Breeze almondmilk and delicious toppings the whole family will love.
Provided by Almond Breeze
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Almond Breeze
Time 35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, about 8 minutes.
- While macaroni is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in Almond Breeze almondmilk and stock and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in mustard, onion powder, and garlic salt.
- Add cheese a little at a time, cooking and stirring until melted before adding more. Season with pepper. Drain macaroni well and stir in. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- For Sausage and Pepper topping: Cook sausage and onion in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and thyme; cook and stir for 2 minutes more to soften peppers. Serve over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
- For Riced Veggie and Bacon topping: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bacon and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in riced veggies; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Season with garlic salt. Serve over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
- For Pepperoni and Veggie Pizza topping: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepperoni and cook until both are lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes to soften. Stir in olives, if desired. Spoon over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
EASY WEEKNIGHT MAC AND CHEESE 4 WAYS
A classic, creamy macaroni and cheese. Take it to the next level with Almond Breeze almondmilk and delicious toppings the whole family will love.
Provided by Almond Breeze
Categories Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Time 35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, about 8 minutes.
- While macaroni is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in Almond Breeze almondmilk and stock and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in mustard, onion powder, and garlic salt.
- Add cheese a little at a time, cooking and stirring until melted before adding more. Season with pepper. Drain macaroni well and stir in. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- For Sausage and Pepper topping: Cook sausage and onion in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and thyme; cook and stir for 2 minutes more to soften peppers. Serve over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
- For Riced Veggie and Bacon topping: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bacon and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in riced veggies; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Season with garlic salt. Serve over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
- For Pepperoni and Veggie Pizza topping: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepperoni and cook until both are lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes to soften. Stir in olives, if desired. Spoon over hot Weeknight Mac and Cheese.
CREAMY WEEKNIGHT MACARONI AND CHEESE
Just as quick as the boxed variety, this creamy macaroni and cheese skirts the traditional butter and flour roux with assistance from cream cheese. While the cream cheese adds an important lusciousness, it doesn't do the macaroni and cheese any favors when it comes to its flavor, so it's important to use the sharpest, tangiest Cheddar you can get your hands on. For perfectly coated noodles, make sure to cook the pasta in the sauce for a minute or two.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, lunch, quick, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain.
- Meanwhile, bring milk up to a simmer in a large pot. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and whisk until it's completely blended and no lumps remain. Add Cheddar cheese and butter, whisking until everything is completely melted. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
- Add cooked pasta and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and is coating each piece of pasta nicely, 2 to 3 minutes; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Season again with more salt and pepper before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1114, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 95 grams, Fat 63 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 43 grams, SaturatedFat 35 grams, Sodium 905 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 1 gram
FOUR-CHEESE MACARONI
I adapted this recipe from one a friend gave to me. It has a distinctive blue cheese taste and is very filling. I like to serve it with chicken. -Darlene Marturano, W. Suffield, Connecticut
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 20m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. , Reduce heat to low; stir in cheeses until melted. Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce and stir until coated.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 508 calories, Fat 23g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 65mg cholesterol, Sodium 603mg sodium, Carbohydrate 51g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 26g protein.
FOUR-CHEESE MACARONI AND CHEESE
Mascarpone, Brie, cream cheese and Parmesan yield the most velvety macaroni and cheese imaginable. This is perfect for a wintry dinner, with a green salad on the side, or as a partner to a golden roast chicken.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, easy, pastas, main course
Time 45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart gratin dish.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente; drain well.
- Transfer hot pasta to a large bowl and toss immediately with Brie and cream cheese until melted and smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, mascarpone and parmigiano. Stir egg mixture into pasta. Season with pepper and nutmeg.
- Turn pasta into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 600, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 45 grams, Fat 35 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 603 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips for Making the Best Mac and Cheese:
- Use a good quality cheese: For the creamiest, most flavorful mac and cheese, use a sharp cheddar cheese that has been aged for at least 6 months.
- Make a roux: A roux is a mixture of butter and flour that is used to thicken sauces. In mac and cheese, it helps to create a smooth, creamy texture.
- Cook the macaroni al dente: You don't want the macaroni to be mushy, so cook it until it is just tender.
- Season the mac and cheese well: In addition to salt and pepper, you can also add other seasonings to your mac and cheese, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika.
- Top the mac and cheese with breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese: This will give the mac and cheese a crispy, golden brown crust.
Conclusion:
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With so many different ways to make it, there's sure to be a mac and cheese recipe that everyone will love. Whether you prefer a simple, classic mac and cheese or something more adventurous, like a mac and cheese with lobster or truffle oil, there's a recipe out there for you.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love
