Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated September 02, 2020

These cheesy, creamy macaroni recipes will put your pasta-from-a-box to shame. Our homemade macaroni and cheese recipes include ones with mix-ins like bacon, broccoli and cauliflower—plus classic mac and cheese.

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Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese

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Crispy bacon, extra-creamy cheese sauce, pears sauteed in brown sugar and butter. It took our Test Kitchen three tries to get all the pieces right for this fall comfort food. Oh man, was it worth it.

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Army and Lou's Macaroni and Cheese

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Here's a real crowd-pleaser: a creamy mac and cheese recipe using three kinds of cheese. It's from the former Army and Lou's restaurant in Chicago.

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Mexican Mac and Cheese

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Pair Mexican flavors with pasta for this comfort-food casserole that includes sausage, salsa and Monterey Jack cheese.

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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

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Canned pumpkin and chopped walnuts up the flavor, texture and nutritional value of the cheesy staple.

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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

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The combo of butternut squash, rigatoni, bacon and smoked cheese makes for a delicious twist on traditional mac and cheese.

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Chicken, Tomato and Spinach Mac and Cheese

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We gave homey mac and cheese a refresh. The saucepan sauce is made without a flour thickener, so it's lighter-tasting than baked versions. And adding veggies and chicken makes it a well-rounded meal.

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Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

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Swiss, cheddar and Parmesan give this casserole a big punch of cheesy flavor. 

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Greek Style Mac 'n' Cheese

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You don't have to cross the Atlantic for this gourmet meal. Simple add-ins like kalamata olives and feta cheese give mac and cheese a pop of Greek flavor.

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Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

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Homemade sauce coats the noodles and veggies in cheesy delight. Red pepper flakes add just enough kick.

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Chipotle Mac and Cheese

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In case two kinds of cheese and a pound of sausage aren't enough to transform a pot of mac and cheese, chipotle pepper will do the trick.

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Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

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Combine two all-American classics to make this innovative casserole-like dish. Just like a cheeseburger, the ingredients are added in layers.

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Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese

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Mexican-blend cheese, salsa, ground beef, chili peppers…no this isn't just another taco recipe. The fiesta-themed ingredients turn mac and cheese into a surprising crowd-pleaser.

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Pesto Shrimp Mac & Cheese

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Garlic, basil, pine nuts and shrimp amp up the flavor in this twist on macaroni and cheese.

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Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese

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An easy cheese sauce seasons the pasta, deli chicken and fresh broccoli in this quick dinner.

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Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

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Fresh lobster (frozen works, too) and truffle oil take mac and cheese from traditional to extravagant.

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Slow-Cooker Mac & Cheese

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Take 15 minutes to prep this mac, then let it sit in your slow cooker for a few hours. You'll come back to an extra-creamy, extra-cheesy homemade meal.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com