What is the best cheese for macaroni and cheese recipe?

The best cheese for a macaroni and cheese recipe is cheddar, because it provides bags of flavour, as well as melting smoothly in the sauce, creating a creamy and rich base for the macaroni pasta. Adding mozzarella is also a good choice for mac and cheese dishes, as it brings a moreish gooeyness, making an already hearty dish all the more satisfying.

How to store macaroni pasta?

Macaroni pasta is a great store cupboard essential to have in your pantry, as it has a pretty long shelf life. To get the most out of your macaroni pasta’s shelf life, store dry, uncooked macaroni in a cool, dry place like your pantry. If stored in an air-tight container, dry macaroni can last for up to a year.

What is the difference between macaroni and pasta?

Macaroni is a category of pasta. Technically, 'macaroni' is a general word to categorise small and medium dried-pasta shapes, but the name has become synonymous with elbow macaroni; the small, curved, tubular-shaped pastas we know most often from mac and cheese recipes.

Can you freeze macaroni and cheese?

Yes. Freezing cooked macaroni and cheese is a great way to cut down on your food waste. Cooked mac and cheese will last in the freezer for up to three months. Remember to thaw thoroughly in the fridge before reheating.

How to prevent macaroni from going mushy?

To prevent macaroni from becoming mushy, we recommend cooking it until it is just al dente, which means it will be still slightly firm to the bite. To achieve this, boil your macaroni pasta for around 10-12 minutes. After draining, immediately rinse the macaroni under cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain its firmness.

Macaroni Recipes

Fancy a delicious macaroni cheese recipe for tonight’s dinner? Or how about a macaroni bake? Browse some of the best macaroni pasta recipes from HelloFresh!

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Macaroni Cheese Sauce Recipe

Nailing your macaroni cheese sauce is the key to the perfect dish. Follow our step by step recipe and you can’t go wrong.

Step 1: Melt 20g of butter in a pan, then stir in 150g plain flour. Cook for a couple of minutes until it forms a paste – you've made a roux!
Step 2: Gradually stir in 250ml water for the sauce, 150g creme fraiche and 10g chicken stock paste. Bring this mixture to the boil, stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
Step 3: Once thickened, remove the sauce from the heat and stir in 90g grated cheddar until melted. HelloFresh’s expert tip: Add a splash of water if your macaroni cheese sauce is a little thick.
Step 4: It’s at this stage you’ll add your cooked macaroni and other ingredients. See below for some ideas of which ingredients and flavourings to add to your macaroni cheese!
Step 5: Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

What Can I Add to Plain Macaroni Cheese?

Macaroni is typically quite high in carbs, due to the macaroni and cheese content, but that’s not to say it can’t be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Adding nutritious ingredients which are lower in carbs can help you achieve your nutritional goals, whilst still enjoying the moreish goodness of a macaroni cheese dish. Additionally, adding proteins and flavoursome ingredients can really elevate your macaroni cheese to the next level. Why not try some of these:

Vegetables: Such as tomatoes, spinach, peas, cubed and pre-cooked butternut squash or broccoli florets.
Proteins: Chicken (shredded or diced), chorizo, pulled pork, sliced sausage or bacon lardons.
Toppers: Panko breadcrumbs, chopped chives, spring onion, chilli flakes, toasted pine nuts, rocket leaves or parmesan cheese.
Side dishes: Grilled asparagus, garlic bread or sweet potato fries.

Feel free to mix and match any ingredient combination to create your own unique twist on classic macaroni cheese!

Macaroni Recipes

Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

The All American

Stovetop Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ultimate Truffle Mushroom Mac and Cheese

Lily's Beef & Pork Bolognese Mac and Cheese

The Big Cheesy

Speedy Cajun Style Chicken Macaroni

Butternut Squash & Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ultimate Bacon Mac & Cheese

Brussels Sprout Mac & Cheese

Veggie 'Nduja and Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Pork Belly

Pea and Pesto Mac and Cheese

Ultimate Triple Cheese Mac and Cheese

Gochujang Mac and Cheese

Beef Pastitsio Style Pasta

Ghoulish Goulash Style Pork Pasta

Wonka’s Wonderful Maple Bacon Mac & Cheese

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Orkney Crab and King Prawn Mac and Cheese

Butternut Squash, Bacon Lardons, Mac and Cheese

Ghoulish Goulash Style Beef Pasta

Chorizo Pasta e Ceci

The Buffalo Blue

Double Bacon & Double Beef Cheeseburger

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Macaroni Cheese Sauce Recipe

What Can I Add to Plain Macaroni Cheese?

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