5 Best Mac and Cheese Recipes for Easter

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. When done, drain well.

While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta cooks, shred the cheese. Grate the cheese with the coarse side of a box grater. Once you finish grating, mix all the cheese together in a large bowl, then divide into two even portions and set aside.

Make the seasoning mix: in a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Set it aside.

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/2 of the seasoning mix. Stir, bringing out the aromatics. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until everything bubbles slightly and looks incorporated.

Slowly stream in the evaporated milk while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Next, add the heavy cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in the Dijon and remaining seasoning mix. Let the sauce come to a simmer and thicken, giving it an occasional whisk.

Add HALF of the cheese. Turn the heat to low (or remove it from the heat if needed) and slowly melt in 1/2 of the cheese, handful by handful, making sure the cheese melts before adding more.

Stir in the drained pasta, making sure to coat all the noodles in sauce.

Grab your casserole dish and add 1/2 of the mac and cheese to the bottom of the dish, spreading evenly. Layer on 1/2 of the remaining cheese then the remaining mac and cheese.

Finish by evenly layering on the last of the shredded cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top melts and bubbles. Broil for 2 minutes to give it a crispy crust, the remove, let sit for a bit so you don’t burn yourself, scoop and enjoy!

Cook the macaroni in a large pat of salted water according to the package directions and drain well. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, stir in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and dry mustard, until smooth and incorporated.

Pour the milk into the pan in a thin stream while whisking, until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 3-5 minutes.

Add the cubed Velveeta and shredded cheddar and stir until melted and creamy.

Add in the drained macaroni, mixing until evenly coated, taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until crisp, 5 to 15 seconds, depending on the size of the leaves. Remove the crisp leaves to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.

Whisk the flour into the melted butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is a blond color and the mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk in a thin stream, continuing to whisk until any lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth and quite thick, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add the remaining 1 cup of milk along with 2½ cups of water, as well as the garlic, mustard, and onion powders. Add the uncooked ziti and stir until wisps of steam come up, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Let cook, gently bubbling, until the ziti is tender and the sauce starts to thicken, 9 to 10 minutes. (It will still be quite saucy at this point—adding the cheese will thicken it up.)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and pumpkin puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand for a couple of minutes; the sauce will thicken as it rests. Crumble the crispy sage leaves on top, and serve hot.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a skillet, heat up a bit of oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until slightly softened. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the beef until deeply browned. Drain off excess fat, if needed. Stir in the onions, carrots, and frozen peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the beef mixture into a oven proof dish and set aside while making the macaroni and cheese.

Cook the pasta according to the package, drain and set aside.

Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes, until smooth. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. When smooth, add the rest of the milk. Keep on medium heat and stir for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of cheddar. Add the drained macaroni and stir to coat.

Top the beef and sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy warm.

Heat up a stone bowl, lightly oiled, over medium-low heat.

Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain and set aside.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about three minutes, until completely smooth and incorporated. Pour in half of the milk in a thin stream while whisking. It might start out lumpy, but keep whisking and it will smooth out into a thick paste. Add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Keep on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the macaroni.

Sprinkle some cheese into the dolsot then add the macaroni and cheese. Top with more cheese, the chopped kimchi, and the mentaiko, if using. Mix it all up and push the macaroni against the sides of the bowl. The cheese will form a crispy frico/socarrat. The longer you wait, the crispier it will get. Enjoy, adding some gochugaru for an extra kick!