3 ‘simple’ ways to jazz up mac n cheese in minutes

Tired of the same old mac and cheese recipes? Fed up of making it the classic way each time? No worries, we’ve got you covered!

There’s a selection of recipes below that we’ve picked for you to try. These deviate from the standard pasta dish, including a French onion mac and cheese soup and even a pulled pork version.

As the nights continue to draw in, what could be better than a warming mac and cheese with a hunk of crusty bread. Go on, give these recipes a try, you know you want to!

French onion mac & cheese soup

This french onion mac and cheese soup is yummy
(Image: Carey Jaman/Shutterstock)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

■ 4 tbsp unsalted butter

■ 4 medium brown onions, thinly sliced

■ Salt and pepper, to taste

■ 1 bay leaf

■ 2-3 sprigs thyme

■ 250ml dry white wine

■ 1 tbsp cognac (optional)

■ 1 litre veal or beef stock

■ 1 x Family Stovetop Mac & Cheese, subbing Gruyère for the Cheddar

■ 25g grated Gruyère cheese

■ 25g grated Parmesan cheese

■ 1 baguette, cut into 2.5-5cm wide slices, lightly spread with melted butter (or use garlic butter croutons)

1 Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add half of the onions and season with a quarter of a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Top with the remaining onions and season with a quarter of a teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid evaporates and the onions are very soft and just beginning to turn golden, about 45 minutes-1 hour.

2 Add the white wine and cognac, if using, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until almost completely evaporated, about 6 minutes. Pour in the stock and 250ml water, bring to a high simmer, and cook until the soup has reduced to about 1.2 litres, about 30-40 minutes.

3 Season and remove the bay leaves and thyme. Keep warm over a low heat or leave to cool, refrigerate, and reheat later.

4 Preheat the grill. Place four soup crock pots on a rimmed baking sheet and fill each about three-quarters full with hot soup. Top each with a quarter of the mac and cheese (some will sink, which is fine). Evenly sprinkle with the cheeses and baguette slices or croutons. Grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown in spots (the soup will bubble and some may spill out). Serve hot.

Slow cooker pulled pork mac and cheese

A pulled pork mac and cheese is a delicious variation on the classic
(Image: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

For the pulled pork

■ 900g boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed

■ ½ brown onion, sliced

■ ½ can of cola, Dr Pepper, or ginger ale

■ 250-500ml BBQ sauce

For the mac & cheese

■ Non-stick cooking spray

■ 450g cavatappi pasta

■ ½ tsp olive oil or melted butter

■ 115g unsalted butter

■ 115g plain flour

■ 1.2 litres milk

■ 500g grated mature and/or white Cheddar cheese

■ 250g grated mild Cheddar cheese

1 Place the pork and onion in a 6-litre slow cooker. Pour in the fizzy drink and cook on low for 4-5 hours while you make the mac and cheese.

2 Preheat oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C/gas 5 and spray a 3-litre casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

3 Cook the pasta following packet instructions, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drizzle half a teaspoon of oil or melted butter on top, then mix thoroughly.

4 Put a frying pan on a medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add milk a few tablespoons at a time and whisk constantly. After all the milk is added, reduce heat to low and whisk until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.

5 Transfer the pork from the slow cooker to a plate and shred with two forks. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and put the shredded pork back in. Add the BBQ sauce and stir. Cover to keep warm while you assemble the mac and cheese.

6 Remove the white sauce from the heat and add the cheese, reserving 55g to bake on top, stirring until smooth. Stir in the macaroni.

7 Transfer the mac and cheese to the prepared dish and top with the pork. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes to help warm the mixture through.

Perfect baked mac & cheese

If you do fancy the classic version, here’s how to make the ultimate baked one!
(Image: Ivan Dziuba/Shutterstock)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

■ 450g elbow macaroni

■ ½ tsp olive oil or melted butter

■ 1.2 litres milk

■ 115g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

■ 60g plain flour

■ 2 tsp salt

■ ¼ tsp black pepper

■ ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

■ ¼ tsp garlic powder

■ Pinch of chipotle chilli powder, or to taste (optional)

■ 500g grated mature and/or white Cheddar cheese

■ 230g grated mild Cheddar cheese or 125g grated pecorino cheese

■ 1 bag (350g) garlic butter croutons (optional)

1 Cook the macaroni for 2-3 minutes less than the instructions on the packet. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil or butter on top, then mix well.

2 Heat the milk in a pan over a low-medium heat.

3 In a separate highsided frying pan or large saucepan, melt the butter over a low-medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour and cook, whisking together, for 1 minute. Once the mixture (roux) has thickened, slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes a thick sauce. Turn the heat down if the sauce thickens too quickly.

4 Preheat the oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C/gas 5. Lightly butter a 3-litre casserole dish.

5 Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder, chilli powder, if using, and all but 115-155g Cheddar cheese (or 50g pecorino, if using). Mix until a smooth sauce forms, then stir in the macaroni.

6 Pour the mixture into the baking dish. If using, pulse the croutons in a food processor to breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar (or pecorino) and breadcrumbs, if using, over the top. Bake until the cheese has browned, about 30 minutes.

Mac & Cheese: 60 Super Tasty Recipes by Carol Hilker (HQ, Harper Collins, £16.99)
(Image: Mac & Cheese: 60 Super Tasty Recipes by Carol Hilker (HQ, HarperCollins))

Mac & Cheese: 60 Super Tasty Recipes by Carol Hilker (HQ, Harper Collins, £16.99)

Photography: Carey Jaman, Ivan Dziuba, Brent Hofacker, Shutterstock

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