11 Creamy Mac and Cheese Twists You'll Make on Repeat

Mac and cheese, but make it exciting! These 11 creamy twists add bold flavors to the comfort-food classic everyone loves.

Below you’ll find 11 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Ultimate Creamy Stovetop Mac

The gold standard: silky three-cheese sauce clinging to every noodle.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup shredded gruyere
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp mustard powder

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
2. Melt butter; whisk in flour 1 minute.
3. Whisk in milk; simmer until thick, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in all three cheeses and mustard powder until melted.
5. Toss with the macaroni.
6. Serve immediately while gloriously gooey.

2. Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Spicy buffalo chicken folded into creamy mac with a blue cheese finish.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
2. Toss chicken with buffalo sauce.
3. Make a roux with butter and flour; whisk in milk until thick.
4. Stir in cheddar until smooth.
5. Fold in macaroni and buffalo chicken.
6. Top with blue cheese and broil 2 minutes.

3. Lobster Mac and Cheese

Luxurious lobster chunks in a gruyere cream sauce with a buttery crumb top.

Ingredients

• 16 oz cavatappi
• 1 lb cooked lobster meat
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded gruyere
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar
• 3/4 cup panko

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; cook cavatappi until al dente.
2. Make a roux with 4 tablespoons butter and flour; whisk in half-and-half.
3. Stir in gruyere and white cheddar until melted.
4. Fold in pasta and lobster.
5. Top with panko tossed in melted butter.
6. Bake 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

4. Bacon Jalapeño Mac and Cheese

Smoky bacon and spicy jalapeños in an ultra-creamy cheddar sauce.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 jalapeños, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup cream cheese

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
2. Sauté jalapeños in butter 2 minutes.
3. Whisk in flour, then milk; simmer until thick.
4. Stir in cheddar and cream cheese until smooth.
5. Fold in macaroni and half the bacon.
6. Top with remaining bacon and broil 2 minutes.

5. Truffle Mac and Cheese

Elegant and earthy with truffle oil, fontina, and a parmesan crust.

Ingredients

• 16 oz shells
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded fontina
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tsp truffle oil
• 1/2 cup panko

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F; cook shells until al dente.
2. Make a roux; whisk in half-and-half until thick.
3. Stir in fontina and half the parmesan.
4. Fold in pasta and truffle oil.
5. Top with panko and remaining parmesan.
6. Bake 20 minutes until golden.

6. Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese

A veggie-packed twist with tender broccoli in sharp cheddar sauce.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup panko

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni; add broccoli for the last 3 minutes; drain.
2. Make a roux with butter and flour; whisk in milk.
3. Stir in cheddar and garlic powder until smooth.
4. Fold in macaroni and broccoli.
5. Top with panko.
6. Broil 3 minutes until golden.

7. French Onion Mac and Cheese

Sweet caramelized onions and gruyere turn mac into French onion soup’s cheesy cousin.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 cups shredded gruyere
• 1 cup shredded Swiss
• 1 cup crouton crumbs

Instructions

1. Caramelize onions in butter 25 minutes until deep golden.
2. Whisk in flour; add broth and simmer until thick.
3. Stir in gruyere and Swiss until melted.
4. Fold in cooked macaroni.
5. Top with crouton crumbs.
6. Broil 3 minutes until bubbly and browned.

8. Taco Mac and Cheese

Fiesta flavors: seasoned beef, salsa, and pepper jack in creamy mac.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups pepper jack
• 1 cup salsa

Instructions

1. Brown beef with taco seasoning; drain.
2. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
3. Make a roux; whisk in milk until thick.
4. Stir in pepper jack until melted.
5. Fold in macaroni, beef, and salsa.
6. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

9. Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese

Shaved steak, peppers, and onions in a provolone-rich cheese sauce.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 lb shaved steak
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded provolone

Instructions

1. Sear steak 3 minutes; remove.
2. Sauté pepper and onion 5 minutes.
3. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
4. Make a roux; whisk in milk until thick.
5. Stir in provolone until smooth.
6. Fold in everything and serve hot.

10. Pimento Cheese Mac

Southern pimento cheese melted into mac — tangy, creamy, irresistible.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup pimento cheese spread
• 1/2 cup diced pimentos
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
2. Make a roux with butter and flour; whisk in milk.
3. Stir in cheddar and pimento cheese spread until smooth.
4. Add pimentos and hot sauce.
5. Fold in the macaroni.
6. Serve with extra pimentos on top.

11. Green Chile Mac and Cheese

Roasted green chiles and pepper jack give this mac a Southwestern kick.

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 cup roasted green chiles, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups pepper jack
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente; drain.
2. Make a roux; whisk in milk until thick.
3. Stir in pepper jack and cheddar until melted.
4. Fold in macaroni and green chiles.
5. Top with crushed tortilla chips.
6. Broil 2 minutes until golden.

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