Better Homes And Gardens Macaroni And Cheese Bites

plate with Roasted Sweet Potato-Bacon Mac and Cheese on gray placemat

Credit: Carson Downing

Every occasion is better with noodles and cheese, whether it's a potluck, holiday, or just a weeknight dinner. So we put together our cheesiest, most ooey-gooey macaroni and cheese recipes just for you. Whether you like yours with bacon, Mexican-inspired toppings, lobster, or extra cheese, you'll want to try every one of these homemade mac and cheese recipes.

Best Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Make this classic macaroni and cheese recipe your go-to whenever you're craving cheesy deliciousness. With four different cheeses and options to customize, you can make it slightly different or exactly the same each time. Try yummy variations like bacon and blue cheese, jalapeño popper, and truffle mac and cheese until you find your family's favorite.

Hatch Chile Mac 'n' Cheese

Hatch Chile Mac 'N' Cheese

Credit: Eva Kolenko

It takes a couple of extra ingredients to dress up classic macaroni into something spectacular. This stove top mac and cheese recipe has just enough kick to make it interesting. Hatch green chiles and jalapeños add spice to the ultra-creamy, extra cheesy recipe.

Three-Cheese Baked Mac

Credit: Blaine Moats

This classic, homey dish is perhaps the best mac and cheese recipe you'll find. Three cheeses—Swiss, sharp cheddar, and Gouda—make a super creamy, rich sauce that will have you scraping the dish for every last bite. Broiling for just a few minutes at the end makes the cheese bubbly and just a little bit browned for extra deliciousness.

Buy It: OXO 2-Quart Baking Dish ($17, Target)

Roasted Sweet Potato-Bacon Mac and Cheese

plate with Roasted Sweet Potato-Bacon Mac and Cheese on gray placemat

Credit: Carson Downing

Stirring sweet potatoes and bacon into an otherwise traditional macaroni and cheese recipe gives each bite a touch of extra sweetness and saltiness. Four cheeses (Gouda, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Parmesan) create a rich, thick sauce that clings to every noodle and piece of sweet potato.

Mac and Cheese Soup

Credit: Andy Lyons

Everyone who believes their macaroni can never have enough cheese sauce, this dish is for you. Using cream cheese and half-and-half in this creamy mac and cheese recipe turns it into ultra-delish noodle soup. Top each bowl with cheddar crackers to add crunch (and a little more cheese) to every bite.

Buffalo-Ranch Macaroni and Cheese

Buffalo-Ranch Macaroni Cheese

Credit: Karla Conrad

Gather just five ingredients and your slow cooker to make this easy macaroni and cheese recipe. Thanks to cayenne pepper sauce and ranch seasoning, this spicy mac and cheese is a tasty game day snack, side dish, or entrée. The best part? You can dump everything in your slow cooker and walk away.

Buy It: Crock-Pot 4-Quart Slow Cooker ($17, Walmart)

Four-Cheese Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese

Credit: Blaine Moats

Adding mashed butternut squash to this rich homemade mac and cheese recipe makes every bite more decadent (but also a little healthier). Thanks to mozzarella, cheddar, Muenster, and semisoft cheese, it's also one of the cheesiest macaroni recipes you'll ever make. Bake until it's golden brown, then savor every last bite.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese in bowls

Credit: Carson Downing

Sometimes, you just want the classic macaroni you grew up eating. When the craving strikes, make this easy macaroni and cheese recipe with a simple American cheese sauce. This easy dish comes together in just over 30 minutes, and is a great way to introduce kids to cooking.

Tuscan Mac and Cheese Cups

Tuscan Mac-and-Cheese Cups

Credit: Karla Conrad

Make mac and cheese with less mess with help from a muffin tin. For this baked mac and cheese recipe, first line each muffin cup with a slice of prosciutto, then spoon in macaroni made with Gouda and kale. Once it bakes, each cup will hold together into a cute, delicious individual portion.

Buy It: Cuisinart Muffin Pan ($17, Target)

Good and Healthy Macaroni and Cheese

Credit: Andy Lyons

Healthy mac and cheese? Yes, it exists! The trick to making this dish better for you than the usual old-fashioned macaroni and cheese recipe is using multigrain pasta and adding your favorite veggies. Try using broccoli, chopped carrots, or green beans—they're all equally yummy with the light cheese sauce.

Pressure Cooker Chili Mac and Cheese

Credit: Jason Donnelly

No time to wait for water to boil or the oven to preheat? Make this speedy pressure cooker mac and cheese recipe when you're crunched for time. Ground beef, chili powder, and salsa con queso create a hearty chili mac with a healthy dose of spice.

Buy It: Instant Pot Duo ($120, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Ham and Asparagus Macaroni

Credit: Andy Lyons

Put a springtime twist on mac and cheese by stirring fresh asparagus into the cheese sauce. Not overly cheesy, this creamy mac and cheese recipe mostly relies on Parmesan, milk, and butter to create the sauce. Include leftover ham in the mix to make a heartier meal.

Macaroni and Cheese with Cashew Cream

Credit: Carson Downing

Easy to adjust to please everyone at your table, this recipe uses homemade cashew cream to make an extra silky sauce. Swap in gluten-free pasta or dairy-free butter and cheese if you need to make this mac and cheese recipe work for different dietary needs. No matter how you change it up, the cheesy noodles and broccoli will be a hit with everyone at the table.

Homemade Microwave Mac and Cheese

Credit: Emily Fink

Sometimes, you just want fast macaroni and cheese with no mess and no fuss. When you're in need of a quick dish to satisfy a craving for noodles and cheese, make this 10-minute microwave recipe. Just combine classic mac and cheese ingredients in a mug, stir, microwave, and dig in!

Buy It: Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Mug ($4, Target)

Slow Cooker Cajun Mac and Cheese

Credit: Jason Donnelly

This Southern mac and cheese recipe uses all the bold flavors common in Cajun cooking. Chicken thighs, hot sauce, andouille sausage, and bell peppers all combine in your slow cooker for a hearty meal with plenty of spice. If that's not enough heat for you, serve with a little extra hot sauce on the side.

Cauliflower-Bacon Shells and Cheese

Cauliflower-Bacon Shells and Cheese in bowls

Credit: Brie Passano

With crisp bacon and gooey cheese taking the spotlight, picky eaters will hardly notice the healthy cauliflower in this yummy mac and cheese recipe. When cut into small florets and cooked until just tender, cauliflower will blend right in alongside the noodles. Once you pour on the Gouda and cheddar cheese sauce, this dish tastes like decadent mac and cheese with bacon.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Credit: Blaine Moats

Say hello to the best mac and cheese recipe for fall. It's loaded with pumpkin for extra creaminess and Fontina and Parmesan cheeses. Switch up the flavor by trying different noodles or cheeses each time you make it. Keep the recipe handy—it's one you'll make again and again.

Cheesy Pasta-Stuffed Shells

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Make this hearty baked mac and cheese recipe on a night when you feel like pulling out all the stops. It's loaded with two cheeses, two types of noodles, and your favorite tomato pasta sauce. With double the noodles and double the cheese, you've got a surefire weeknight dinner favorite.

Corn and Bacon Macaroni Pie

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

In this decadent recipe, homemade (or time-saving store-bought) piecrust gets piled high with cheesy macaroni, bacon, and corn, with a hint of mustard and Worcestershire sauce mixed into the sauce. Cooked until bubbly and golden brown, this tasty macaroni and cheese recipe is the definition of comfort food.

Buy It: Everyday White Pie Plate ($9, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Cheese Fondue Casserole

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Fondue meets mac and cheese in this fun twist on the classic. Gruyère and a double dose of Swiss cheese help this creamy mac and cheese recipe bake to gooey perfection. For a savory take, stir in 12 ounces of fresh or frozen shrimp and green onions before baking.

Mexican-Inspired Rigatoni and Cheese

Mexican Rigatoni and Cheese

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

We're taking an American favorite south of the border with zesty mix-ins like spicy chorizo sausage, poblano peppers, and black beans. Add pico de gallo to this baked mac and cheese recipe for a fresh, flavorful topper.

Macaroni and Brie with Crab

Macaroni Brie Crab

Credit: Andy Lyons

A baked mac and cheese recipe with bread crumbs sprinkled on top is comfort food at its finest. This rich dish starts with a whole wheel of Brie cheese and adds in a hefty dose of crabmeat for good measure. Top with a generous helping of homemade bread crumbs for an indulgent twist on mac and cheese.

Mexican-Style Mac and Cheese

Mexican Mac Cheese

Credit: Blaine Moats

There's a reason this quick and easy macaroni and cheese recipe is one of our top-rated dishes. It has all of the cheesiness of regular mac, plus pork sausage and green salsa mixed right in. Top with tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro for a simple meal that couldn't be more delicious.

Chili-Style Macaroni and Cheese

Credit: Andy Lyons

Why not take your mac and cheese and combine it with chili? This tex-mex, two-cheese version of baked mac and cheese gets a can of chili beans stirred in. Corn chips, jalapeños, and green onions add the perfect texture and kick to top things off.

Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Caramelized onions make most everything better. You know what else makes everything better? Bacon! So both are included in this over-the-top, deceptively easy macaroni and cheese recipe. You're going to want seconds.

South Indian-Style Macaroni and Cheese

Credit: Andy Lyons

This macaroni recipe has all of the classic ingredients you'd expect—lots of cheddar cheese, tender noodles, crispy bread crumbs—but with an added twist. Traditional Indian spices and fresh ginger layer this mac and cheese recipe with a bold depth of flavor that makes for a fresh, mouthwatering take on a traditional dish.

Chicken, Macaroni, and Cheese

Credit: Andy Lyons

This stove top mac and cheese recipe is almost a complete meal on its own, and you don't even have to turn on the oven. Spinach and baby tomatoes bring fresh flavor to this savory garlic-and-herb chicken macaroni.

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Truffled Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Credit: Jason Donnelly

If you want a five-star lobster mac and cheese recipe, this dish is for you. Rich, buttery lobster gets mixed in with crispy bacon, mushrooms, Gruyère, blue cheese, and a few generous drops of truffle oil for a dinner that's fit for royalty.

Macaroni with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

This isn't your average macaroni and cheese recipe—it's better. Blue cheese, walnuts, fresh mushrooms, and spinach all star in this pasta bake. To make this dish even richer, be sure to use shiitake mushrooms; their earthy flavor will give this recipe a powerful punch of umami flavor.

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