35 Mac & Cheese Recipes That Are SO Much Better Than The Boxed Stuff

Get ready for a fiesta in your mouth with this creamy, spicy mac and cheese. It's a surefire crowd-pleaser that'll have you contemplating reaching for the tortilla chips to scoop up every delicious bite.

Get the Queso Mac & Cheese recipe.

Here at Delish, our best-ever mac and cheese is perfect for any occasion, from family weeknight dinners to holiday spreads. In our book, the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe has to be three things: extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping. This one nails all three!

Get the Homemade Mac & Cheese recipe.

To give a new spin on the superior comfort food, we decided to give it a kick that makes you say, “Maybe I can go for seconds—or thirds!” From the kick of the pimento peppers and tabasco to the bacon crumble in the sauce and the breadcrumbs, this jacked-up variation keeps every bite interesting.

Get the Bacon & Pimento Mac & Cheese recipe.

We bake this party pleaser in muffin tins to create a bite-sized app that is perfect for game day snacking. If you just can’t decide what comfort food you’re craving, try these bites—you won’t be disappointed.

Get the Mac & Cheese Pizza Bites recipe.

These shells take sausage and peppers to a new level. They're super flavorful, thanks to chicken broth, a splash of half and half, onion, and garlic. Plus, they use one of our favorite shortcuts for cooking pasta (and rice, too).

Get the Italian Mac & Cheese recipe.

TikTok may be obsessed with French onion pasta, but we added a special Delish twist: French onion mac & cheese. The comfort food classic gets a grown-up upgrade from Gruyère and caramelized onions in this recipe, lending that rich French onion flavor you know and love to extra-cheesy mac & cheese.

Get the French Onion Mac & Cheese recipe.

Chef Millie Peartree's Southern baked mac & cheese is famous for a number of reasons. Our major takeaway—layering cheese and an eggy custard makes for the MOST creamy, saucy, and decadent dish ever. We might never make it another way again.

Get the Southern Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.

Extra-cheesy, this mac is topped with buttery croutons, garlicky onions, and crisp bacon before being baked to a beautiful golden-brown. If you want to bring the fancy factor to your holiday dinner or special date night, this decadent mac is a sure way to give a grown-up twist to a nostalgic classic.

Get the Bacon Mac & Cheese recipe.

In this Tex-Mex-inspired hack, we added taco seasoning, milk, and butter to the boxed cheese packet, piled on even more cheese to the pasta, then sprinkled in fresh pico de gallo. The result is an extra flavorful mac that feels (and tastes!) like you put in way more effort than you actually did.

Get the Taco Mac & Cheese recipe.

Here’s one way to get more veggies into picky eaters’ mouths: Score and scoop out zucchini pulp, chop, and cook it down with spices into a cream sauce, then incorporate it into good ol’ kid-approved mac & cheese.

Get the Mac & Cheese Stuffed Zucchini recipe.

This one-pot meal is a perfect way to warm up during the colder months, so go ahead and make it in the dead of winter to awaken your soul and grab a spoon to dig in! The best part? This hearty favorite is ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect go-to weeknight dinner.

Get the Chili Mac recipe.

If you’re not into creamy, melty macaroni and cheese with a super satisfying cheese-pull, then you might want to find another mac recipe. Sorry, but this slow-cooker macaroni and cheese is just too darn dreamy. And did you catch that it’s made in the crockpot?!

Get the Crockpot Mac & Cheese recipe.

Creamy, sweet, and conveniently orange, butternut squash adds extra body and richness to mac & cheese. A little thyme does some heavy lifting, making the homey comfort classic a little fancy, and bringing some fall flavors to the table that are *chef’s kiss*.

Get the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese recipe.

Rich, decadent, and creamy, this dish is more than just lobster added to classic mac & cheese. It stands alone, making for a wow-worthy side dish or main on any dinner spread. Follow our guide, and you’ll have a creamy, cheese lobster mac that will taste like it came straight from your favorite fancy seafood restaurant.

Get the Lobster Mac & Cheese recipe.

Newsflash: You don’t need to leave your house to enjoy your favorite fast-casual mac & cheese anymore. With this copycat, you can make it for a crowd and at a fraction of the price. The key: a combination of white cheddar for that deep cheesiness and white American cheese to impart a silky texture.

Get the Copycat Panera Mac & Cheese recipe.

The perfect bite to start any party is one made of mac and cheese and lobster. Our favorite part? The outside get SO crispy, while a little black pepper sprinkled on top makes them really pop.

Get the Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites recipe.

During busy weeks, Instant Pot meals are a dinner lifesaver, and one of our forever go-to is this creamy, cheesy classic. This recipe makes the comfort food staple even easier—simply toss all your ingredients in the pot, and let it do all the work for you!

Get the Instant Pot Mac & Cheese recipe.

On a camping trip, the classics are usually in order: s'mores, hot dogs, and baked beans. But, when we're really looking to take our trip up a notch, this campfire mac & cheese is our go-to recipe.

Get the Campfire Mac & Cheese recipe.

Our love for jalapeño poppers knows no end so we took inspo from the classic and stuffed them with mac & cheese. We opted for box, but if you want to make a batch of your favorite mac & cheese go for it. The cheesier the better, just don't forget the bacon!

Get the Mac & Cheese Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

Lesson #1 from making cacio e pepe: Toasting black pepper in butter intensifies the flavor of the pepper. We took that same technique and applied it to macaroni and cheese, then threw in a ton of freshly grated Pecorino to give more of the Italian pasta vibe.

Get the Cacio E Pepe Mac & Cheese recipe.