You can also use whole grain pasta here if you prefer. Frozen peas stirred into the sauce would also work very well – just experiment and see what you like! I’d recommend peppers and tomatoes – and olives, if you like them. You can also add some veggies to your simple macaroni cheese. You may not need the same amount of cheddar as you would mozzarella, so it’s best to just judge it by eye. I’d recommend using freshly grated mature cheddar in place of the mozzarella, and potentially a stronger cheese such as gruyere in place of the parmesan. There are several options here, and while some are easier than others, they’re all absolutely delicious!įor the first option, you can edit which types of cheese you use.
#Easy mac n cheese recipe with cream cheese full
What ingredients do I need to make this recipe? It’s brilliant! This also means that it’s a brilliant recipe for children or inexperienced cooks to try. My favourite thing about this cream cheese macaroni, though, isn’t that there’s minimal washing up – it’s that it’s practically impossible to mess up! I’ve made this recipe at least 30 times already, and not once has the sauce turned grainy or has there been a lack of flavour. To be honest, if you have a pan that can be used both on the stovetop and then in the oven then you could just use that for everything! This means that you only need to properly wash up the dish you bake the pasta in. I also prefer to minimise washing up, which I do in this recipe by boiling the macaroni in one pan (it’s only had pasta water in it’ll only need a quick rinse, right?) and then using the tray I bake the mac and cheese in to mix together the cream cheese (and rest of the sauce ingredients) with the pasta, which I then top with mozzarella, cheddar or a crispy breadcrumb topping. So, I was looking for a way to make macaroni cheese without always having to make a roux (or use a jarred cheese sauce – they always lack flavour!). Plus, you can customise the flavours to your heart’s content. This cream cheese macaroni pasta bake is the simplest, creamiest mac and cheese ever – and it’s ridiculously easy! There’s no need for a roux that could split, and you can choose whether to top the bake with breadcrumbs or melty cheese.