3 Delicious Mac and Cheese Dishes You Need to Try

Is there a more comforting comfort food than macaroni and cheese? If you love mac and cheese—and wish you could include it in every meal—these recipes are for you. Chef Frank Proto, Director of Culinary Operations at the Institute of Culinary Education, has cooked up three creative recipes that use macaroni and cheese as their main ingredient. For a cheesier cookout, try Chef Frank’s fried mac and cheese burger buns; for more upscale dinners, try the mac and cheese stuffed peppers; and for a perfect party appetizer, we recommend the bacon-wrapped mac and cheese. These recipes transform the classic comfort food in surprising ways—and they’re perfect for revitalizing leftover mac and cheese.

Chef Frank's Classic Mac & Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Box Elbow Pasta 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) butter 3-4 tablespoons flour 4-5 cups milk 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 pound American cheese 1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook elbow pasta to desired doneness.
2. Heat butter in a sauce pot over medium heat.  Add the flour until you get a wet sand consistency. 
3. Cook over low for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently. 
4. Add the milk and the garlic and let come to a simmer. 
5. Lower the heart and let cook for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add the both cheeses and whisk until combined.
7. Add the cooked pasta and coat well. 

Mac & Cheese Burger Buns Recipe

Ingredients:

Macaroni and Cheese 2 Eggs 1 Cup Flour 1 Cup Bread Crumbs Burger Patty Lettuce Tomatoes Condiments (ketchup or mustard) Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

1. Refrigerate mac & cheese for two hours.
2. Use a ramekin or a cup to cut out burger bun shape.
3. Add flour, egg (beaten), and breadcrumbs to separate bowls.
4. Dip mac and cheese buns in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs consecutively, covering on both sides.
5. Turn stove on medium high heat and add oil to pan.
6. Fry mac and cheese buns until golden brown on both sides (about 30 seconds to a minute).
7. In a separate pan on medium high heat, grill burger patty until it reaches desired doneness.
8. Build your burger: Add burger patty, lettuce, tomatoes, and your favorite condiments to your mac and cheese burger patties, then dig in!

Bacon-Wrapped Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

Macaroni and Cheese Bacon Bread Crumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a pan with oil, cook bacon until cooked through but not yet crisp.
3. Grab a muffin or cupcake tin. Line tin with bacon, using one piece per cup.
4. Pour mac & cheese into tin.
5. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
6. Bake bacon-wrapped mac & cheese in oven for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
7. Let bacon-wrapped mac & cheese cool before removing from tin.
8. Carefully remove each piece of bacon-wrapped mac & cheese from tin, using a knife to separate any stuck edges.

Mac and Cheese Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Ingredients:

Macaroni and Cheese Cooked chorizo 3 Bell Peppers Bread Crumbs Shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Add cooked chorizo to macaroni and cheese, stirring in with sauce.
3. Cut tops off of bell peppers and remove seeds.
4. If bell peppers cannot stand upright on their own, slice bottom to level.
5. Pour macaroni and cheese into bell peppers.
6. Top with bread crumbs and shredded cheese.
7. Place on baking sheet and bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until peppers are soft.