Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

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A delicious, extra cheesy take on traditional mac and cheese, this Italian Macaroni and Cheese recipe will have your entire family asking for seconds. This is simply an outstanding homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe.

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Want a good, easy recipe the entire family will enjoy? Here you go. This Italian mac and cheese is an excellent lunch, side with soup, side with dinner (or as dinner itself). It is a grown-up Italian mac and cheese that the kids will love too!

If you like lots of cheese in your macaroni and cheese, this is the recipe for you! Made with an Italian flair, this creamy mac and cheese recipe is a terrific pasta dish the whole family will enjoy.

Ooey-gooey cheesy goodness in a baked mac and cheese recipe – what could be better? This classic comfort food recipe has an Italian twist. Make it as a meal, as a side dish, to serve for adults or children; it’s all good!

Tips and variations for making this Italian macaroni and cheese recipe:

● If you do not have a Dutch oven, use a large, squat pot.
● Once the macaroni and cheese is removed from the oven, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
● Garnish with Italian Seasoning, recommended fresh basil, hot sauce, or grated Parmesan.
● There is no meat in this recipe. Adding cooked Italian sausage or cooked ground beef is possible, but I have never done so and cannot make cook time recommendations with those added ingredients. I would suggest draining the cooked sausage and cooked ground beef to remove the fat (use a paper towel to make sure all the grease is removed). There are other added protein ideas (like ground chicken or pepperoni) I am sure you might enjoy, but the ground beef and cooked sausage seem most likely.
● Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

If you would like more recipes that provide an Italian flair, try these:

Italian Ricotta Cheese Cookies Recipe
Hearty Italian Baked Ziti Recipe
Italian Beef Recipe

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Ingredients:

● 12 oz Elbow Macaroni
● 6 TBSP Butter
● 1/3 cup Flour
● 2½ cups Milk
● ¾ cup White Wine
● 1 tsp Ground Mustard
● 1 tsp Salt
● 1 tsp Garlic Powder
● ½ tsp Pepper
● ½ tsp Dried Oregano
● ½ tsp Dried Basil
● 12 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
● 8 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
● 1 cup Parmesan, shredded
● Fresh Basil for garnish

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Mise en Place:

Dutch oven
Colander
Measuring Cup
Whisk
Measuring Spoons
13×9 Baking Dish

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Directions:

1. preheat oven to 400˚.
2. In a Dutch oven, cook the macaroni until al dente and drain the macaroni in a colander.
3. Return the empty Dutch oven to the stovetop, and over low heat melt the butter.
4. Increase heat to medium, add the flour and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

5. Raise the heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in the milk a ½ cup at a time. Whisk until smooth after each addition.
6. Keep whisking until it starts to simmer, continue whisking, and slowly whisk in the wine.
7. Add the ground mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, and basil; whisk to combine.

8. Add the cheeses a handful at a time whisking until the cheese completely melts between each addition.

9. Add the al dente macaroni and stir to combine.

10. Pour the mixture into a greased 13″x9″ pan and bake at 400˚ until bubbly and browned for approximately 15-20 minutes.

11. Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh basil.

Yield: 1

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (12)

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe. A delicious, extra cheesy take on traditional mac and cheese, this Italian Macaroni and Cheese recipe will have your entire family asking for seconds. This is simply an outstanding homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe.

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time40 minutes

Total Time55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Elbow Macaroni
  • 6 tablespoons Butter
  • 1/3 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 2 ½ cups Milk
  • ¾ cup White Wine
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 12 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan, shredded
  • Fresh Basil for garnish

Instructions

    1. preheat oven to 400˚.
    2. In a Dutch oven cook over medium heat bring water to a rolling boil and cook the macaroni according to box directions for pasta cook time until al dente and drain the macaroni in a colander.
    3. Return the empty Dutch oven to the stovetop, and over low heat melt the butter.
    4. Increase heat to medium, add the flour, and cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
    5. Raise the flame to medium-high heat and slowly whisk in the milk a ½ cup at a time. Whisk until smooth after each addition.
    6. Keep whisking until it starts to simmer, continue whisking, and slowly whisk in the wine.
    7. Add the ground mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, and basil; whisk to combine.
    8. Add the cheeses a handful at a time whisking until the cheese completely melts between each addition.
    9. Add the al dente macaroni and stir to combine.
    10. Pour the mixture into a greased 13″x9″ pan and bake at 400˚ until bubbly and browned for approximately 15-20 minutes.
    11. Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh basil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 498Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1007mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

First Published: September 21, 2015

Last Updated: August 30, 2021

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Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is mac and cheese in italian? ›

maccheroni al formaggio pasta al formaggio. maccheroni e formaggio. mac and cheese.

What is the history of Italian mac and cheese? ›

History. Cheese and pasta casseroles were recorded in the 14th century in the Italian cookbook Liber de Coquina, which featured a dish of Parmesan cheese and pasta. A cheese and pasta casserole known as makerouns, was recorded in the 14th-century medieval English cookbook the Forme of Cury.

What kind of pasta is best for mac and cheese? ›

By definition, classic macaroni and cheese should be made with, well, macaroni, a style broadly defined as any short, cylindrical extruded pasta. This includes tubes like ziti, penne, rigatoni and, yes, elbows, as well as corkscrew shapes like fusilli.

Is macaroni Italian or American? ›

Maccheroni comes from Italian maccheroni (Italian: [makkeˈroːni]), plural form of maccherone. The academic consensus supports the position that the word is derived from the Greek μακαρία (makaría), a kind of barley broth which was served to commemorate the dead.

What do Italians mean when they say macaroni? ›

In southern Italy, maccheroni means various kinds of durum wheat semolina pasta, either short or long, hollow or not, smooth or ridged. Maccheroni is a generic name, but every specific type has its own name.

What is the Italian queen of cheese? ›

Regarded as the Queen of Italian cheese, burrata is a fresh cheese whose glory lasts but a day or two – but, oh, what a beautiful life it leads! Burrata is a newer cheese, originating in southern Italy in the 20th century.

What is a fancy name for mac and cheese? ›

Macaroni au gratin is, of course, a fancy name for mac and cheese. In this case though, it really is so much more than your run-of-the-mill mac.

What is the black history of macaroni and cheese? ›

NASHVILLE, TN — One famous dish during Thanksgiving, macaroni and cheese, is an often-forgotten contribution of Black Americans. It was James Hemings who would bring the dish to America from Paris in the 18th century while enslaved by the 3rd president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.

What 2 cheeses are best for mac and cheese? ›

For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes.

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

What's the difference between macaroni and mac and cheese? ›

The word macaroni is used to describe and categorize small and medium-sized dried pasta shapes. In the United States, macaroni has become synonymous with a shape of pasta referred to as an elbow. This elbow pasta shape is most commonly used for macaroni (mac) and cheese, but is also used in pasta salads and soups.

Do Italians eat macaroni cheese? ›

Macaroni cheese is an Anglo-Saxon twist of a typical Italian dish made with pasta and cheese which was exported to the UK and US by Italian emigrants in the 18th century and then in between the two world wars.

What do Italians call pasta? ›

The word 'pasta' is an Italian word meaning 'paste', referring to the paste that pasta dough is made from with egg or water and flour. However, before Italian pasta as we know of, was all over the world, pasta was called 'maccaronaro'.

Do Italians call tomato sauce gravy? ›

Here's the gist: the two ways Italians say “sauce” in Italian are salsa and/or sugo. Both words translate as “sauce” but never as “gravy.” Ragù doesn't even translate as “gravy” but comes close enough since it involves meat which is what people really mean when they say “gravy” (my personal opinion).

What is Italian cheesy pasta called? ›

Cacio e pepe (Italian: [ˈkaːtʃo e pˈpeːpe]) is a pasta dish typical of the Lazio region of Italy. Cacio e pepe means 'cheese and pepper' in several central Italian dialects. In keeping with its name, the dish contains grated pecorino romano and black pepper, together with tonnarelli or spaghetti.

What is the Italian name for cheese? ›

Formaggio is the Italian word for cheese, mozzarella is a type of cheese, just like cheddar, Camembert or Brie.

What is long macaroni called in Italian? ›

Long- and medium-length pasta
TypeDescription
Busiate (or busiati)Type of long macaroni. Often coiled around a twig of local weed.
CapelliniVery thin spaghetti, often coiled into nests. Capelli d'angelo are slightly thinner.
FedeliniVery thin spaghetti
FerrazzuoliSimilar to a twisted buccato with a cleft running on the side
35 more rows

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