Tess Rose Lampert is a New York City-based writer, beverage educator, and lover of savings. With over a decade in the alcoholic beverage industry, she strives to enhance consumers' everyday experiences with food and beverage through dynamic and interactive writings, educational seminars, and events.
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Boxed mac and cheese is a standby favorite, but after a few meals it could use a little sprucing up. Simple additions of canned food or frozen goods you have on hand can transform the dish with minimal effort, and there are some more elaborate routes that can make it downright gourmet. This mix of additions and recipes ensures your supply of mac and cheese boxes will be diverse and enjoyable.
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This Tex-Mex inspired hack uses ground beef for a taco-flavored, one-pan meal. Other proteins, such as chicken or mushrooms, would also work well as a substitution — or even be omitted entirely, leaving the seasonings to do the work.
Recipe: The Country Cook
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Pepperoni adds zestiness and an extra layer of satisfying flavor, and can stand in for a pizza craving. You could chop it up and mix it, in or layer it on top and place the entire dish under the broiler for a bit of textural contrast.
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Use the mac and cheese as the cheesy element in buffalo chicken cups made with wonton wrappers. The filling alone could be a fun twist on this dish if you don't have the wrappers on hand.
Recipe: Tablespoon
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Stir in a can of green diced chiles or some salsa verde for a spicy southwestern kick. Fresh chilies also work, though you'll probably want to sauté them a bit before making the cheese sauce in the same pan — it will reduce the spiciness of fresh hot peppers.
Bacon and cheese are natural complements, and mac and cheese is no exception. Anything from bacon bits to thick-cut strips will work well with the base of noodles and cheese. You can even cook bacon in the pan and use its rendered fat to lend extra flavor to the cheese sauce.
How do you make mac and cheese even more cravable? Fry it into golden delicious balls of cheesy goodness. These are almost too easy to make, but are definitely not an everyday food — just a once-in-a-while indulgence that can be a real mood-lifter.
Recipe: Damn Delicious
Combine favorites by using the mac and cheese in place of the traditional nacho cheese — a smart pantry hack for when the craving strikes for either (or both).
Recipe: Insider
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A tasty, gourmet spin. This recipe gets bonus points for using only five ingredients; adding artichokes and spinach, rather than a premade mix, cuts down on extra salt.
Recipe: Zen & Spice
Take grilled cheese to the next level. The double dose of cheese and carbs is sure to be ultra satisfying and poke the dopamine centers of the brain for an enjoyable and indulgent snack.
Recipe: Kirbie Cravings
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Make mac and cheese into an even creamier, cheesier meal by turning it into a soup. This recipe explains how a few simple additions stretches this meal even further and ups the comfort factor.
Recipe: Just a Pinch
This recipe is packed with more cheese, tons of veggies, and seasonings to give it a Mexican-inspired flavor. Dressing it up with these ingredients can be a side dish in a Mexican-themed menu or a meal all on its own.
Recipe: Kraft
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Leftover hamburger meat can be crumbled, or fresh ground beef can be cooked and seasoned and mixed into the mac and cheese once it is prepared. This adds protein and creates a cheeseburger-like flavor, adding indulgence and heartiness to the pantry staple.
You could simply pour your steaming mac and cheese over a bed of french fries for a variation on cheese fries or a very downscale poutine — but it's so much better to mix the two thoroughly and let the french fries add heft and crunch to your creamy bowl, almost like a baked mac and cheese from within.
Leftover vegetables? Combining roasted veggies with a box of mac and cheese is a satisfying way to use them up while adding nutrition to the dish. Any vegetable works, from broccoli or Brussels sprouts to potato or onions. Try chopping the vegetables into bite-sized pieces for the best integration of ingredients.
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Create a chili-style dish by adding tomato sauce. Add a lot of sauce for a spoonable dish, or just a little to give the extra depth of tomato flavor to the cheese sauce. Topping it with some red chili flakes or oregano could even give it a pizza vibe.
Breakfast mac and cheese? No problem. Top your mac with a fried egg, or scrambled, or poached if you're feeling fancy, and call it brunch. Add your favorite hot sauce or some extra cheese and enjoy with toast points to round it out.
Related: 30 Cheap, Easy Breakfast Ideas to Start the Day Right
Turn boxed mac and cheese into a tuna melt casserole by mixing in a can of drained tuna. It's best to mix the tuna in with the hot drained pasta to heat it through and for even distribution of the cheese sauce.
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Great as a side dish or for celebratory spreads as the weather heats up, this pasta salad uses boxed mac and cheese as the base. This dish can easily accommodate substitutions and twists to make it your own, from unique seasonings blends to a different mix of veggies.
Recipe: Plain Chicken
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Crumble crackers on top for crunch, like the homemade kind baked in the oven. Eat as is, or place under the broiler to combine the elements even more.
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A bag of frozen veggies plus a box of mac and cheese can be a nutritious and satisfying meal. Anything works well, from peas and carrots to broccoli or spinach. You can throw the veggies in the pasta water just before straining to warm them through, or get some extra flavor by sautéing them with some spices in the pan before making the cheese sauce.
Related: 24 Healthy Recipes You'll Never Know Were Made With Frozen Produce
