Mac ‘n cheese is the ultimate comfort food, but you shouldn’t be afraid to kick the classic dish up a notch! Using a cast-iron skillet is an easy way to transform the simple dish into a cheesy-baked masterpiece. If you’re ready to graduate from boxed mac ‘n cheese, here are 6 skillet recipes to help you get in on the mac-tion.
Spicy Buffalo chicken mac ‘n cheese
Meet your new gameday staple. This buffalo mac is made with shredded rotisserie chicken, Texas toast croutons, and spicy buffalo sauce. The recipe also calls for making your own roux, which is a thickening agent made from flour and butter. While you’re at it, you can even make your own buffalo sauce. You got this!
Keto-friendly cauliflower mac ‘n cheese
This keto-friendly time machine takes you straight back to your childhood. The low-carb recipe uses cauliflower florets instead of macaroni, but what it lacks in pasta it more than makes up for in gooey cheese. The recipe calls for 3 different types of cheese: gouda, cheddar and parmesan. Feel free to top with steak or chicken for an extra protein punch.
Easy, quick and classic mac ‘n cheese
Sometimes it’s best to just play the hits. This traditional Southern recipe requires only 5 ingredients and it’s super easy to make. It’s perfect as a side dish or as the star of the show. Toss in some sautéed greens for a well-balanced dish that’ll have the crowd going wild.
Vegan garlic mac ‘n cheese
This flavor-packed recipe uses almond milk and vegan parmesan cheese to achieve a creamy, cheesy texture that’s just as good as the real thing. The noodles are infused with raw, roasted garlic for a delicious kick that’ll help round out a weeknight dinner.
Baked skillet beef taco mac ‘n cheese
Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot more interesting! This taco mac ‘n cheese takes just 30 minutes to make, and it’s loaded with ground beef, vegetables, and plenty of flavorful spices. For a vegetarian version, swap the ground beef for ground plant-based meat. It’s the food mashup of your dreams!
Light and vegetarian butternut squash mac ‘n cheese
This recipe uses a sauce made from butternut squash and Greek yogurt, which gives the cavatappi pasta a creamy texture without using a ton of butter. This dish is on the lighter side of things when it comes to mac ‘n cheese. But it’s still got plenty of cheese and it’s topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, so you won’t hear anyone complaining.
If you like this recipe, check out this recipe for for baked pepperoni pizza mac ‘n cheese.
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