5 Of The Best Macaroni And Cheese Recipes For College Students

Macaroni and cheese is always one of my go-to recipes in college. Everybody loves good mac and cheese recipes, so this is a good article for anyone, not just college students. It’s very difficult to make without an oven, though, so keep that in mind.

1. Baked Mac and Cheese

This is one of the classic recipes that is a favorite to everyone. It’s one of the recipes we always have for family gatherings. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of dry macaroni noodles
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 cups of whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup of seasoned panko crumbs

Steps:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. Cook the pasta in a pot and then drain when cooked. Do not overcook and drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta. Toss the pasta to coat with the oil.

3. Melt the butter in a cast-iron pan on the stove, and whisk in the flour until it is smooth, with no lumps.

4. Add milk and spices. Stir well and bring to a boil. Keep stirring until the milk and butter mix together.

5. Lower the heat and bring it to a simmer. Keep stirring until it is mixture is thicker.

6. Add both kinds of cheese and keep stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth.

7. Add the pasta and stir until the noodles are well coated with the sauce.

Topping Steps:

1. Combine butter and olive oil in a saucepan over the stove until melted.

2. Add panko and stir until the butter and oil have mostly been absorbed by the panko. Continue to stir until the panko is lightly toasted.

3. Sprinkle toasted panko over the macaroni and cheese. Put in the oven and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes and serve.

2. Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

This turns one of the classic recipes into a bite-size food. I love finger food recipes, so this is a great recipe for that. Enjoy this macaroni and cheese recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of macaroni
• 16 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups of seasoned bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil to fry

Steps:

1. Boil macaroni until tender and then drain.

2. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and mix until a light brown.

3. Add 1 cup of milk and mix until thick. Add cheese, one handful at a time, and mix until melted and smooth.

4. Add macaroni and mix until covered in the cheese. Add salt and pepper. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form cold macaroni and cheese into 1 inch balls and put on the baking sheet. Place in the freezer for at least an hour.

6. Beat eggs and add 1/4 cup of milk in a bowl to make an egg wash. Dip balls into the egg wash and then roll in the bread crumbs, coating completely.

7. Heat oil in a skillet, about 1/2 inch deep, and heat over medium-high. Fry 3-4 minutes, until golden, and drain.

3. Ranch Mac ‘n Cheese

This is another way to turn classic recipes into a modern-day favorite. Adding ranch dressing to everything makes the recipes better.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of elbow pasta
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 3 cups of whole milk
• 2 teaspoons of Hidden Valley Seasoning
• 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Steps:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam. Then mix in the flour until smooth and cook 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and seasoning mix. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. About 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, stir in the cheese until melted, then add the cooked pasta, mixing thoroughly.

4. Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

My brother loves adding buffalo hot sauce to all the recipes he comes across. This turns classic recipes into something everyone loves.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of dry macaroni noodles
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
• 4 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup of buffalo hot sauce
• 1 1/2 cup of shredded chicken

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of seasoned panko crumbs

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a square pan with butter. 

2. Cook pasta according to the directions.

3. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. Then add the spices. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and stir frequently until it is thickened.

4. Reduce heat to low, and add the cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheeses are melted and smooth.

5. Add hot sauce and stir. Add shredded chicken and pasta noodles. Stir well until coated by the sauce.

6. Pour into dish and make the panko topping.

7. Combine butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until melted.

8. Add panko and stir well until the butter and oil are absorbed. Continue to stir until the panko is lightly toasted.

9. Sprinkle over the mac and cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 350. Then serve.

5. Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

The South makes everything taste better, so I figured I’d give some of the recipes a try. This is a really good recipe and I recommend that you try it.

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces of macaroni
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 3 1/2 cups of whole milk
• 8 ounces of cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 8-9 minutes. Drain the pasta.

3. Melt the butter in a pot over the stove.  Sprinkle the flour, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper over the melted butter. Whisk until smooth and the mixture has thickened slightly.

4. Stir in the milk a little at a time, only adding more when it has been mixed together properly.

5. Add all of the cheddar cheese and half of the sharp cheddar cheese. Stir in the milk and flour sauce until fully melted. Mix in the pasta.

6. Pour into a baking pan. Top with the rest of the sharp cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes and then serve.

Try these recipes and let me know what you think. If you have any other recipes to try, leave them in the comments and I’ll try them.

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