Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Published on: March 9, 2021

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If you’re looking for a meal that’s sure to be a hit, look no further than Patti LaBelle’s macaroni and cheese recipe!

Patti LaBelle is not just an award-winning singer, she’s a pretty impressive home cook, as well. Case in point: her ridiculously delectable macaroni and cheese.

Think you’ve nailed the perfect mac and cheese recipe? I’ll bet this one will change your mind.

Oozing with four different kinds of cheese, Patti LaBelle definitely knows a thing or two about comfort food.

Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (1)

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Patti LaBelle’s Macaroni and Cheese

Mac and cheese is the quintessential comfort food. How can you go wrong with pasta and cheese? It’s such a feel-good dish that one bowl is enough to cure the blues.

While I have no qualms about the classic mac and cheese, I enjoy it more when baked. It’s why Patti LaBelle’s recipe ranks at the top.

Something magical happens to cheese as it bakes.

It turns into a beautiful golden brown and forms a crisp crust that contrasts wonderfully with the firm pasta and ooey-gooey sauce.

The best part is that it’s a snap to make. There’s no need to make a roux. The rich ingredients in this recipe alone are enough to make a thick sauce.

Ingredients

  • Macaroni. The “mac” in mac and cheese.
  • Butter. For added richness. Use unsalted butter because the sauce is already pretty loaded with salt.
  • Cheeses. A combo of Muenster, mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Velveeta. Talk about a quadruple threat! To say that this mac and cheese is cheesy is an understatement.
  • Half-and-half. The liquid that makes up the sauce. You can also use whole milk.
  • 8 Ounces Velveeta Cheese, Cubed
  • Eggs. The binding ingredient used to thicken the sauce.
  • Salt and Pepper. To taste.

Tips for the Best Mac & Cheese

  • Shred your own cheese. Sure, using pre-shredded cheese is a lot easier, but it contains cellulose, an anti-caking agent that prevents the cheese from melting at its best.

If you grate the cheese yourself, not only will you get wonderfully melted cheese, you’ll also save a few bucks.

  • Mac and cheese calls for regular elbow macaroni pasta, but feel free to have fun with it! Any small, tubular pasta shells will work.
  • If you’re using elbow macaroni, go for the big ones. That way, the shells will get stuffed generously with the sauce. Yum!
  • Undercook the pasta for the perfect al dente consistency. Remember that you’ll bake it for 30 minutes, which means it will cook further in the oven. Once cooked, drain the pasta immediately and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • If you have over-cooked the pasta by accident, here’s a simple fix: coat it with butter before baking. The coating will prevent the pasta from absorbing liquid during baking, stopping it from softening further.
  • You’re already making something sinful anyway, so why not go all-in? Wondering how to make your mac and cheese even better? Add bacon or ham!.
  • Spice it up with jalapenos, sriracha, or red chili flakes.
  • Be sure to taste as you go, especially if you plan on customizing the recipe. Add more or less of whatever ingredient you want to please your taste buds.
  • Do not overbake the mac and cheese, otherwise, the macaroni will be too mushy. Stop once the top is golden and the cheeses start to bubble.
  • Resist the temptation! Let the mac and cheese rest for a while before serving. This will allow the flavors to marry, giving you an even more irresistible meal.
  • Cover leftover mac and cheese (although I highly doubt you’ll have any) in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2)

Best Cheese Options

There is no such thing as wrong cheese. When making mac and cheese, you can use whatever type of cheese and you’ll still end up with a pretty epic dish.

Patti LaBelle’s version already has a ton of cheese in it, but here are more top-notch cheeses to try:

  • Gruyere
  • Swiss
  • Mozzarella
  • Parmesan
  • Bleu Cheese (just a bit, though, because the flavor is really sharp.)
  • Gouda
  • Brie
  • Cream Cheese
  • Goat Cheese
  • Colby Jack

Ideas for Serving

The beauty of mac and cheese is that you can serve it either as a side or a main dish. To complete your meal, pair mac and cheese with these scrumptious dishes:

  • If you find it too rich, balance it out with a refreshing salad. Use a bright vinaigrette dressing to contrast the cheesy dish.
  • Here’s another light dish to counteract the heavy dish: roasted vegetables. Choose from broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus. You can mix and match, too!
  • Looking for something meaty? Pick from oven-fried chicken, ham, turkey, pork chops, pulled pork, or steak.

More Mac and Cheese Recipes to Try

Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese
Trisha Yearwood’s Mac and Cheese

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Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (3)

Patti LaBelle’s Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Servings

8

servings

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

632

kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 pound macaroni

  • 9 tablespoons butter, separated

  • 1/2 cup Muenster cheese, shredded

  • 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

  • 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

  • 2 cups half-and-half

  • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Grease a deep, 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter.
  • Fill a large pot with water. Mix in the vegetable oil and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water.
  • Melt 8 tablespoons of butter in the microwave or a saucepan. Pour the butter into the macaroni and stir.
  • In a large bowl, combine the shredded Muenster, mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses to the macaroni. Stir in the half-and-half, Velveeta, and eggs; season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese evenly. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top turns golden brown and the cheeses start to bubble. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (4)

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Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best cheeses for macaroni and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What is the most popular mac and cheese? ›

Kraft Mac & Cheese Original Flavor

Cheesy, salty, buttery and, best of all, nostalgic — there is a reason why Kraft's blue box has become the gold standard of store-bought macaroni and cheese.

Is Velveeta real cheese? ›

Since 2002, Velveeta has been labeled as a "pasteurized prepared cheese product." What does that even mean? Because of the ingredients and the way it is prepared, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not consider it real cheese.

How to make mac and cheese Gordon Ramsay? ›

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.

Why add milk to mac and cheese? ›

The use of milk makes the pasta itself creamier, and reserving it keeps any starch washed off the pasta in the milk, which is then used to make the sauce. Some milk is absorbed into the pasta as it cooks, but you need to reserve enough to make your sauce.

What's in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

What black chef invented mac and cheese? ›

You can thank James Hemings, the enslaved chef of Thomas Jefferson, for the mac and cheese on your table. The truth behind America's favorite cheesy pasta dish.

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

The remaining ingredients are simple: butter and flour (which makes the sauce thicken), milk, spices, salt, and pepper. For the milk, I prefer whole milk since it makes a creamier sauce, but I've used reduced fat milk plenty of times without complaint.

What pasta makes the best mac and cheese? ›

Avoid long, thin shapes like spaghetti or linguine. Elbow enthusiasts should also note that there's a new kid in town: Cavatappi, a curly, ribbed noodle that's longer than an elbow, may very well be the platonic ideal for baked macaroni and cheese.

How many cups of cheese are in an 8 oz block? ›

Cheddar cheese commonly comes in 8-ounce blocks. This will be equivalent to about 2 cups when grated.

What does Muenster cheese taste like? ›

American muenster is a semi-soft cheese with a creamy white color, an orange rind and a mild, slightly nutty/buttery flavor that develops more complexity with age. While muenster cheese has excellent melting properties, it can also be easily sliced or grated, making it a highly versatile table cheese.

What is the difference between Gouda and Cheddar cheese? ›

Taste: Both cheeses share a subtle nutty undertone. However, Gouda leans towards sweetness, while Cheddar offers a buttery essence. Texture: Cheddar's harder consistency makes it perfect for grating, whereas Gouda's creaminess facilitates easier slicing.

What kind of cheese is in Bob Evans mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...

What mac and cheese does Denny's use? ›

Kraft® Macaroni & Cheese. Pair it with any side you want—whatever, whenever.

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