Best Ever Italian Mac and Cheese Recipe + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Italian Mac and Cheese is creamy, full of flavor, and easy to throw together on busy nights. Make this simple mac and cheese recipe today with just 7 ingredients! The creamy mac is one of the top pasta recipes in my house – one of my family favorites!
Italian Mac and Cheese
This is the ultimate weeknight dinner helper since it’s ready in just 15 minutes.
A simple list of ingredients doesn’t mean it’s lacking in flavor though!
This pasta recipe packs a punch of flavor that the whole family will love. There’s lots of cheese, tons of flavor, and it makes the perfect side dish and comfort food.
This Italian macaroni and cheese has the perfect blend of gooey sauce and Italian seasoning for a taste that everyone will love.
For another easy, cheesy meal try my Paccheri Pasta! Or, try my mac and cheese recipes for the slow cooker and Instant Pot when you need something a little more hands-off!
And if you want something a little fancier, you can’t go wrong with this baked version with lobster and a golden brown topping.
Mix-Ins for Mozzarella Mac and Cheese
Make this meal more filling or stretch the servings to feed a crowd! Feel free to get creative with your favorite mix-ins and combinations.
- Vegetables
When there are 5 minutes left on the penne, stir 2 cups of frozen peas or broccoli into the pot. Cover with a lid to bring back to a boil and strain together when done.
Or, stir in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach after the pasta and sauce have been combined.
Let your Italian mac and cheese sit for a few minutes before servings so the spinach can wilt.
- Protein
After draining the penne, add it back to the pan with some cooked chicken or turkey.
You can use up leftover rotisserie or shredded chicken as well since the heat from the rest of the dish will warm it through.
This mozzarella mac and cheese also tastes great with leftover ground beef, sausage, hamburger, or rinsed and drained beans. Navy, kidney, and pinto are our favorites.
- Add a topping
Transfer your Italian macaroni to a casserole dish, then top with a mixture of melted butter and breadcrumbs (plain or Italian).
Pop it under the broiler for a minute or two until golden brown and bubbly!
Best Cheese For Macaroni and Cheese
Regardless of the type you use, I highly recommend you shred it yourself instead of using prebagged shreds.
These contain an additive to prevent clumping that gives the shreds a waxy texture and keeps them from melting properly.
Next, pair at least one good melting variety with an aged variety for bolder flavor.
You can use all mozzarella if you’d like, but I typically mix equal parts of that and provolone.
For a true Italian blend of cheese, include a little Romano, Asiago, or Fontina!
Just be sure to use at least 4 ounces of mozzarella for this Italian mac and cheese.
Italian Mac and Cheese FAQ
Absolutely! Not only does it melt down smoothly, but the flavor is mild enough to go with whatever else you mix it with.
For this simple mac and cheese recipe, mix up your own Italian blend cheese shreds to create something truly unique!
That really comes down to preference and how fancy your mac sauce is!
I like to use penne for my mozzarella mac and cheese because the ridges grab on to all that gooey goodness. Rigatoni, cavatappi, or even rotini would work just as well.
And if you don’t plan on adding meat or veggies to the dish, feel free to use regular elbow macaroni in this simple mac and cheese recipe.
Surprisingly, yes! Allow it to cool before transferring to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container. Store for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you plan to freeze the entire batch of this Italian macaroni and cheese, undercook the noodles just a bit so they don’t become mushy when thawed and reheated.
There is always room for adding different cheeses! Any type of cheese sauce will work, and don’t forget the parmesan cheese. One of the best things about this dish is that you can add all different kinds of cheese. Mozzarella cheese, pecorino romano, and any other flavor really do work well with this particular recipe.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Other Easy Italian Pasta Recipes
Italian Mac and Cheese + Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, 2% is good too
- 1 pound dry mini penne pasta
- 8 ounces Italian blend shredded cheese, *see below to make your own blend
- 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, I prefer McCormick Tuscan Style Italian Seasoning
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, cook pasta according to package directions, to al dente. Drain pasta once it is cooked and set aside. Work on the next step while your pasta is cooking.
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt butter, add flour and Italian seasoning and whisk for about 2 minutes to cook out the ‘flour-y’ taste. Add milk and continue to whisk occasionally, allowing the mixture to thicken. Add cheeses and whisk until fully combined.
- Pour cheese sauce over strained pasta and stir to combine. Sauce will thickens as it sits.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2011, updated and republished January 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
My boys really enjoyed this, Donna. Thanks for the leftovers too!
Look delicious! gloria
oh, i better leave now..i'm already hungry looking at this photo!!
Now that's a mac and cheese I could sink my teeth into. Love the Italian flavors.
Yes you can always trust mac and cheese to be yummy.Nice twist:)
Too funny–I posted macaroni and cheese today as well! We're clearly on the same wavelength. Yours look creamy and cheesy aka perfect. 🙂
Donna, what a yummy looking bowl of pasta! I love how simple your recipe is…I know it will become a favorite of my family, too~
Well, I've never met a mac and cheese I didn't like….therfore I'm sure this one would taste great!
Aha! A real mac 'n cheese! This will get made. Maybe I'll even share it.
Who can argue with man n cheese? Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
MAN and cheese LOLOLOL……
This really does look super simple and fantastic!
oh wow this looks delicious, it is so creamy love it.
Erecipe
This looks like the perfect comfort food!
Yummy! This is my kind of mac and cheese =)
The bechamel is s crucial. I love how you make this. It's so simple and perfect as it is. Easy to dress up too if you want.
This is a great recipe! You can also put in casserole dish, top with some bread crumbs put in the oven on 350 for 30 mins. after all these steps if you like baked mac n' cheese, comes out perfect.
Can this recipe be use to.make baked mac and cheese
If you want baked mac and cheese with this recipe I would make it like the recipe says then put it in the oven with some of the cheese blend on top and bake it until it's golden brown on top.
Do Not cook the pasta as much if you bake it.
Making Mac 'n' Cheese to take to our son's house for Thanksgiving Dinner. Our grandson loves the homemade version over the box. And that's all his other makes.
I'm now looking for a very low salt version – do you know how much sodium was in the final dish??
You can use this site to calculate your nutritional info. If you use low sodium products it should be doable. Try to stay away from low fat/no fat products as they are higher in sodium. http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Made this tonight. Added chicken and mixed veggies. Very delicious! Thanks!
To avoid the pasta became "sticky" put 5 – 6 drops of olive oil in the boiling water.
I have a neighbor who is a native of Rome and she says to never put oil in the water while pasta is cooking! Just as soon as the pasta is al dente, drain it and add some butter or spread, stirring to coat the pasta and then top with sauce. This also helps the sauce cling to it. I don't argue; I just eat the food and agree with her wisdom. 🙂
As a full-blooded Sicilian let me reiterate that adding oil to the boiling water is not advised because the oil will interfere with the natural starch of the pasta by coating the surface and preventing it from soaking in the sauce when you combine them. Nor would I add butter once it is drained as that will interfere with the starch as well. It is best to time your pasta to be finished cooking when you are ready to combine it with the sauce so the starch and the sauce can meld together perfectly.
I agree, never put oil in any pasta that you add any kind of sauce to. Don't ever rinse it, either!
Agreed, as I was taught to cook by my full blooded Italian grandmother, never ever add oil to the water or to the pasta as this will definitely interfere with the starches and prevent your sauce from clinging to the pasta. Never rinse it either!
If you have trouble wirh "sticky" pasta, try a bigger pot and more water rather than adding oil. I'm sure you'll be happier with the result.
In Culinary School I was told that adding oil to the boiling water helps keep the water from boiling over the edge of the pot. It doesn't add any oil to the pasta, like some people think.
If you save some of the water you boiled the pasta in it you can add it back to the pasta to help with sticking. It won't change the way the sauce adheres to the noodles because it contains the original starch from the pasta.
I do this with Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing mix
Everything was good, except way too much italian seasoning. Had to rinse it off. Too strong for the little ones and actually me, too.
Thank you for this delicious, simple recipe. I loved it and so did my 3 year old, and I especially like that it calls for ingredients I already have on hand.
My cardiologist will only allow me to make the wonderful recipes on your website if the nutrition info is included (# of calories, grams of fat, mgs of cholesterol, etc.) Any chance that could happen?
no need for calories, grams of fat, mgs of cholesterol. It's made from all CHEESE, butter and pasta. Guess!