macaroni-and-cheese

Creamy pasta dish

Macaroni-and-cheese is a dish of cooked macaroni pasta in a cheese sauce, typically baked or served from a stovetop.

It's comfort food in American cuisine, appearing at everything from weeknight dinners to holiday tables.

The boxed version with powdered cheese is a pantry staple: The kids want mac and cheese again.

Often shortened to mac and cheese.

ingredients

cheddar

Firm aged English cheese

  • pastaShaped wheat dough
  • milkMammalian nursing fluid
  • butterSolid fat from cream

flour · roux · breadcrumbs · gruyere · parmesan · mozzarella · bechamel · paprika · shells · cavatappi

comfort-food

casserole

Slow-cooked oven dish

nostalgic · warming · soul-food · indulgent · hearty · satisfying · cozy · homemade · childhood · filling

variations

southern

Toward the sunbelt

cauliflower · gluten-free · plant-based · pumpkin · bacon · jalapeno · broccoli · loaded · spicy · chipotle

upscale

truffle

Prized subterranean edible

baked · crusted · browned · gratinee · gastropub · ramekin · individual · caramelized · restaurant · elevated

prepared

Kraft

Major packaged food corporation

packet · orange · processed · shelf-stable · quick · budget · single-serve · cups · stirring · boiling

Opposites
food category

macaroni-and-cheesesteamed vegetables

Produce cooked by vapor

raw salad · kale · broccoli · green salad · vegetable platter

culinary sophistication

macaroni-and-cheesehaute cuisine

Elevated culinary artistry

fine dining · tasting menu · foie gras · beef Wellington · coq au vin

health perception

macaroni-and-cheesehealth food

Nutrient-dense dietary choices

clean eating · quinoa salad

Family

macaroni, cheese, cheeses, cheesy, cheesier, cheesiest, cheesiness, cheeseburger, cheesecake

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Mostly American · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G