what to add to velveeta shells and cheese

Who doesn't love macaroni and cheese? Seriously, it's a classic combination—gooey, cheesy, salty—the ultimate in comfort food.

The best aspect of a basic mac and cheese recipe is the simplicity. Information technology'southward 1 of the few foods where the boxed version is practically as good as "fabricated from scratch."

Mac and cheese is piece of cake to cook even for those with express culinary experience. Store a box in your pantry or closet so you can whip up dinner in no time. Plus, mac and cheese is super inexpensive and you can ofttimes find it on sale. Hello, dinner for nether $2!

Plus, Mac n' cheese is 1 of the easiest 15 minute minute meals in the earth and is neat for parties!

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But sometimes you lot want to take your mac and cheese beyond the box. So yea, there are TONS of yum add-ins to ramp up your mac game. And information technology's SO Piece of cake – your whole family will love it!

You don't need mad kitchen skills to cook next-level macaroni and cheese. In fact, y'all can beginning with the basic boxed variety and add together a few extras to really ramp information technology up (and it will withal be a inexpensive, piece of cake meal).

If you're feeling artistic, start with noodles and add your own cheese (or even cream cheese, every bit they did in recipe #14). Apply a love apple base of operations or draw inspiration from your other favorite dishes—Mexican, Spicy Buffalo or comforting spinach artichoke dip (everyone's restaurant fave).

Y'all guys, information technology's then piece of cake to create variety with macaroni and cheese. So the next time you have to resort to the blueish box (or purple, or yellow, depending on your favorite brand), alleviate boredom with add-ins and extras.

The Super Basic Mac and Cheese Recipe

So, the Nearly basic of basic mac and cheese is commonly made from a box. At that place are a zillion variations, but the boxed multifariousness volition become y'all started down the path of mac and cheese success.

Start with boxed mac and cheese such equally Kraft Dinner, Velveeta Shells & Cheese, or Annie'south Shells & White Cheddar.
Fill a pot with three-4 cups of h2o (well-nigh twice the serving of pasta). Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring water to a eddy.
Add noodles to humid water. Boil six-viii minutes, until noodles are chewy but soft.
Drain noodles in a strainer.
Fix cheese sauce equally directed—either adding milk and margarine/butter or direct from the pouch (Velveeta).
Stir drained noodles together with cheese sauce until thoroughly mixed.
Enjoy!

Elementary Ways to Take Your Mac to the Next Level

If you want to prepare "side by side level" mac and cheese, it's easiest to offset with the box and medico it upwards from there. Create your own cheese sauce or purchase a jarred cheese sauce such every bit Ragu Archetype Alfredo sauce.

Macaroni refers to the shape of the noodle, so if you'd like to mix information technology up, you tin utilise shells, elbow macaroni or even penne. The macaroni shape holds the cheese sauce well, which is why information technology'south a classic paring, merely feel complimentary to mix information technology upwardly as you meet fit!

You can also bake mac and cheese. The simplest method is to prepare a box diversity, add pre-seasoned breadcrumbs, extra cheese and simply broil for a few minutes until melted. If you DIY your own cheese sauce, then pre-boil the noodles until they're almost done, before adding to a casserole dish and baking. While existent broiled mac and cheese is awesome and yummy, it does take longer to ready (and virtually of us prefer to stick with 15-infinitesimal meals or less).

The best way to have your basic mac and cheese recipe to the next level is simply add-in additional ingredients to brand it even better. It's simple, fast and will take your meal from bones and boring to delicious.

Mac & Cheese Add-Ins

i. Hot dogs from Kraft

Mac and cheese with hot dogs? YES! This mac hack takes the most basic mac and cheese recipe to the next level and it's so kid-friendly, my kids LOVE it!

This is a archetype pairing—mac and cheese with hot dogs! It doesn't get any better or more comforting. Plus, it'southward super easy and will add a little protein to your meal.

ii. Tuna

Once your mac and cheese is combined, add a tuckered tin can of tuna (packed in water). Stir thoroughly to break upwards the tuna. Tuna works great with white cheddar mac to create a "stovetop" tuna goulash.

3. Peas

Pasta and peas go together perfectly. The peas are neat with either white cheddar or the classic variety of macaroni and cheese. Eddy a cup of frozen peas right with the noodles and stir in the sauce. You lot tin can also etch a not bad cold salad using macaroni noodles, peas (cooked together) and parmesan cheese. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and cracked pepper.

4. Ham

Utilize of leftover ham by adding chunks to your macaroni and cheese! If you visit the deli, y'all can also ask them to slice up ham into thicker slices or look for ham steaks (which need to be pre-cooked). Sauté the steaks in a skillet, cube and add to your mac and cheese recipe.

5. Tomato

Another classic pairing is tomato plant with macaroni and cheese. The creamy cheese goes great with the tangy tomato. Dice a love apple into cubes and add as a final impact to your macaroni and cheese. Or just dump in a can of diced tomatoes and add a flake of chili pulverisation for kicking!

6. Tomato Soup

Tomato plant soup—the old standby canned diversity is the perfect background for macaroni and cheese. Merely boil plainly noodles, drain, add in a can of condensed tomato soup and stir a few cups of cheese. Add together pepper and you're enjoying the ultimate condolement food.

vii. Spicy Jalapeno Mac from SheKnows

If you want to boost a basic mac and cheese recipe, adding jalapenos or other peppers is the perfect way to give the dish an extra kick! This is such a simple idea, I'm excited to try it!

Peppers get slap-up with mac and cheese and are used to give your dish an Italian or Mexican flair. Add together jalapenos like this recipe from SheKnows. You don't need to fix the macaroni from scratch—just stir in the jalapenos to add a kick to your dish.

eight. Ground Beefiness

Y'all might call this cowboy mac, beefy mac, chuckwagon mac or casserole. I've heard all sorts of variations, but the basic concept is brown footing beefiness and stir a half pound into your mac and cheese. You can add tomatoes or diced carmine peppers every bit well. Adding chili powder really brings it all together.

ix. Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo from All Recipes

This is so much fancier than a basic mac and cheese recipe! This is totally a dish you could serve to guests or for a nice, AND it's something my kids would eat too. What's not to love?

Use jarred Alfredo sauce, cook frozen broccoli with your noodles and top with leftover chicken (or Tyson pre-cooked chicken tenders) for a totally easy take on chicken and broccoli Alfredo. Use fettucine as they did hither or mix information technology up with any noodle variety you lot like.

10. Broccoli

Only like peas, add frozen broccoli to your boiling pasta water and cook it correct with your noodles. At that place's actually nothing like broccoli and cheddar. You can add extra pepper and even sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

11. Cauliflower "Mac & Cheese" from Low Carb Yum

LOVE this basic mac and cheese recipe that's healthy and still delicious! Mac and cheese is kind of a guilty pleasure so to have a low-carb alternative is such a life saver!

Cauliflower is a swell solution for those watching their carb intake or looking for gluten-free options (merely still craving macaroni and cheese). The cauliflower mimics pasta plenty that you can savor this repast without noodles, or simply microwave cauliflower and apply information technology to stretch your bones mac and cheese recipe —more cobweb and servings!

12. Pepperoni Pizza Mac from Kraft

The best of both worlds - pizza and mac & cheese! This is the kind of kicked-up basic mac and cheese recipe that my kids will LOVE to try!

If yous tin't decide between pizza and macaroni, why not enjoy the best of both worlds?? In that location are many baked versions of pizza macaroni, only this version has all the flavors and is super simple to cook. It's a great way to alter up your routine dinner.

13. Tomatoes and Beans from NY Times Cooking

It's not traditional mac and cheese but it's WAY better than a basic mac and cheese recipe! Tomatoes, beans, cheese, and pasta sound great together. Can't wait to try this recipe!

This might seem a bit anarchistic but information technology'due south a satisfying and filling option, peculiarly because the beans offer plenty of fiber and poly peptide. You lot tin either add cannellini beans and tomatoes to your existing macaroni, or forgo the cheese and simply add the tomatoes and beans to pasta.

14. Tortellini and Cheese from Ameliorate Homes & Gardens

Talk about a mac hack! Tortellini mac and cheese is a sneaky way to dress up the basic mac and cheese recipe! I can't wait to try this out!

Say what?! Tortellini is admittedly amazing instead of regular macaroni. The cheese is right inside, so you can utilise less on the exterior (if you want to). Take the proposition and use foam cheese in this recipe, because it adds a dissimilar creaminess than regular cheese sauce.

15. I Pot Spinach & Artichoke from House of Yum

Spinach and artichoke dip is my favorite appetizer at restaurants, and mac and cheese is one of my favorite foods! This combination is SO much better than a basic mac and cheese recipe! And it's so easy to make!

Is in that location a meliorate appetizer than spinach artichoke dip? Information technology's 1 of those dishes that'due south gone before information technology fifty-fifty hits the table. This recipe takes all the flavors of your favorite dip and adds them into macaroni and cheese. She makes her own sauce, just yous could easily apply a white cheddar variety and but add in the spinach and artichokes. Yum!

16. Rigatoni with Pears, Walnuts & Gorgonzola from the Food Channel

How awesome does this FAR from basic mac and cheese recipe sound? I wouldn't even THINK to hack mac and cheese like this! Can't wait to try!

Ok, this is a fiddling oh la la fancy, but this combination of walnuts, gorgonzola and pears is absolutely killer. It'due south an amazing salad and it totally works equally pasta likewise. Yous tin can follow this recipe or simply add a diced pear, walnuts and blue cheese crumbles to your basic mac and cheese recipe.

17. Upgraded (Baked) Kraft Mac & Cheese from Food.com

I wanted to upgrade my basic mac and cheese recipe without too much effort and I totally think this is the right answer! It might take a little more time but it totally takes basic mac and cheese to a whole new level!

This recipe takes a little more fourth dimension than the more bones and cheese recipe, but non too much more hands-on piece of work. It is And so decadent, and yet uses the regular ol' blue box mac (but moves it out of this world)!

18. Sloppy Joe

To make Sloppy Joe macaroni and cheese, all you really demand is leftover Sloppy Joes! If you've made 15-Minutes Sloppy Joes, stir the leftovers into your bones macaroni and cheese from a box. This is awesome, and a groovy hack if you don't quite take enough meat left for an entire second meal.

nineteen. Pasta Carbonara from Ragu

How fancy does this mac and cheese dish look?! I think this is one of the coolest ways to upgrade a basic mac and cheese recipe that I've ever seen! Can't wait to try it out!

Carbonara basically ways pasta with bacon. HELLO! You lot tin can use batch-cooked salary for this dish which makes the recipe super simple.

20. Stove Top Sausage Mac from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Nothing quite like a spiced-up basic mac and cheese recipe! Any one-pan dish is totally something my family will love (and I will love too!)

This recipe harkens back to Hamburger Helper, which is the ultimate filling dinner. Y'all can brand the whole dish in one pan. If you want to speed the cooking process upward, sauté sausage and onions in 1 pan and add them to your boxed mac and cheese and pinnacle with shredded cheese to terminate.

21. Apple Macaroni

Apples and cheddar are a perfect pair, that's why so many people put cheddar on their apple tree pie! Well, apple tree works in macaroni and cheese too! Use your favorite cheddar macaroni and cheese box, and stir in diced apple along with sausage or crumbled bacon.

22. Quick & Easy Chicken Parmesan from Taste of Home

There is nothing basic about this recipe. I was looking for ways to upgrade a basic mac and cheese recipe, and I'm definitely going to try this!

Craven nuggets are great with cheese and pasta, and this recipe makes information technology super simple by using chicken nuggets and layering in a casserole style. This is amazing if you're craving chicken parmesan simply don't have the time for a complicated dish.

23. Meatball Macaroni and Cheese from Farm Rich

Meatball mac and cheese? Doesn't sound like your basic mac and cheese recipe! If you're looking for a recipe to use boxed mac and cheese but is just a little more exciting, you HAVE to try this!

This recipe was created with frozen meatballs, which piece of work great with boxed macaroni and cheese. They add compact flavour and protein, and take it up a notch to something special.

24. Mushrooms

Calculation canned, sautéed or fresh mushrooms to your macaroni and cheese is a great vegetarian option. Add tomatoes or spinach to compliment the mushrooms or relish the flavors on their own.

25. Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese from Frank's Red Hot

Buffalo chicken mac and cheese is the perfect upgrade to a basic mac and cheese recipe and it can be done so easily. I'm excited to try this and see if my family likes it! Great suggestion!

Buffalo chicken is everyone'due south favorite (okay, perhaps not little ones who don't dear spice, merely grownups can't get plenty)! Use precooked diced chicken (similar the Tyson grilled chicken strips) and this comes together fast and easy.

26. Barbecue Chicken from Kraft

Can't get enough of this barbecue mac and cheese! It's the perfect way to brighten up a basic mac and cheese recipe! Thanks for the tip!

Macaroni and cheese goes then well with barbecue. It's the perfect combination really—savory, sweet, smoky and cheesy! Use shredded chicken and barbeque sauce to actually amp upwardly this combination. Also endeavor this dish with pork equally well. Y'all can also turn it into the ultimate dinner platter.

So, if you lot're faced with an empty fridge and no idea what to fix for dinner, check your pantry. With a box of macaroni and cheese and a tin can or two of extras you'll enjoy a delicious, simple meal this evening that won't derail your grocery budget.

What's your favorite way to upgrade your basic mac and cheese recipe? Is there an add together-in you apply to take your boxed meal to the adjacent level? Share your own mac hacks in the comments!

Want more ridiculously easy 15 minute meal ideas?

You lot can see the xv infinitesimal meals made with easy convenience foods below – no cooking skills needed.

P.Southward. Hate repast planning? And wish you had a giant list of easy suggestions (like tacos, spaghetti, quesadilla's, chicken salad sandwiches etc.) and not complicated recipes? So did I. So I spent several weeks creating a primary list of cheap and like shooting fish in a barrel dinner ideas. And you know what? Information technology completely revolutionized meal planning for the states.

These ideas are field-tested by hundreds of thousands of our readers and are guaranteed to aid even the well-nigh overwhelmed mom stick to a meal plan.

And nosotros're giving it to you 100% complimentary right at present for a limited time.