Patti LaBelle's Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Published on: March 9, 2021

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.

Ready to have your mind blown? Let’s get cooking!

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.

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

Patti LaBelle’s Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

See Also

Bien Cuit Shortbread Recipe on Food52

15

minutes

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!