15+ Best Elbow Pasta Recipes (Easy Macaroni Recipes)
on Dec 08, 2022, Updated Nov 21, 2023
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Elbow pasta, also known as macaroni, is one of the most versatile ingredients that you can have on hand. In addition to traditional mac and cheese, it’s the perfect-sized pasta to use in soups and salads. We’ve rounded up 15 of the best elbow pasta recipes.
What is Elbow Pasta?
Elbow pasta is a type of Italian dry pasta with a twisted tubular shape. The size can vary and the texture can be either smooth or ridged. It’s also called macaroni and is the main ingredient for the famous mac and cheese dish.
Vegetarian Elbow Macaroni Pasta Recipes
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
This southern baked mac and cheese is creamy, tender, and full of cheese – in fact there are three kinds of cheese! Serve it with your favorite veggies for a complete and delicious meal.
Best Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
You don’t have to travel to Hawaii to enjoy this traditional local island dish. It tastes like it just came from a Hawaiian food truck. It’s creamy, sweet, and savory. So delicious! Even picky eaters will love this dish!
Easy Truffle Mac and Cheese
Treat yourself to the amazing flavors of this easy truffle mac and cheese. Truffles have a distinctive savory flavor that pairs well with pasta. Plan to serve this dish on a special occasion!
Microwave Mac and Cheese
Save yourself some time by making mac and cheese in the microwave! It cooks up tender and creamy, and takes just 15 minutes.
Elbow Pasta Recipes with Ground Beef
Cheeseburger Macaroni
This homemade cheeseburger macaroni is a copycat of the Hamburger Helper you ate as a kid! Your family will love this version that’s full of tender pasta, shredded cheddar, and perfectly seasoned ground meat.
One-Pot Chili Mac
One-pot meals are the ideal solution to busy weeknight meals. This chili mac takes just 30 minutes to make and is full of delicious flavor.
Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
When you tell the kids you’re making cheeseburger casserole for dinner, you’ll be met with happy faces. It comes together easily and is ready to serve in just 45 minutes.
Easy Elbow Pasta Dishes with Chicken
Healthy Elbow Pasta and Chicken
This recipe uses whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta for a quick and easy recipe. It’s healthy, delicious, and will be on the dinner table in less than 20 minutes.
Chicken Macaroni Salad
Loaded with tender chicken and flavorful veggies, this chicken macaroni salad is creamy, delicious, and full of flavors. It’s a perfect summer dish that everyone loves.
Other Simple Elbow Pasta Recipes
Tuna Macaroni Pasta Salad
This tasty tuna pasta salad is easy to make and serves 10. It’s the perfect salad to serve to a crowd at a fun outdoor gathering!
Seafood Pasta Salad
Adding seafood to pasta salad takes it from basic to amazing! This dish features a homemade Italian dressing and it comes together in just 15 minutes. Make a plan to serve it at your next barbeque.
Beef and Macaroni Soup
Beef and macaroni soup is comforting, hearty, and delicious. Your family will love the flavors and it takes just 35 minutes to make.
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Trisha Yearwood mac and cheese is rich and creamy, plus easy to make. This crockpot mac and cheese is pure southern comfort food that always gets rave reviews!
Mac and Cheese Pizza
This pizza shaped mac and cheese dish is super fun! Your kids will want to get involved and your whole family will love the classic pizza flavors.
Mac and Cheese Taco Shells
These mac and cheese taco shells are a fun new way to eat mac and cheese! They’re the perfect size for appetizers. Top them with diced jalapeno for a bit of spice!
Elbow Pasta Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow pasta
- olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt , optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups milk
- 3 cups medium white cheddar cheese , grated
- 2 teaspoons truffle oil
Optional Toppings
- ½ cup breadcrumbs regular , or panko
- 1-2 teaspoons black truffles shaved , or finely sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt. Cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, toss with a bit of olive oil and set aside.
- Have your measured flour, butter, milk and cheese ready along with a small whisk. Recommended: Warm the milk in the microwave or a small saucepan.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and wait a few moments until melted. Then add the flour and garlic powder, whisking to incorporate and form a roux.
- Let the roux bubble for about 30 seconds. Then dribble about a half cup of (warm) milk into the roux, whisking continuously. The sauce should be thickening steadily. Keep dribbling in more milk and whisk until it bubbles and thickens. Repeat until all the milk is used up. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, like a runny pancake batter. If not, then let cook longer but continue whisking to avoid lumps or sticking.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the grated cheese until completely smooth. Then mix in the truffle oil (it should lend a pleasant musky aroma to the cheese sauce).
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring until completely coated.
- Optional: For a golden topping, broil the mac and cheese. Preheat the broiler to maximum, setting the oven rack to the upper middle position (so the top of the pan will be 2 to 3 inches from the broiler). Turn the mac and cheese into a 13×9” pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly on top. Place the pan in the oven and broil until bubbly and golden on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
