Spaghetti Mac and Cheese
Spaghetti Mac and Cheese is a simple pasta casserole and mac n cheese made with Velveeta, sharp cheddar, Parmesan and spaghetti noodles.
Make this tasty dish a whole meal by layering on some Crock Pot Pulled Pork!
You will not find a more cheesy pasta dish! It’s hearty, satisfying, and rich. Best of all, it’s made in an easy 9X13 pan. It’s the perfect cozy meal for the family, easy to make for someone who is recovering from an illness, or to throw it together before a party, and you will look like a superstar. Seriously, grab-and-go delicious!
We like to add chopped cooked chicken or sliced Kielbasa to make this a complete one-pan meal. Stir in some cooked veggies, too, if you like.
This comforting baked pasta can be ready in under an hour and makes a full pan. We also love this simple Crock Pot Spaghetti recipe too!
Spaghetti Mac and Cheese Recipe Ingredients
- Spaghetti noodles: If you prefer, you can substitute angel hair pasta to give this dish a more delicate texture.
- Butter and flour: These ingredients make the foundation of the cheese sauce, aka roux.
- Velveeta and sharp cheddar: These cheeses turn your sauce into cheese sauce! The Velveeta gives added creaminess, and the sharp cheddar gives a nice edge.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, seasoned salt, and Parmesan: These spices and ingredients add flavor to the cheese sauce. If the Parmesan brand you use is salty in flavor (because some are), you may want to reduce the amount of seasoned salt you use.
How to make mac and cheese with spaghetti noodles
Step 1: Grate the cheese. The best melting cheese is cheese we grate ourselves. This only takes a minute with a handheld grater.
Pre-packaged shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents to keep the strands from sticking together, which also affects the consistency of the cheese when it melts.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 12-inch deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add the flour, and whisk to combine.
Step 3: Cook the roux (the flour and butter mixture) for 1-2 minutes, until deep golden brown. When making the sauce, use a flat whisk (not a balloon whisk) to whisk it until smooth and creamy.
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Step 4: Remove the skillet from the heat. Removing the skillet from the heat before adding the milk is crucial to keep the sauce lump-free.
Slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth.
Step 5: Return the skillet to medium heat, then add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, Parmesan, and Velveeta cubes.
Cook, stirring often, over low heat until the sauce is smooth and the Velveeta is melted.
Step 6: Add all but 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce, a handful at a time, stirring between each addition until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Step 7: Fold in the cooked spaghetti noodles. Then transfer the spaghetti mac and cheese to a greased 9×13 pan.
Step 8: Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar over the spaghetti mac and cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout (165 degrees F. at the center).
Remove the spaghetti mac and cheese from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti noodles. Cook them until al dente since they cook further once added to the cheese sauce to be baked in the oven.
- Cheese and spaghetti reheats well as leftovers in the microwave. You may need to add a little milk or even water if the leftovers seem too thick with sauce.
- I sometimes make easy mac and cheese with spaghetti noodles in my cast iron skillet to slide the entire pan right into the oven to bake.
Spaghetti Mac and Cheese FAQs
What is the best pasta to use for macaroni and cheese?
To be honest, you can use any shape of pasta for macaroni and cheese! They all have about the same basic ingredients so nearly any pasta works great when added to cheese sauce.
Just be sure you only cook the pasta to al dente in doneness (there’s still some “bite” to it) before adding it to the cheese sauce. The pasta will continue to cook until perfectly tender as it bakes in the oven.
Is mac and cheese an Italian thing?
Macaroni and cheese did originate in Italy (though some say France!), but we have Americanized it by adding lots of extra cheese sauce.
There are lots of delicious variations of mac and cheese. Some of those are New Orleans baked mac and cheese and Louisiana baked spaghetti and cheese, just to name a couple.
What to serve with Spaghetti Mac and Cheese
Spaghetti mac and cheese is the ultimate cheesy side dish.
Serve alongside meats of all kinds, and we especially enjoy it with beef, such as eye of round or sizzle steaks. And these easy pulled pork crescents and chicken is also delicious with mac and cheese!
If you want to make spaghetti mac and cheese a main dish, just stir some cooked meat into the sauce when you add it, such as leftover grilled steak, salmon, or Italian sausage.
More Cozy Meals to enjoy
Butternut Squash Orzo is a decadent side dish, chock full of savory flavors from roasted butternut squash, coconut milk, and Parmesan cheese.
If you’ve got hamburger, spaghetti noodles, and taco seasoning on hand, Fiesta ground beef and noodle skillet makes a perfect weeknight meal everyone will love.
Skillet-style mac and cheese is the ultimate stove-top comfort food; creamy, rich, and totally decadent with a buttery, crispy topping.
Ham steak and creamy potatoes is a classic 9×13 casserole full of cheesy potato goodness and lots of diced ham steak that is quick and easy to make.
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Spaghetti Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk I used 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic or to taste
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded divided use
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions may substitute angel hair pasta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a 12-inch deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add the flour, whisking to combine.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Cook the roux (the flour and butter mixture) for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown in color; remove from the heat.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Once the sauce is nicely smooth, return the skillet to the burner, still over medium heat.4 cups milk
- Return the skillet to medium heat, then add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, Parmesan, and cubes of Velveeta cheese.1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese , 6 ounces Velveeta cheese
- Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and the Velveeta is fully melted. Add all but 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce, a handful at a time, stirring between each addition until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
- Fold in the cooked spaghetti noodles. then transfer the spaghetti mac and cheese to a greased 9×13 pan.8 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar over the top of the spaghetti mac and cheese, then bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly throughout (165 degrees F. at the center).
- Remove the spaghetti mac and cheese from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly throughout. (160-165 degrees F. at the center of the casserole is a hot and safe internal temperature.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Chef Alli is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate.