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Outside the Box: 13 Mouth-Watering Mac 'n' Cheese Recipes

Outside the Box: 13 Mouth-Watering Mac 'n' Cheese Recipes

Forget what you know about macaroni and cheese – these twists on the comfort food staple will have you dishing up seconds and thirds, and fourths

By Kristin Appenbrink

Updated November 05, 2014 04:00 PM

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MAC 'N' CHEESE MUFFINS

Courtesy Hip Foodie Mom

An easy way to serve the dish to a crowd, these muffins from Hip Foodie Mom can be made with your own favorite cheesy recipe.

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AVOCADO MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy Two Peas and Their Pod

Like bacon, avocado is one of those almost universally-adored foods. So it just makes sense to add it to mac 'n' cheese. This recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod involves both avocado and cheese sauces. Pardon us while we drool.

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BACON MAC 'N' CHEESE EGG ROLLS

Courtesy Miss in the Kitchen

Somehow, food is just better when it's bite-size. Case-in-point: macaroni-filled egg rolls, which are made complete with bacon and barbecue sauce for dipping.

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PUMPKIN MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy Kims Healthy Eats

How could we leave out the most popular flavor of comfort-food season? This pumpkin mac 'n' cheese from Kim's Healthy Eats is made better with a combo of gorgonzola, extra-sharp cheddar and sage.

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GRILLED MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy BS' in the Kitchen

Another delicious mash-up for the books: Grilled cheese plus mac 'n' cheese equals the gooey-est, cheesiest sandwich – ever. Thank goodness the brother and sister duo behind BS in the Kitchen invented it.

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MAC 'N' CHEESE PIE WITH BACON CRUST

COURTESY Macey Foronda/BuzzFeed

How do you class up hangover food? By morphing bacon and macaroni and cheese into a savory pie with a smoky lattice "crust".

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KALE MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy White on Rice Couple

For kids (and adults!) who won't eat their greens, this healthy recipe from White on Rice Couple is the ideal tasty solution.

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FRIED MAC 'N' CHEESE BALLS

Courtesy Kirbie's Cravings

These crispy bites of goodness cook up just like fried chicken, minus the meat. Jennifer of Kirbie's Cravings recommends adding crumbled bacon or jalapeños to really pump up the flavor.

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CAPRESE MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy Cooking Classy

Elevate your mac and cheese with this Italian-inspired dish from Cooking Classy. Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil make for a fresh take on the usual cheddar variety.

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MAC 'N' CHEESE PIZZA

The Gunny Sack

Carb-lovers, this is the recipe for you! While this version from The Gunny Sack calls for boxed pasta, you can easily swap in your favorite recipe.

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BREAKFAST MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy The View from Great Island

Who says you can't have mac and cheese for breakfast? This delicious recipe from The View from Great Island calls for a baked egg in the center of each individual portion. Of course, it wouldn't be a breakfast recipe without bacon, too.

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PESTO MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy Oh My Veggies

There are two reasons to love this pesto mac and cheese from Oh My Veggies: First, this pesto is perfected with fontina and Parmesan cheeses. Second, the addition of broccoli is an added nutritional bonus.

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MEXICAN MAC 'N' CHEESE

Courtesy Give Me Some Oven

The addition of black beans, corn, avocado and tortilla strips gives this recipe a decidedly Mexican flair. The green chiles, cilantro and cumin rev up the flavor, too!

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Outside the Box: 13 Mouth-Watering Mac 'n' Cheese Recipes

1 of 13

MAC 'N' CHEESE MUFFINS

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AVOCADO MAC 'N' CHEESE

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BACON MAC 'N' CHEESE EGG ROLLS

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PUMPKIN MAC 'N' CHEESE

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GRILLED MAC 'N' CHEESE

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MAC 'N' CHEESE PIE WITH BACON CRUST

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KALE MAC 'N' CHEESE

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FRIED MAC 'N' CHEESE BALLS

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CAPRESE MAC 'N' CHEESE

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MAC 'N' CHEESE PIZZA

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BREAKFAST MAC 'N' CHEESE

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PESTO MAC 'N' CHEESE

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MEXICAN MAC 'N' CHEESE

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