19 Ingredients You Never Thought To Put In Your Mac N' Cheese

Mac and cheese is a comfort food classic for a reason. Rich and cheesy, it fulfills our common human love of rich, creamy textures, and it boasts the addictive power of casein, aka the protein found in dairy products that gives our brains a blissful hit of dopamine. But the cheese doesn't need to stand alone. There are loads of ways you can spice up mac and cheese, from bacon to breadcrumbs. And that's just the start!

For some, mixing new ingredients with mac and cheese may be based on improving the nutritional quality of the dish. After all, while cheese does indeed have some nutrients, it's also high in fat and calories. And unless you're opting for enriched macaroni, the pasta base isn't necessarily the most nutrient-dense. Add-ins like vegetables can boost the vitamin and mineral content of your mac and cheese significantly. Other add-ins may be more about changing things up with new flavors and textures: a touch of heat, a bit of vibrancy, a pop of color. And sometimes, it's a mix of all of those!

When it comes to jazzing up your mac and cheese with extra flavors, the sky's the limit. But to get the ball rolling, here are some ingredients you might want to consider using in your mac and cheese.

Avocado is yet another superfood that seems to be everywhere these days, from toast to smoothies. But have you ever considered it might be the perfect ingredient to add a luscious helping of healthy fats to your mac and cheese? While some consider the idea ludicrous – one recipe posted in 2015 that dared encroach on the holy sanctity of mac and cheese with avocado got a roasting online — hear us out on this one.

Avocado boasts a natural creaminess, with a mild, slightly sweet flavor that doesn't detract from the nuances of a classic mac. While adding avocado to mac and cheese on its own isn't likely to change the flavor much, when combined with other ingredients common to guacamole, like lime juice and cilantro, it lends a decidedly Southwestern flair to the typically Southern staple — particularly if you opt for pepper jack cheese in the base. Avocado can even be used to jazz up boxed mac and cheese, turning the pantry staple into something slightly more luscious (and, yes, a bit more nutritious).

If you're from the South, you probably already know that eggs are a common ingredient in baked mac and cheese to render it easily sliceable. (So says musician John Legend, who's widely shared his recipe, and so says us.) Whole eggs thicken baked mac and cheese enough to allow it to hold its shape, making it even more pleasant to serve at potlucks. (To avoid creating an unfortunate mac-and-scramble hybrid, be sure to temper the eggs in milk before mixing them with the pasta and cheese.)

But while whole eggs are a no-brainer, there's an argument in favor of adding just the egg yolk to mac and cheese, particularly the stovetop version. Divested of the proteins that give egg whites their binding power (and, for that matter, that increase the risk of your cheese sauce curdling), egg yolks lends a rich creaminess to the mac and cheese, emulsifying all of that fat into a creamy bowl of heaven.

If you're looking for a mac and cheese that's positively packed with flavor, look no further than Boursin. The spreadable French cheese begins with a relatively mild cow's milk cheese base. The fact that it has little flavor on its own means that it's more about the texture, a creamy vehicle for a heavy hand of garlic and herbs. Boursin is the secret ingredient that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts uses to add even more flavor and creamy texture to its mac and cheese — kind of like cream cheese on steroids that plays particularly well with a cheddar cheese base. 

And what's more, if you want something less garlicky than the classic, Boursin also makes the cheese in iterations seasoned with black truffle, shallot and chive, basil and chive, cracked black pepper, caramelized onion and herb, or fig and balsamic. There are more than enough versions to test and try until you stumble upon your favorite dolled up mac recipe!

Calabrian 'nduja is a spreadable spicy salami hailing from the south of Italy that's positively everywhere these days: cooked atop pizza, mixed in pasta, or stirred into mussels or bean ragouts. And that's no surprise! Unctuous and fatty, it boasts a hefty kick from Calabrian chiles and a lightly funky flavor thanks to its fermentation. Seeing as it's already heavily seasoned, 'nduja does a whole lot of work in the flavor department with very little effort — much like Boursin and pesto – making it a welcome addition to mac and cheese. 

Stir 'nduja into hot mac and cheese, either on the stovetop or before baking, to infuse the dish with loads of flavor, or fold in small blobs cold from the fridge so that you get surprising bites redolent with heat and flavor lurking within the creamy base. Since 'nduja already has loads of flavor, it's best paired with cheeses that aren't too assertive. A classic cheddar base is perfect to let the 'nduja do much of the talking.

If you want your mac and cheese dressed to the nines, lobster is the perfect luxe addition to the comfort food classic. The sweetness of lobster pairs nicely with the creamy, umami-rich cheese sauce, and it definitely brings special occasion flair to the dish. Most recipes call for folding just-cooked chunks of lobster into your pasta before baking it as a casserole, though you'll want to be careful not to overcook the lobster, lest it become chewy and rubbery. To reduce this risk — and, for that matter, to make the serving vessel just as exciting as what's inside — consider a stovetop version. 

First, steam the lobster and remove it from its shell, taking care to leave the shell of the tail intact. Cut the lobster into chunks, and blanch and clean the shells, and set both aside. Next, make the mac and cheese with white cheddar, and sauté some breadcrumbs in butter and Old Bay Seasoning. Finally, fold the lobster chunks into the stovetop mac and cheese, and pile it into the lobster shells. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, and get ready to dig into a restaurant-quality mac and cheese.

Soup isn't the only way you can add the rich, tangy, slightly sweet flavor of tomatoes to your mac and cheese. Roasted tomatoes give mac and cheese a delicious glow-up, with pockets of sweet, caramelized flavor hidden among the noodles. 

To try this at home, simply roast quartered tomatoes in the oven for about half an hour, seasoning them ahead of time with salt, pepper, garlic, and the herbs of your choosing. Then fold the cooked tomatoes into your mac and cheese, reserving a few to dot over the top of the casserole for a pretty pop of color. You could also use cherry tomatoes, which cook up quickly in the air fryer. In just 15 minutes, these pretty tomato jewels are ready to enjoy — choose a mix of colors for an even prettier final result.

If even 15 minutes seems too long to wait, you could also opt for sun-dried tomatoes in a pinch. Just be sure to chop them into smaller pieces first, as these tomatoes pack even more flavor than roasted ones and could overpower the mac and cheese if left whole.

Broccoli and cheese sauce are a match made in heaven, so it's no surprise that broccoli is a welcome addition to mac and cheese. Of course, there's nothing worse than overcooked, gray broccoli. (Mac and cheese that smells like wet cabbage? No thanks!) To keep this from happening with a baked mac and cheese, the secret is to put the broccoli florets to the pasta mixture raw so that they don't overcook while the casserole bakes. If you're making a stovetop version, meanwhile, roast or sauté your broccoli separately, and fold it into the mac and cheese just before serving.

Broccoli isn't just a delicious boost to mac and cheese, thanks to its earthy nuttiness and slight sweetness. It's also chock-a-block with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, not to mention antioxidants like cancer-fighting sulforaphane, and flavonoids like anti-inflammatory kaempferol, transforming mac and cheese into a veritable superfood. Consider including broccoli, cauliflower, and pretty romanesco florets to your mac and cheese for complementary flavors and nutrients, not to mention a beautiful color contrast in the finished pasta bake.

Many cheeses have a slight mushroomy funk, especially members of the bloomy-rinded family like Brie and Camembert. These white-rinded cheeses are inoculated with a specific sort of fungus (a miniature mushroom, if you like), and their flavor is only highlighted and magnified when paired with mushrooms.

Since mushrooms are full of water, it's important to sauté them before adding them to your mac and cheese. Cut whichever mushrooms you plan to use into bite-sized pieces before cooking them in a mix of olive oil and butter in a pan set over medium-high heat. Season the mushrooms with salt — and, if you like, garlic and fresh herbs like thyme — before folding them into your mac and cheese. You could also use rehydrated dried mushrooms like porcinis or morels. 

A basic cheddar sauce is a lovely option for a mushroom mac and cheese, and Gruyère punches things up to 11. But whichever base cheese you choose, consider folding in a few chunks of Brie or Camembert for cheesy pockets that will mirror those lovely mushroomy flavors.

Yet another way to bring a bit of heat to your mac and cheese is by inviting chiles to the party. A can of diced green chiles is an easy add-in, lending a moderate kick and a nice pop of color to your mac in the time it takes to open the pantry and pop the can lid. Pickled jalapeños offer slightly more heat, not to mention a welcome bit of briny acidity to cut through all that richness.

Since you're already putting some spice in your mac and cheese, you can pump things up even further by seasoning the base with cayenne pepper and opting for a chile-studded cheese like pepper jack. Set the Tabasco on the table for chile heads who want even more spice. And don't worry about the chiles overpowering the casserole: Given the creamy richness of mac and cheese, it can more than take the heat.