Everyone’s favorite, mac and cheese has had one delicious makeover! This BBQ mac and cheese recipe is made with shredded BBQ and seasoned with BBQ sauce before being baked to perfection. It’s rich, cheesy, creamy, and tangy. It’s the perfect comfort food!
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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blog post.
Just when you thought mac and cheese couldn’t get any better, along comes BBQ mac and cheese! Stop what you are doing and make this immediately!
This recipe is the most perfect comfort food, rich and hearty, cheesy and tangy, every bite is a real treat!
The oven-baked macaroni cheese is loaded with BBQ pork, or chicken, a lot of cheese, and of course your favorite BBQ sauce. This is one hearty, indulgent and comforting dish that the whole family will love!
Be sure to try my Seafood Mac and Cheese and Creamy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese too!
How to make BBQ Mac and Cheese
- Gather your ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni and cook until al dente, according to the directions on the macaroni box. This should be about 8-9 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- Combine milk and heavy cream in a large measuring cup or glass. Set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour in the pot and whisk for 1-2 minutes, until the flour smells toasty. Slowly whisk in milk/cream mixture. Allow to simmer until thickened, whisking often. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese and the ½ cup bbq sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Pour sauce over drained macaroni and stir until the macaroni is covered. Add 1 cup of cooked BBQ and stir until combined.
- Pour mixture into the 9×13 baking pan and top with remaining cooked BBQ, bbq sauce, and cheese. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- To brown the cheese on top, place the oven on broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese on top has browned. Remove from the oven and top with remaining bbq sauce and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Can you make it ahead of time?
This BBQ mac and cheese is so delicious served straight out of the oven, but the leftovers are just as tasty! Once baked, let the dish cool and then cover or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep well for around four days and you can reheat it at 360F with the top covered with foil for around 15 minutes to warm it through.
What’s the best protein to use?
This mac and cheese recipe is great with either BBQ shredded pork or BBQ chicken. You can buy store bought for ease or make your own favorite recipe. For a meat-free version, you can simply omit the meat, it will still have all of that delicious BBQ flavor.
What do you serve it with?
A big bowl of this mac and cheese is perfect served by itself in a big bowl, and it’s delicious paired with your favorite sides. try it with:
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Elbow macaroni is perfect for this recipe, but any short pasta like bow tie or penne will work well.
- Sharp cheddar cheese adds a wonderful flavor, though other shredded cheese like Jack or mozzarella will work well.
- The pasta should be cooked al dente. If it’s overcooked, the final dish can become quite soggy.
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water to add flavor to the dish right from the beginning.
More Pasta Recipes
- Rasta Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- White Cheddar Pressure Cooker Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
BBQ Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried elbow macaroni
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese separated
- ½ cup bbq sauce plus more for garnish
- 2 cups cooked BBQ pork or chicken
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni and cook until al dente, according to the directions on the macaroni box. This should be about 8-9 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- Combine milk and heavy cream in a large measuring cup or glass. Set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour in the pot and whisk for 1-2 minutes, until the flour smells toasty. Slowly whisk in milk/cream mixture. Allow to simmer until thickened, whisking often. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese and the ½ cup bbq sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Pour sauce over drained macaroni and stir until the macaroni is covered. Add 1 cup of cooked BBQ and stir until combined.
- Pour mixture into the 9×13 baking pan and top with remaining cooked BBQ, bbq sauce, and cheese. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- To brown the cheese on top, place the oven on broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese on top has browned. Remove from the oven and top with remaining bbq sauce and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Elbow macaroni is perfect for this recipe, but any short pasta like bow tie or penne will work well.
- Sharp cheddar cheese adds a wonderful flavor, though other shredded cheese like Jack or mozzarella will work well.
- The pasta should be cooked al dente. If it’s overcooked, the final dish can become quite soggy.
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water to add flavor to the dish right from the beginning.
Hugo
Monday 12th of December 2022
This recipe is just what I am looking for our Church pot luck, looks great will be making for the taste test.
Tanya
Saturday 17th of December 2022
Thanks Hugo, hope you enjoy it :)