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Cast Iron Pizza Mac and Cheese

If you love our Ninja Foodi macaroni and cheese but want to take it another step further to ultimate yum, this pizza mac and cheese will your favorite two dinners together into one!

Pizza Mac and Cheese

There are a few ways to make pizza mac and cheese, I will explain them all. From using boxed to homemade elbow noodles with a sauce that is easy to throw together, this makes lunchtime fun for kids. You don’t have to stop at pepperoni, load on all the toppings you love and let us know what you think. (affiliate links present, originally published 6/22)

Pizza Macaroni and Cheese

So you’ve made our microwave mac and cheese recently and thought “why didn’t I think of this and why didn’t I make it earlier?” Well now you can take it a step further at the end with olives, crumbled sausage, spicy pepperoni, like all the things.

We have even thrown on last night’s leftovers to make a more unusual brisket mac and cheese dish. I mean the possibilities are endless when it comes to making your favorite “pie”. I’m not sure the Canadian bacon and pineapple version would work well on top but just about anything savory goes.

mac and cheese

Pepperoni Mac and Cheese

If you don’t already have your favorite homemade mac and cheese recipe I will share a simple one with you below. You can whip that part together in a pot and then to layer it all together I like using a cast iron skillet. That way you can pop it in the oven and melt the cheese on the top.

How do you make Trader Joes pepperoni mac and cheese?

This homemade version is so much better. Theirs is frozen and heated up which is quicker but this way you can make it fresh with your favorite toppings to feed your whole family. It’s a lot cheaper this way too as that one is only one serving.

Pizza Mac and Cheese Kraft

To start with you could make the base semi homemade out of the box. Almost everyone has eaten this popular lunch on the stovetop but you can also make Kraft mac and cheese in Instant Pot. Benefit to this method is there is no draining required at all.

cast iron macaroni and cheese

Cast Iron Macaroni and Cheese

Another is to boil small shells or elbow macaroni until al dente, boil ingredients for cheese separately, fold together and then go on to the pizza step. If you wanted to just fold the toppings into the noodles like our Instant Pot pizza pasta that would skip the broiling all together. You’re going to need;

  1. Typically you’d use elbow macaroni but you could use any smaller noodle
  2. Heavy whipping cream
  3. 3 cups of mozzarella cheese
  4. Salt and pepper
  5. 1/2 cup marinara sauce, pizza sauce or even spaghetti sauce works
  6. Toppings like pepperoni, bell peppers, red pepper flakes to make it spicy etc…

A pot to make it initially and a cast iron pan or 9×9 baking dish for the final step. If you allow it to cool this will solidify together and you can basically slice it like a pie. I don’t really care about that and just use a large serving spoon to scoop it out like a casserole.

Pepperoni Mac and Cheese

Unique Mac and Cheese Recipes

After you make this macaroni and cheese pizza you can think outside of the box even more. Make a meat lovers macaroni and cheese version with brisket leftovers and sausage, bacon and more.

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil and set aside. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain but do not rinse.
    • Place pasta back in the saucepan and add whipping cream, 2 cups cheese, salt and pepper.
  • Set heat to medium until cheese sauce is completely melted.
    • Pour the mac and cheese into the prepared skillet.
    • Spread the tomato sauce over the center, then top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese and toppings.
  • Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes to lightly brown.

If you needed a larger batch of this you could easily double it. Pour into a 9×13″ pan so it fits and add all the things to the top. I will say black olive slices are out of this world too. OR use a second pan and make flank steak cast iron to serve on the side and enjoy both.

Pizza-Macaroni-and-Cheese

Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese

Once you fall in love with this you might want to use this skillet for other dishes. I would do just that. Our cast iron salmon is a close second on our list of faves.

What is the best cheese combination for pizza?

Some only use mozzarella on top but if you mix a few shredded types it gives the dish deeper flavors. The best cheeses for pizza is a blend of shredded mozzarella, a bit of cheddar and parmesan or asiago as well. The same goes for this pizza macaroni and cheese recipe.

Can you make pasta with pizza sauce?

Absolutely! We will show you how to make a fun pizza mac and cheese dish you see here. Add all of your other favorite toppings as well like pepperoni, mushrooms and olives if you like. Baked in the oven or heated in a cast iron skillet to melt and meld together this makes for a great dish.

Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!

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Pizza Mac and Cheese
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Pizza Mac and Cheese

Pepperoni pizza mac and cheese is a fun twist combining your two favorite dinner recipes. Cheesy macaroni with your favorite toppings.
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword cast iron, mac n cheese, pepperoni, pizza
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 575kcal
Author The Typical Mom

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron pan

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cast iron skillet and set aside. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain but do not rinse. Place pasta back in the saucepan and add whipping cream, 2 cups cheese, salt and pepper.
  • Stir over medium heat until cheese is completely melted. Pour the mac and cheese into the prepared skillet. Spread the tomato sauce over the center of the mac and cheese, then top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese and pepperoni slices.
  • Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Video

Nutrition Facts
Pizza Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving (2 oz)
Calories 575 Calories from Fat 333
% Daily Value*
Fat 37g57%
Saturated Fat 21g131%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 107mg36%
Sodium 967mg42%
Potassium 265mg8%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 1239IU25%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 440mg44%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe Rating




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