Mac and cheese is truthfully the very best — hearty, comforting, and oh-so-satisfying.
And whereas I’m not one to shrink back from an enormous bowl of tacky mac for dinner, it’s typically served with accompaniments (and even as a aspect itself).
It’s arduous to go fallacious with one thing as scrumptious as mac and cheese, however there are specific pairings that may improve your meal to the subsequent stage. I’ve gathered all of my favorites on this checklist relating to what to serve with mac and cheese, together with:
- Meats and BBQ
- Bread
- Salads
- Soups
- Desserts
- Drinks.
Able to get your menu sorted? Let’s get into it!
Leap to:
Should you’re questioning what goes with mac and cheese for dinner, these juicy, easy-to-pull-apart ribs pair so nicely with mac and cheese! Their smoky, hearty taste enhances the creamy, extra delicate palette of the beloved pasta dish — making you need extra of each!
This recipe makes use of each a posh dry rub (with spices and brown sugar sweetness) and home made barbecue sauce! Going the additional mile by making your individual sauce is 100% value it, and solely takes about 5 minutes!
One other barbecue delight is that this loopy aspect dish! Should you’re a carnivore (as I’m), this recipe is for you.
Inside an outer shell of BBQ sauce-slathered, crispy bacon, you’ll discover a excellent layer of crunchy, caramelized onion which is then completed with a decadent and flavorful floor beef meatball.
And simply once you suppose it could’t get any higher, you’ll hit the gooey, melted cheese core. Pairing these bombs with mac and cheese is the final word indulgent and scrumptious meal!
Craving Cracker Barrel, or simply in search of a very good meatloaf? This recipe is the best way to go!
It makes a superbly tender and moist meatloaf that also doesn’t simply fall to bits once you slice it.
This loaf pairs nicely with mac and cheese because it has a agency chunk, savory taste, and is simply straight-up delicious!
Mac and cheese with hen tenders was my go-to meal rising up, so it needed to have a spot on this checklist. There’s simply one thing so nice, homey, and comforting concerning the combo!
These hen tenders aren’t simply straight from the child’s menu although. They’re marinated in garlic, lemon, olive oil, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika — giving them a posh, zesty taste.
These tenders are fast and straightforward to make, and so they’re a terrific selection for a lighter choice to pair together with your decadent, fatty mac!
On a listing of what to eat with mac and cheese, this pork tenderloin is a can’t-miss! The honey within the sauce provides it simply the correct stage of sweetness, in addition to making it shiny and a little bit bit sticky (in a great way)
The meat is cooked in a dish with the sauce, infusing it with garlicky savory taste as nicely and the honey notes.
One tip for this recipe is to verify to pour your sauce across the tenderloins earlier than baking (or put the sauce within the dish first) reasonably than placing the sauce throughout them.
Placing sauce on high of the meat earlier than cooking prevents browning, so it’s higher to drizzle it over as soon as the dish has cooked as a substitute!
What goes good with mac and cheese? This lean, dry-rubbed brisket! It’s smoky, salty, and has a pleasant chunk to it whereas nonetheless staying tender. What extra might you need?
This recipe takes a little bit extra time than among the others within the checklist, however it’s principally simply leaving it within the oven and letting it relaxation! Prep is barely 5 minutes at most, so that you received’t have to be standing on the range all day.
That additionally makes this brisket a terrific possibility for events or gatherings, as you may serve everybody from one dish reasonably than making particular person servings.
One other occasion favourite is these gourmand scorching canines! They’re tremendous straightforward to make — merely grill them up like some other scorching canines.
Nonetheless, the key is within the toppings. Having a terrific condiment choice is what takes your BBQ from primary to blast off! Plus, you may arrange a enjoyable topping bar and have your company create their very own.
Topping concepts embrace caramelized onions, pickle spears, smoked or sauteed peppers, pickled jalapenos, crispy bacon, and pico de gallo.
You may also embrace cheese or cheese sauce if you wish to double down alongside your mac and cheese! Pepperjack, Swiss, and good ol’ original cheddar are nice decisions for topping your scorching canines!
That is the final pulled pork recipe you’re ever going to want. Significantly, it’s that good!
Dr. Pepper provides an excellent delicate, syrupy sweetness that’s not overpowering and makes cooking up a killer barbecue sauce really easy! Plus, you too can make the sauce forward for sooner prep on the day.
You’ll be able to serve this pulled pork on burger buns with some coleslaw or different veggie if you happen to’re trying to preserve it traditional. However if you happen to’re in search of one thing new, strive it on high of your mac and cheese!
That means, you get the smoky BBQ goodness and creamy gooey cheesiness in each chunk.
Do you have got vegetarian company attending? You may also make an incredibly shut mock pulled pork utilizing shredded jackfruit!
If you’d like some additional protein to show your mac and cheese right into a fuller meal, strive these delicious meatballs!
They preserve issues fairly conventional, utilizing sausage, beef, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings; some issues are classics for a cause.
Should you’re feeling hungry, prep these meatballs with marinara sauce and make some subs to serve alongside your pasta. You may also high your mac and cheese with the meatballs, although I desire to interrupt them up a bit for higher distribution. When in search of what protein goes with mac and cheese, these meatballs are a scrumptious possibility that complement the flavors completely
Should you’re not feeling meatball subs, sloppy joes are one other glorious sandwich option to serve with mac and cheese.
This recipe is so flavorful because it makes use of loads of garlic, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic and onion powder, and black pepper. It makes use of floor beef because the meat, however you may sub turkey if you need!
This recipe solely takes twenty minutes, so you may whip it up whereas your mac and cheese is within the oven. Should you’re not feeling like bread, the meat can be combined straight into the pasta!
In search of some spectacular finger meals? You’ll by no means go fallacious with pigs in a blanket!
The mix of savory cocktail sausages (though I’ve been identified to chop up cooked scorching canines in a pinch) with the buttery, flakey crescent pastry dough is simply so satisfying.
This recipe is nice as a result of there’s so little prep required and it makes use of canned dough — although you may in fact make your individual if you happen to’re feeling fancy!
The prepare dinner time is barely fifteen minutes, and these little piggies are at all times such a success at events and even as a lowkey dinner made additional particular when served with mac and cheese!
Should you’ve bought additional cocktail weenies left over out of your pigs in a blanket or desire to double up in your meat, these little smokies are the proper chunk of savory, candy, bacony goodness.
All you have to do to make them is wrap your sausages in bacon, safe them with a toothpick, and coat them in brown sugar. Then, pop them within the oven for round thirty minutes!
It’s easy to arrange and is bound to be devoured as quickly as they’re cool sufficient to eat (watch out because the sugar could be fairly scorching).
I generally discover that I find yourself with spare bacon or weenies if my ratio isn’t fairly proper. If this occurs to you, strive cooking the bacon till it’s near burnt, then crumbling it on high of your mac and cheese! The additional sausage is wonderful when minimize into cash and stirred in as nicely.
I’ve tried a number of glorious cornbreads in my time, however I preserve coming again to the one from Dealer Joe’s.
This recipe is less expensive than shopping for the bread, and (for my part) even tastier! It’s a terrific selection with mac and cheese, particularly if you happen to’re going Southern-style or having a barbecue.
Garlic bread is a go-to aspect for any pasta dish, however with mac and cheese, it simply amps up the scrumptious indulgence. This recipe isn’t your common pre-made garlic bread — however belief me, the couple of added steps are so value it!
It makes use of contemporary garlic and parsley, high-quality butter, and a little bit little bit of salt, and it solely takes about twenty minutes altogether.
I have a tendency to scale back the salt barely and use salted butter to make sure it’s evenly distributed, however you need to mess around with this recipe and make it your individual! You’ll be able to even high your garlic bread with additional cheese if you happen to simply can’t get sufficient.
Salads & Greens
These baked beans are bursting with Southern taste and complement the milder mac and cheese so nicely!
Their kick comes from chili powder whereas their depth and sweetness is from the mixture of onion, bacon, garlic, BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and liquid smoke.
If you wish to preserve issues meat-free, it’s okay to omit the bacon. I’d simply add a little bit additional liquid smoke, some butter, salt, and paprika to compensate for the lack of fats and umami!
This veggie medley makes use of broccoli, inexperienced beans, and zucchini in addition to sesame seeds; it’s a lighter (however nonetheless tremendous tasty) aspect to your mac and cheese!
Should you’d reasonably do a pasta bake than a aspect, you too can scale back the roasting time and stir the veggies into your mac.
I’d swap out the sesame seeds for bread crumbs or omit them solely if I mixed my veggies, however that’s completely as much as you!
This salad is exclusive — and a complete game-changer!
You roast lemon slices (after blanching), which ends up in a softer, extra palatable taste that stays citrusy and zesty with out being too bitter.
Combining the cooked lemon slices with contemporary cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint, pink onions, and pink wine vinegar results in a light-weight and shiny aspect salad that’s the excellent accompaniment to the heavier mac and cheese dish.
Inexperienced beans is perhaps the go-to vegetable aspect for mac and cheese. They’re gentle, scrumptious, enjoyable to eat, and really easy to arrange.
This recipe retains it easy: all you want are inexperienced beans, garlic, and oil, plus salt and pepper to style.
Typically all that’s required subsequent to a posh and decadent mac and cheese is a contemporary and garlicky inexperienced bean!
Brussel sprouts are an underappreciated veggie in my e-book. Too many soggy, smelly sprouts after I was a child led to me ignoring their potential.
Nonetheless, these sprouts are nothing in need of scrumptious! Roasting retains the veggies mushy, crisp, and dry, with distinct layers that you could fill with taste.
This recipe makes use of balsamic, olive oil, and honey to make easy candy sprouts that may shine as a aspect. They go particularly nicely with sharper mac and cheese.
This straightforward slaw is shiny and colourful, and would be the star of any barbecue whilst a easy aspect dish!
It makes use of pink cabbage, carrot, chili, inexperienced onion, and parsley to maintain issues gentle and flavorful.
I desire this recipe to different slaws after I’m accompanying mac and cheese because it makes use of oil reasonably than mayo — conserving issues contemporary and crunchy. Whereas I like a creamy dish, there could be an excessive amount of of a great factor!
These peppers are candy and smoky and are available collectively in about ten minutes. What’s to not like?
Serve them as a veggie aspect to your mac and cheese, minimize up and stirred in, or as a sandwich topping for a meat accompaniment.
They’re much more handy if you happen to’re already having a barbecue or utilizing the grill for some a part of your meal!
I like to make use of a few totally different colours of bell peppers for selection (and to make issues fairly).
Strive serving your mac and cheese alongside these spicy lentils!
There’s a stunning distinction in taste and texture between the 2, and this soup provides veggies and wholesome proteins to your meal.
Should you’re gunning for the king of the cookout, go all out and serve chili and mac and cheese!
This traditional Southern chili could be made in a gradual cooker, so it’s tremendous straightforward and also you received’t want to face there stirring the day away.
Plus it’s packed stuffed with taste and prize-winning elements – you’ve bought this! Bonus factors if you happen to whip up a cornbread as nicely.
This dessert is a little bit of a throwback, however it’s nonetheless a favourite!
You can also make it utilizing canned fruit and panty elements, so no slicing is required!
Tart apples are identified for the way nicely they pair with cheese, why not take full benefit and comply with your mac with this scrumptious crisp?
It’s candy, tart, buttery, and just a bit salty — you’ll be ending your meal off proper.
You’ll be able to by no means go fallacious with brownies.
This recipe elevates home made brownies through the use of brown sugar, giving it a barely extra advanced, homey sweetness that’s positive to go away you and your company glad.
We don’t have an excessive amount of house in the present day to go over precisely what to drink with mac and cheese, however all 4 classes under are nice choices!
- Wine (Chardonnay White wine)
Dry or candy white wine goes amazingly with wealthy tacky dishes!
- Beer
You’ll be able to’t go fallacious with beer! Preserve them gentle, easy, and ice chilly for the very best complement to mac and cheese.
- Dry Cider
If you’d like one thing a little bit sweeter, crisp apple cider is the proper pairing.
- Iced Tea
You don’t want booze to have a scrumptious drink. Iced tea is good, refreshing, and pairs particularly nicely with Southern-style mac!
📖 Recipe
What Goes With Mac & Cheese – 30 Greatest Facet Dishes!
Questioning what goes with mac and cheese? I’ve bought you lined with this useful information of the very best sides for mac and cheese!
Components
- BBQ Ribs
- BBQ Bacon Wrapped Onion Bombs
- Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
- Grilled Rooster Tenders
- Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin
- Brisket
- Connoisseur Sizzling Canine
- Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
- Meatballs
- Sloppy Joe
- Pigs in a Blanket
- Little Smokies
- Dealer Joe’s Copycat Cornbread
- Selfmade Garlic Bread
- Salads & Greens
- Southern Baked Beans
- Roasted Broccoli
- Roasted Lemon and Cherry Tomato Salad
- Sautéed Inexperienced Beans with Garlic
- Brussels Sprouts
- Purple Cabbage Slaw
- Grilled Bell Peppers
- Spiced Lentils Soup
- Chili
- Ambrosia Fruit Salad
- Salted Apple Crisp
- Brown Sugar Brownies
Directions
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Decide your favourite mac and cheese aspect dish.
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Get the required elements.
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Savor a delicious meals dinner!
