12 flavorful and yummy leftover mac and cheese recipes to use up your favorite cheesy and creamy dinner!
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Leftover Mac and Cheese is a regular occurrence in our house with young kids. We have started getting super creative on how to use our leftovers so it’s not the same old thing every night.
Plus, macaroni and cheese can lose its cheesy flavor the next night and you need something with more flavors to bring it back to life!
I’ve put together 12 leftover mac and cheese recipes to make dinner that much more enjoyable – and easy to make! Just make extras and enjoy these recipes the day after.
How Long is Leftover Mac and Cheese Good For?
Macaroni and cheese will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days when properly stored in an airtight container.
Other Leftover Recipe Options:
How to Make Leftover Mac and Cheese Creamy Again
Macaroni and cheese can lose a lot of its flavor the next day, so it’s important to turn it back creamy and flavorful when eating it as leftovers.
The best way to revive mac and cheese is to do 2 things when reheating it:
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter (more if reheating a bunch)
- Add 1 tablespoon of milk per plate of mac and cheese
You can also add additional shredded cheddar cheese to add more of a cheesy flavor the next day.
Add these before reheating for the best results.
Try one of my three favorite mac and cheese recipes!
- Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
- 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese
Here are 12 options on what to do with leftover mac and cheese!
12 Creamy Leftover Mac and Cheese Recipes
Delicious and flavorful ways to use up leftover mac and cheese for your next dinner!
You won’t believe how easy it is to make mac and cheese bites in the air fryer! They’re crispy, golden, & full of melty cheese.
Cheesy homemade macaroni and cheese stuffed inside a buttery roasted acorn squash. It's a great way to revive leftover mac and cheese with new flavors!
Two classic childhood favorites come together in this cheesy, gooey, pepperoni-topped, and noodle-filled baked skillet. Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy Pepperoni Mac and Cheese Skillet Recipe is guaranteed to have your kids begging for more!
Macaroni and cheese plus pizza? Oh yes, we did! This 10 Minute Mac and Cheese Pizza recipe is a super quick and easy dinner idea the kids will love!
Comfort food in a cup! The perfect cozy, cheesy side dish, but handheld for appetizers and tailgating.
Mexican Fried Mac and Cheese Balls are slightly addictive and a great way to use up mac and cheese leftovers. Serve with salsa for dipping and enjoy!
A comforting vegan shepherd's pie topped with creamy mac and cheese! Use leftover mac and cheese to make this quick twist on a classic.
These mac n cheese donuts are a fun way to use up leftover mac n cheese. Since they bake in the oven, they are easy and healthy.
Turn macaroni and cheese into a bite-sized party food with this recipe for air fryer mac and cheese bites. They are crispy on the edges and soft and creamy in the middle.
This leftover casserole recipe can easily be modified to use leftover mac and cheese as the pasta.
These gluten-free Mac and Cheese Bites are crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside. They are a great way to use up leftover mac and cheese!
These fried mac n cheese hearts are a delicious and fun way to use up leftover mac n cheese.
12 Leftover Mac and Cheese Recipes
Ingredients
- 4 Acorn Squashes
- 5 tablespoons of butter divided
- 4 cups of leftover mac and cheese
- 2 tablespoons of milk more if needed
Optional
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut tops of acorn squash off. Scoop out seeds and pulp leaving about 1-2
inches on the sides and bottom. Place acorn squashes on a baking sheet. - Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave then use a basting brush to spread butter on top and inside of each acorn squash.
- Bake squash for 40-50 minutes, until tender with a fork.
- While the acorn squash is baking, reheat the macaroni and cheese by adding in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and milk, then reheat in the microwave, stirring a few times when cooking.
- Remove the acorn squash from the oven, scoop 1 cup of macaroni and cheese into each acorn squash and enjoy!
- Optional: Top with breadcrumbs, shredded cheddar cheese, and broil for 2 minutes, if desired.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Vegans don’t eat cheese…
This is correct. Vegans do not eat cheese and vegetarians do.
So… you’re putting the mac n cheese in a vegetarian, edible bowl, instead of wasting a bowl?
Yes, it’s a variation of a mac and cheese recipe, the acorn squash serves as a bowl in that particular recipe. However if you wanted to just make the mac and cheese part and forget the acorn squash bowl that’s totally up to you.
Where’s the other 11 recipes?
All recipes are listed throughout the entire post.