Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Recipes Macaroni and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving That Might Just Outshine the Turkey By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 6, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Mac and cheese is a surefire, guaranteed crowd pleaser. It's darn hard to resist pasta covered in oodles of creamy cheese, and we've got a collection of Thanksgiving macaroni and cheese recipes to prove it. This year, we decided to bring out the mac and cheese with both longstanding classics and deliciously different recipes that will have your Thanksgiving table buzzing. We're strong believers that macaroni and cheese deserves a spot on the holiday table no matter what; but if you're looking to take the old-fashioned comfort food to new heights, these recipes are going to get it done. Here are our favorite macaroni and cheese recipes to liven up your Thanksgiving table. If you're indecisive, we offer our Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese since it can't steer you wrong. The adventurous (or vegan) may try their hand at Tabitha Brown's version. You may even want to enlist the help of relatives to make several different varieties of mac and cheese for a Thanksgiving Day taste test this year. 01 of 15 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese This creamy dish is loved and requested by both kids and adults alike, and it can come together in under one hour and in three easy-to-follow steps. With that much ease, flavor, and cheesy goodness, could we offer a better Thanksgiving side? 02 of 15 Macaroni Pie Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Macaroni Pie Turkey Day wouldn't be complete without mac and cheese and a tasty pie on the table. Why not combine the best of both worlds with this easy recipe? 03 of 15 Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese It wouldn't quite be fall without some sort of gourd, so we present this Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. It's a two-for-one and mighty delicious at that. 04 of 15 Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese Tender spears of roasted broccoli take this best-ever mac and cheese recipe to the next level. The crisped, savory taste of well-roasted broccoli adds a holiday-worthy spin to your hearty Thanksgiving feast. 05 of 15 Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon Crispy bacon and flavorful breadcrumb crust take this homemade mac and cheese recipe to the next level. 06 of 15 Tortellini Mac and Cheese Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Tortellini Mac and Cheese Using cheese-stuffed tortellini pasta adds even more decadence to this mac and cheese recipe. 07 of 15 Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese Greg DuPree, Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese With the help of some dairy-free cheese and butternut squash, even the die-hard mac and cheese fans will be on board with this vegan recipe. 08 of 15 Macaroni Pudding Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Recipe: Macaroni Pudding Creamy consistency, all the cheese, and a crispy browned top. Yes, please. Save us a scoop. All the scoops. 09 of 15 Mac and Cheese with Ham Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Ham Classic mac and cheese gets an instant upgrade with the addition of juicy ham. Trust us: The whole family will love it. 10 of 15 Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese Buttery panko breadcrumbs seasoned with sage, thyme, and rosemary are the trick to elevating this mac and cheese. The crispy topping and creamy inner pockets make for a Thanksgiving side that will pair incredibly with turkey and dressing. 11 of 15 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Hector Sanchez Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese There isn't a more foolproof way to get your family full and happy on Thanksgiving than this dish that pairs all of your turkey, dressing, and casseroles. This slow-cooker recipe is one of our ultimate favorites, thanks to a hearty use of cheese and minimal prep time. 12 of 15 Skillet Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumbs Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Skillet Mac and Cheese with Crispy Breadcrumbs A generous helping of mayonnaise gives a slight tanginess and added creaminess when paired with mild ricotta cheese. Cook it in a skillet to ensure you'll get plenty of the gooey cheese you're looking for with a slightly crispy edge. 13 of 15 Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese The Test Kitchen concluded that this recipe is a fool-proof mac-and-cheese recipe any day, but it works on Thanksgiving too. You get pockets of gooey goodness in every bite, thanks to the addition of cubes of Cheddar cheese that melt as the pasta bakes. 14 of 15 Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Crunchy cauliflower adds the perfect amount of texture to this creamy, Gouda cheese-filled dish. 15 of 15 Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese Hector Sanchez Recipe: Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese Bacon, chives, pimiento cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of hot sauce pack flavor into this mac and cheese dish. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit