Homemade macaroni and cheese is good, but it can lack flavor and texture. Tuna is great with homemade macaroni and cheese, but there are many more ways to add flavor to the homemade variety. Skip the tuna and try one of the following ways to add flavor to homemade macaroni and cheese. Chances are you will discover a new favorite main course dish.
Add Flavor with a Baked Butter Crumb Topping
A buttered crumb topping on homemade macaroni and cheese adds just the right amount of flavor and crunchy texture. Turn bread into crumbs using two stale pieces, and toss the crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle it over homemade macaroni and cheese, and bake it in a casserole dish just until the crumbs become golden brown.
Stir in Cooked Chopped Broccoli
Mixing veggies with a main meal dish is a great way to add vitamins and minerals to the diet, and it is an even great way to add flavor, especially when the main meal dish is homemade macaroni and cheese. Cook chopped broccoli in a saucepan, and drain it before string it into homemade macaroni and cheese.
Top it with Crisp Bacon Bits
Bacon and cheddar taste great together, and if you want to add flavor to ordinary homemade macaroni and cheese, try topping it with crisp bacon bits. Opt for real bacon bits over the artificial variety made for salad. Either fry it yourself, or choose ready-made microwavable varieties, or real bacon bits in a jar. It will add amazing flavor and just the right amount of texture. Bacon can be successfully combined with any of the other ways to add flavor to homemade macaroni and cheese.
Stir in Sauteed Onion Slivers
If you love onions, consider stirring in freshly sauteed onion slivers. The soft onion slivers will give the homemade macaroni and cheese a tremendous amount of flavor, and all for the price of a single onion and a small amount of butter. Add diced raw onions shortly after preparation if you prefer added crunch.
Add Flavor with Fresh Mushrooms and Diced Bell Peppers
Fresh mushrooms have far more flavor than canned varieties, and if you have never tried fresh sliced mushrooms with homemade macaroni and cheese, you really should give it a try. Sautee freshly sliced mushrooms in a small amount of butter, and drain away the excess butter before stirring it into the macaroni and cheese. For additional flavor and color, include diced bell peppers as well.
Stir in Cooked Drained Italian Sausage
Do you want an all-in-one macaroni and cheese meal? Stir in freshly cooked, crumbled, and drained Italian sausage. Italian sausage has a considerable amount of flavor because of the added spices, and it will turn ordinary homemade macaroni and cheese into an extraordinary meal with lots of flavor.
Add Chopped Pepperoni and Black Olives
If you love the flavor of pizza, when making macaroni and cheese, consider making it with mozzarella cheese sauce instead of cheddar. Simply substitute the cheddar for mozzarella when making the sauce, and top it with chopped pepperoni and sliced black olives for even more flavor.
Add Flavor with Broiled Salmon Bits
Broiled salmon has a lot of flavor, and it goes very well with homemade macaroni and cheese. Instead of serving it on the side, stir it in after preparation. Those who love salmon will love the flavor, and it will become a favorite one-dish meal.
Top it with Unsweetened Buttered Cereal Flakes
Buttered bread crumbs are good, but those who want more crunch can top homemade macaroni and cheese with buttered cereal flakes. Toss unsweetened cereal flakes with melted butter, and liberally sprinkle them over the top of the dish. Bake it in the oven until the cereal deepens in color and becomes crispier than ever.
Top it with Flavored Potato Chip Crumbs
Potato chips come in countless flavors, and they can be used to add more flavor to homemade macaroni and cheese. Simply choose your favorite variety, and crumble them into small bits. Toss them with melted butter, and sprinkle them over homemade macaroni and cheese just before baking. They will add tremendous flavor and a delectable crunch unlike any other topping.
