Buffalo Mac And Cheese
Buffalo Mac and Cheese is creamy, tangy, and just the right amount of spicy—aka wing night in pasta form. We’re talking a silky cheddar sauce, a hit of buffalo flavor, and a crunchy panko topping.
Table of Contents
Make it with or without rotisserie chicken, then if you’re feeling fancy, finish it with a buffalo drizzle, blue cheese (or ranch), and a sprinkle of celery leaves. Weeknight-easy, game day–ready, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
Why You’ll Love it
- Perfectly balanced: Silky cheese sauce meets tangy buffalo heat for a balanced, not blow-your-mouth off heat.
- Flexible: Stovetop or baked, with or without chicken, blue cheese or ranch—make it your way!
- Crowd-pleasing: Perfect for game day, potlucks, or a comfort-food dinner that feeds a group. Even kids like this one!
Buffalo Mac And Cheese Tips
- Shred your own cheese: This is always my number one tip when making a recipe that calls for shredded cheese. Pre-shredded can turn grainy from anti-caking agents. Use a block of sharp cheddar + a little low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack for extra melt.
- Topping that stays crisp: I prefer to toast the panko in a pan so it gets evenly browned but you can also bake it in the oven if you prefer.
- Serve like a chef: Finish with a buffalo drizzle, blue cheese crumbled or a drizzle of ranch, sliced green onions, and a little celery salt for that wing night vibe.
Ingredient swaps & variations
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar (base) + mozzarella/Monterey Jack (melt). Swap some cheddar for pepper jack (spicier) or Gouda (smoky).
- Pasta shape: Elbows, cavatappi, shells, or gemelli grip the sauce best. Use gluten-free pasta as needed; undercook by 1 minute to prevent mushy mac and cheese.
- Protein: Fold in shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken, or crispy bacon.
- Buffalo sauce: Any buffalo sauce works (this one is my favorite); for milder heat, cut with ranch or extra butter. For hotter, add cayenne or a splash of hot sauce.
- No panko? Crush buttery crackers or tortilla chips with a pinch of paprika for a great crunchy topping.
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Buffalo Mac And Cheese
This creamy Buffalo mac and cheese brings together spicy buffalo sauce and melty cheese for the ultimate comfort food combination. It’s bold, buttery, and ready in 20 minutes. Perfect for game day or whenever you’re craving a cozy bowl of stove top mac and cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup Trader Joe’s Buffalo Blue Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread*
- ¾ cup Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggi
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for more heat
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside. You can toss it with a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking if you need to.1 lb elbow pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, melt 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Toast the panko for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer the toasted panko to a plate and set aside.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- In the same pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until light golden.2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Gradually whisk in the warm milk and heavy cream until smooth. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.2 cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream
- Lower the heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne if using. Stir in the Buffalo Blue Cheese Spread until fully melted and creamy. Add the shredded cheeses, stirring until smooth.1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, ½ cup Trader Joe’s Buffalo Blue Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread*, ¾ cup Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggi, ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly in the sauce, taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream.2 tablespoons sour cream
- Transfer the warm mac and cheese to a serving dish (I like to warm mine in the oven first). Then garnish with chopped chives or parsley and drizzle with Buffalo sauce if desired.2 teaspoons fresh chopped chives or parsley
If you tried this recipe, please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
- For extra buffalo flavor, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of Buffalo sauce with the cheeses, or drizzle over the finished mac and cheese before adding the toasted panko. Adding too much during cooking may cause the sauce to break due to the vinegar content.
- Fold in crumbled blue cheese or use it as a garnish after adding the toasted panko for bold blue cheese flavor.
- The Trader Joe’s Buffalo Blue Unexpected Cheddar Spread can be substituted for 4oz of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of buffalo hot sauce. The quattro formaggi can be swapped with a 4 cheese blend of your choice.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
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