Pulled pork Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort combo: creamy, cheesy Mac-and-cheese meets tender, juicy pulled pork. It has beautiful crust of baked cheese on top with lots of tender pork in BBQ sauce for addictive goodness.
The homemade Pulled pork Mac and cheese is as good as it sounds. The stovetop mac and cheese is buttery, a little smokey and perfectly creamy. Topped with tender pulled pork and then finished off with a generous drizzle of BBQ sauce.
I load mine up with plenty of sharp cheddar, heap on the pulled pork (hello, slow cooker or Instant Pot magic) and it's basically everything you want on your plate when you're craving something hearty.
Why you'll love this recipe
Huge crowdpleaser: When I really want to wow a crowd, this baked BBQ mac and cheese is the one I reach for. Topped with more cheese and baked until gooey, this dish is perfect to take to a gathering or for a dinner the whole family will love.The best part? If you've already got pulled pork on hand, you can have this beauty on the table in less than 30 minutes. Talk about a win-win!
Melt-in-your-mouth goodness: Tender, juicy pork against soft and creamy elbow pasta creates a more satisfying mouthfeel than either dish alone.
Ingredients
- Macaroni - Traditional elbow macaroni pasta is ideal here. It's cute, small and compact - perfect for capturing all that cheese.
- Pulled pork - This is a great dish to use leftover pulled pork or you can make it fresh. Store bought works well too. There really is no wrong way to go here.
- Sharp Cheddar and Gouda - I love this combo in my baked mac and cheese! They both melt into an amazingly creamy sauce.
- Whole milk - This isn't the place to cut calories-whole milk gives the sauce that rich taste. No whole milk on hand? Mix equal parts heavy cream with 2% milk or use half-and-half.
- Butter, Flour - The butter and flour are combined to create a roux, which thickens the sauce.
- Granulated garlic & onion powder - All the flavor you love without peeling, chopping, crying, or stinky fingers. Easy win.
- Salt and Black Pepper - Essential for seasoning and balance, allowing each ingredient to reach its full expression.
- Dijon Mustard - Just a little goes a long way. It adds a tangy kick that balances all that cheesy richness and keeps the sauce smooth and emulsified.
- Barbecue sauce - Adds flavor, moisture, and a degree of sweet and tangy that complements the rich, savory meat. It also cuts through pork's natural fat, resulting in a complex and satisfying dish. There are so many different varieties of barbecue sauce, so use your favorite kind.
How to make pulled pork Mac and Cheese
Step 1. Make mac-and-cheese. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling water. Follow the package instructions and cook to al dente.
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.
- Add in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is a light brown color.
- Begin to pour the milk in slowly while stirring the whole time. Continue to whisk while the butter mixture incorporates into the milk and begins to thicken.
- Add the Dijon, garlic powder, salt and pepper until mixed in. The milk should start to lightly simmer. Turn the heat off.
- Add 3 cups of the sharp cheddar cheese and all of the gouda cheese. Mix until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is now thick.
- Add the cooked elbow macaroni and mix until fully coated.
Step 2. Prepare pulled pork. In a small bowl mix the pulled pork and barbecue sauce together.
Step 3. Put it all together. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the mac and cheese into the casserole dish. Swirl half of the pork into the mac and cheese.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
Top with the rest of the pulled pork.
Step 5. Bake the casserole
Bake for about 20-23 minutes at 375 F., until the cheese is bubbling and the pulled pork has browned. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce and serve.
Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 1 cup gouda cheese shredded
- 3 cups cooked pulled pork (store bought or homemade)
- ½ cup barbecue sauce plus more for drizzle
Instructions
Make Mac and Cheese
- Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling water. Follow the package instructions and cook to al dente.
- While the macaroni is cooking, begin to make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.
- Add in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is a light brown color.
- Begin to pour the milk in slowly while stirring the whole time. Continue to whisk while the butter mixture incorporates into the milk and begins to thicken.
- Add the Dijon, garlic powder, salt and pepper until mixed in. The milk should start to lightly simmer. Turn the heat off.
- Add 3 cups of the sharp cheddar cheese and all of the gouda cheese. Mix until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is now thick.
- Add the cooked elbow macaroni and mix until fully coated.
Preheat oven
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the mac and cheese into the casserole dish.
Put the dish together in the casserole
- In a small bowl mix the pulled pork and barbecue sauce together.
- Swirl half of the pork into the mac and cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Top with the rest of the pulled pork.
Bake
- Bake for about 20-23 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the pulled pork has browned.
- Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce and serve.
Tips for success
- Cook pasta in broth: Instead of just boiling the pasta in water, I cook it right in chicken broth so it soaks up way more flavor. Then it finishes off in the oven while it bakes, which keeps it perfectly tender without ever turning mushy.
- Undercook your pasta: Make sure you aren't cooking the macaroni too long because it will still cook in the sauce and the oven. You want it to have some firmness to it.
- Keep an eye on the milk: Make sure you are not walking away from the milk when it's on heat. If it gets too hot or you leave it unstirred for a while it will burn and you will need to start over.
- Cheese sauce should be thin: The mac and cheese in the pot should be on the loose side. It may seem too thin but it will continue to get thicker in the oven, so don't get nervous. If you think it's too thick, add a splash more milk to loosen it up. The cheese sauce should be able to fall off a spoon if turned upside down.
- Grate your own cheese: I know, bagged shredded cheese is convenient, but it's coated with anti-caking stuff that keeps it from melting smoothly. Fresh-grated is 100% worth it. Trust me, it's worth the extra couple of minutes.
What is the best cheese for Mac-and-cheese?
Cheese selection is highly personal, but for this dish, I recommend a combination of sharp cheddar, Colby Jack and Gouda. Together, they provide a perfect balance of flavors and smoothness. While these 3 are my preferred choice for achieving depth and texture, the recipe is versatile. Any well-melting cheese can be substituted to suit your taste
- Mozzarella
- Gruyère
- Monterey Jack
- American cheese
Should I use stronger cheese?
I'd definitely use something stronger than mild cheese, but nothing fancy, and I always use more cheese and less butter.
How to keep mac-and-cheese moist
Ideal Mac-and-cheese is not dry, but nor is it watery: it's simply perfectly balance of properly cooked noodles and the right consistency of sauce.
I always cook the noodles tender in very salty water, then mix some of that water with the cheese in the casserole. We need a bit of the extra water because once the dish cools, the noodles will keep absorbing liquid. If they get it all from the sauce - it won't have much left and the entire dish will be a bit too solid.
Make sure you have plenty of sauce. If you under-sauce the noodles, they will dry out and become hard. Mix as much cheese as you see fit. This will prevent Mac and cheese from being dry or oily.
Storage and leftovers
Rewarm: You can reheat in the microwave or stovetop. If the cheese seems too thick, add a small splash of milk to loosen it up as it cooks.
Refrigerate: Place leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Lisa says
I just made this dish tonight and it turned out so good!!! Both of my kids and my husband loved it as well. 5 star dish! Thank you so much for sharing.
Olya Shepard says
So glad everyone loved the macaroni! Thank you