Trinidad Macaroni Pie – This is baked mac and cheese the Caribbean Way, with loads of flavor. Add a little spice to your life, my friend. Comfort food has never tasted so good!
You know what happens when you have kids? You start cooking meals you’ve never tried before. Sometimes, you just get tired of whipping up the boxed stuff, especially after you read the label. Sure, it’s a speedy way to make mac and cheese, but the results aren’t that appealing.
Or maybe I should rephrase that and say it’s not appealing to me. My sous chef (son) would eat the boxed stuff every day. If you ask me, I think there might be crack in those boxes; I kid you not. They get so addicted to the stuff and want nothing else.
But this homemade Trinidad macaroni pie is a whole other story for me. It may be because Trinidad and Tobago food has a definite African influence. Besides, how can you say no to a big pan of ooey, gooey, cheesy deliciousness?
Trinidad Macaroni Pie vs. Mac and Cheese
The allure of this Trinidad macaroni and cheese pie is the spice combination: hot pepper, onions, garlic, thyme, and Creole spices. It all comes together to make the ultimate comfort food, a perfect Trinidadian treat.
Plus, this recipe is not too firm or too creamy. It’s beautifully gooey when it comes out of the oven but firm enough to slice when it cools down. 😋
Recipe Ingredients
- Macaroni – I like to use macaroni for this pie because, as I mentioned, I’ve got a kid in the house. My sous chef son demands mac and cheese, not penne and cheese or some such thing. For more adult sensibilities, any pasta will do. 😜
- Dairy – Get together your butter, evaporated milk, and cheese. I use cheddar and mozzarella.
- Seasonings – Here’s where we get our island vibe. You’ll need garlic, jalapeno, diced onion, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, white pepper, and dry mustard.
- Thickeners – A tablespoon of flour and an egg give the cheese sauce a lovely thick consistency that’s a must in macaroni pie.
How to Make Trinidad Macaroni Pie
Prep Ingredients
- Prep the Pasta – Cook the macaroni per package directions. Be sure to salt the water before cooking.
- Start the Sauce – While the macaroni is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the garlic, thyme, jalapeno pepper, and smoked paprika for about a minute.
- Aromatics – Add the onions and continue cooking for about a minute more.
- Sauce – Next, add the flour and whisk until blended. Gradually add the milk and bring it to a boil, simmering and stirring until the mixture thickens.
- Temper Eggs – Remove about ¼ cup of the mixture. Let it cool for a few minutes before slowly whisking in the egg so it doesn’t curdle.
- Finish Sauce – Dump the tempered egg back into the pan and mix well to incorporate all ingredients. Stir in more than half of the cheese, leaving some to sprinkle on top.
Assemble
- Drain the macaroni, add it to the sauce, and stir until coated.
- Season – Add the mustard and white pepper. Taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Assemble – Transfer everything to a greased 2-quart baking dish or a 13 “x9” baking dish.
- Bake – Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350℉ (180℃) for 20 -30 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe Variations
- Make it extra creamy. Add an extra ½ cup of whole milk for a creamier sauce.
- Enjoy some added heat. Top your macaroni pie with extra jalapeño peppers and hot sauce if you love to bring the heat. ❤️🔥
- East Indian flavors. Add a dash of turmeric, cumin, and black pepper to create an Indian fusion for your Trinidad macaroni pie.
- Cheese swap. Feel free to use any cheeses you love for this; just make sure you include at least one cheese that is nice and melty when warm.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcook the pasta. You want your pasta al dente because you’ll be baking it. Overcooked macaroni pie isn’t very tasty. So set a timer for this one, amigo. ⏲️
- Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents that make them less melty. If there was ever a time to grate the cheese yourself, this is it!
- If your pasta is done before the sauce, drain it in a colander and toss it with just a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking together or swelling. Leave it in the colander until your cheese sauce is ready so any extra liquid can drain off.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Feel free to make this Trinidad macaroni pie recipe a day or two ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe instructions up to the assembly steps, but stop before the baking part.
Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to bake and serve it, let it warm back up to room temperature for about 30 minutes; otherwise, you may need to give it a few extra minutes in the oven.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve Trinidad macaroni pie nice and hot, while the cheese is still melty.
Refrigerate leftover macaroni pie in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Or pop the whole dish back in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
What Goes With Trinidad Macaroni Pie
For a complete Caribbean meal, serve this macaroni pie with Jamaican jerk chicken and Caribbean potato salad. Or try it with buss up shut, crab and dumplings, and stewed meats, like split pea soup, brown stew chicken, and okra stew. 😉
More Creamy Recipes for Cheesy Perfection
- Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Southern Cheese Straws
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Chili Cheese Fries
- Cheese Grits
- Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
This blog post was originally published in February 2015 and has been updated with additional tips and photos
Trinidad Macaroni Pie
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226g) macaroni, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1-2 tablespoon jalapenos, seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon (3g) minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (1g) thyme
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon (9g) flour
- 1 cup (240ml) evaporated milk
- 1 egg
- 4 ounces (113g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (113g)
sharp cheddar cheese ,
grated - 1 teaspoon (7g) salt (I used Creole salt)
- ½ teaspoon (2g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoons (2g) dry mustard (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni per package directions. Be sure to salt the water before cooking.
- While the macaroni is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the garlic, thyme, jalapeno pepper, and smoked paprika for about a minute.
- Add the onions and continue cooking for about a minute more.
- Next, add the flour and whisk until blended. Gradually add the milk and bring it to a boil, simmering and stirring until the mixture thickens.
- Remove about ¼ cup of the mixture. Let it cool for a few minutes before slowly whisking in the egg so it doesn't curdle.
- Dump the tempered egg back into the pan and mix well to incorporate all ingredients. Stir in more than half of the cheese, leaving some to sprinkle on top.
- Drain the macaroni, add it to the sauce, and stir until coated.
- Add the mustard and white pepper. Taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Transfer everything to a greased 2-quart baking dish or a 13"x9" baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350℉ (180℃) for 20 -30 minutes or until heated through.
Tips & Notes:
- If you would like super creamy macaroni pie, add an extra ½ cup of whole milk. I usually double the recipe and top it with more jalapeño.
- This recipe is not too firm nor too creamy. It’s just right. Gooey enough when it comes out of the oven and firm enough to slice when it cools down.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. You want your pasta al dente because you’ll be baking it. Overcooked macaroni pie isn’t very tasty.
- Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents that make them less melty. Please take the time to grate block cheese.
- If your pasta is done before the sauce, drain it in a colander and toss it with just a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking together or swelling. Leave it in the colander until your cheese sauce is ready so any extra liquid can drain off.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Donna says
Omg I love this recipe very much thank you is a big difference to my own♀️
Rein says
This is a wonderful recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks so much.
Zara says
Hi,
This is an amazing recipe. Everytime I add egg to macaroni cheese it curdles. Do you have any tips to stop it curdling? I have tried adding egg when the pasta is cold and when it is hot.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello,
Do you temper the eggs first before adding to the macaroni . If that’s the case then try using only egg yolks . Use 2-3 egg yolks instead . Hope this helps
Zara says
Thanks for the advice. I have not been tempering the eggs, so I will give that a try!
Mike says
I actually had to look up what tempering was. This just proves there is always something to learn when it comes to cooking, even learning a little trick around the kitchen. I’ve cooked using eggs plenty of times, but they can be a weak spot for me.
Nevertheless, I will definitely try out this recipe. It sounds like a great companion to a savoury mince.
Angel says
Ever tried this with spaghetti squash? Would love to see some low carb recipes with this much flavor!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Angel, No I haven’t . Check out today’s post .
Eugene says
Been making Trinidad Macoroni pie for years and not a fan of this recipe it is way more complicated than it needs to be. First observation from the pictures that is not Macaroni that is Penne, no Trinidadian would use anything but Macoroni.
When i say it is too complicated other than boiling the Macoroni their is no other cooking involved apart from baking. The onions, whisked eggs, milk etc are mixed in a bowl cold before being mixed with the macaroni and baked. Have never used flour and have not seen another receipt with the use of flour but to each his own.
Andrea Estrada Loerzel says
Do you have a preferred recipe?
FoodForThought says
I totally agree with you, this is making it more complicated that it really needs to be. Especially when the original recipe is so simple and taste fantastic.
Andrea says
Have you tried it? It uses less cheese and it’s way healthier and still tasty. There’s a reason us WI has high cholesterol. I appreciate the onions and pepper being cooked it draws a nice flavor.
Allan says
Just because it’s called Macaroni Pie, doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to improve it. Penne is absolutely better than macaroni because it soaks up more of the cheese, evaporated milk, etc. than macaroni. I use cannelloni but that’s just my personal preference. And yes, I live in Trinidad .
But I guess the mindset of that’s exactly how it’s always been done so why should we actually improve it, is Trinidadian .
I’m actually excited someone has taken an amazing dish and tried to make it better. Can’t wait to try this version of Trinidadian Macaroni Pie!
All the best to everyone in 2021 (even the haters )
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you, it makes my day to hear that. Cheers to 2021!!!
Lilly says
Love this quick and easy recipe..Cooks please finely dice the onions. I feel my dish would have been better had I finely diced the onions. Creole salt & jalapeño added an interesting twist.
Thanks Imma!!
Brittney says
I like to add lots of cheese and different types can you suggest what other cheese would all blend well together
ImmaculateBites says
You can add any good melting cheese – such as smoked gouda, fontina, provolone etc
Andrea says
There was no mention of when to put the salt, white pepper, and dry mustard. I ended up tossing it in and stirring it up to the best of my ability before putting in the pan to bake. When do i add them in?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Andrea! It’s added after you mix the macaroni and sauce together. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Faneeza says
Can I use red paper flakes since I don’t have jalepenos?
ImmaculateBites says
You sure can. Adjust to suit taste buds .