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You are here: Home / Side dishes / Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

June 12, 2025 By Dawn 7 Comments

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Baked Italian macaroni and cheese… perfect comfort food. It is the perfect side dish that goes with so many meals.

A side angle view of a white bowl with cheesy mac and cheese.

This Italian pasta recipe is a twist on your everyday macaroni and cheese. The parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning are the game-changers in this recipe. You will also love the mozzarella cheese with the pasta.

My family is a mac and cheese-loving family. It is fun changing up the ingredients for this dish and making new favorites. This one is a keeper.

Looking down at a bowl of Italian mac and cheese with forks and a napkin on the sides.

Helpful tips

  • Use a short pasta for this recipe. I used ziti for this recipe, but you can use elbow macaroni, rotini, or your favorite short pasta/noodles.
  • Cook the noodles using the directions on the package, minus a minute or two. The noodles should be al dente since they will also bake in the oven.
  • Shred the cheese instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. Although pre-shredded cheese can be used for this recipe to save time.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • To reheat leftovers, heat in the microwave until the desired temperature. You may want to add a little bit of milk to loosen up the noodles.

Ingredients

  • Pasta – Any short pasta will work.
  • Butter – Salted or unsalted butter works.
  • Flour – All-purpose flour is used.
  • Milk – I use 2%, but you can use whole milk instead.
  • Mozzarella Cheese – Best if you shred this cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Best if you shred this cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese.
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Steps for making

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Steps one, two, and three

Cook the pasta using the directions on the box minus a minute or two. Make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the flour. Stir until the flour is blended into the butter.

Looking down at cooked pasta in a sauce pan.
Overlooking melted butter and flour in a saucepan.
Looking down at a roux in a large pan.

Steps four, five, and six

Add the cheese and stir in. Once the cheese is melted, add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta and fold in.

Shredded cheese is added to the white sauce in the skillet.
Seasonings are added to the pan with the sauce.
Pasta is added to the skillet with the cheese sauce.

Steps seven and eight

Add the pasta to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F. Bake the pasta for 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown.

Looking down at a casserole dish with cheese pasta.
Overlooking a baking dish with baked pasta and cheese.

Check out more mac and cheese recipes

  • Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
  • Macaroni and Cheese Bites
  • Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
A side angle view of a bowl with mac and cheese and a fork.

If you make this baked Italian Macaroni and cheese, I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment and a rating.

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A side angle view of a white bowl with cheesy mac and cheese.

Baked Italian Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Italian macaroni and cheese… perfect comfort food. It is the perfect side dish that goes with so many meals.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Baked Italian Macaroni and cheese, Italian Macaroni and cheese
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 334kcal
Author: Dawn Yucuis

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked pasta I used ziti
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 1 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package, minus a minute or two.
  • In a skillet melt butter, once the butter is melted add the flour and stir until blended and smooth.
  • Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly; cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to thicken.
  • Add the cheese and stir until melted and blended. Once the cheese is melted, add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix until well blended.
  • Add the cooked macaroni, and mix until the pasta is coated with the cheese mixture.
  • Transport to a baking dish and place into a preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top of the macaroni and cheese starts to turn golden brown.

Notes

  1. Use a short pasta for this recipe. I like to use ziti, but you can use elbow macaroni, rotini, or your favorite short pasta.
  2. Cook the pasta using the directions on the package, minus a minute or two. The pasta should be al dente since it will be baked for additional minutes in the oven.
  3. Shred your cheese if you have time instead of using pre-shredded cheese. 
  4. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 
  5. To reheat leftovers, heat in the microwave until desired temperature. Add a bit of milk before heating to loosen up the noodles.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary with the brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 14.3g | Fat: 9.4g | Saturated Fat: 5.4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3.3g | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg

This recipe was originally published on April 20, 2015. It has been updated with new content and pictures on June 12, 2025.

 

Filed Under: Side dishes

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Comments

  1. Angie@Angie's Recipes

    April 21, 2015 at 12:12 am

    I used to eat mac and cheese almost weekly, now maybe once in a couple of months because of high calorie and carb. Now you have me crave for some! YUM!

    Reply
  2. Joanne

    April 21, 2015 at 6:11 am

    I LOVE mac and cheese so you can just keep the recipes coming. I’ll help you with the leftovers!!

    Reply
  3. gloria

    April 21, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    Look absolutely delicious Dawn!!

    Reply
  4. Liz

    April 21, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    My family would definitely go for your Italian version—it looks delish!!!

    Reply
  5. John@Kitchen Riffs

    April 22, 2015 at 10:23 am

    What a great idea to do an Italian version of this classic! Love this — and need to make it. 😉 Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Dawn

    June 12, 2025 at 7:16 pm

    5 stars
    This is an easy recipe to make. My family loves this recipe.

    Reply
  7. Heidi

    June 23, 2025 at 3:22 pm

    5 stars
    I love how you’ve effortlessly amped the flavors of traditional mac and cheese using parmesan and Italian seasoning. Brilliant! And your easy step-by-step instructions make recreating this at home so easy, too!

    Reply

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Dawn

Welcome to Words of Deliciousness!
My name is Dawn! I am a wife, mom, grandma and the blogger behind Words of Deliciousness! I love sharing my favorite recipes and I hope some of these become your favorites too.
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