The milk in macaroni and cheese kits is merely acting as a liquid to help the butter and sauce mixture combine. Upgrade the texture with any sturdier, short-cut noodle like rotini, penne, or campanelle. Aim for al dente and save the macaroni for some killer art project. Smaller noodles are easier to overcook, as anyone who semi-fondly recalls the frayed look that boxed macaroni and cheese can sometimes achieve. Most mac and cheese kits rely on tiny macaroni noodles or shells to decrease the necessary boiling time-and therefore the time between when the craving hits and when the craving is satisfied. Or frankly-even though it doesn’t qualify as actual cheese-a couple of slices of American cheese does wonders for instant ramen noodles, so why not for mac and cheese? Upgrade the Noodles Improve both the taste and texture of boxed mac and cheese by adding some actual cheese to the mix: Mozzarella makes it stretchy, gruyere adds sweet and savory notes, cheddar keeps it classic, and even parmesan adds depth and additional saltiness. One need only look to pizza to understand how something already made with cheese benefits from extra cheese.
