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Home » Recipes

Freezer Mac and Cheese Kids Will Love

By Alison Grant on April 8, 2019 | Updated September 24, 2020 | 18 Comments

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Calling all cheese lovers! This freezer mac and cheese is perfect for the busy family who wants an easy, homemade meal. Kids (and adults) will LOVE it!

A white bowl full of macaroni and cheese on top of a wooden board with two other white bowls in the background.

We are HUGE cheese lovers at my house.

Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella – you name it, we eat it! And when you add pasta to it? It’s TRUE LOVE!!

So it’s no surprise that my kids ask for it all. the. time. But being a busy mom with busy kids that can’t always happen.

I tried shortcuts like the boxed version and let me tell you, it just didn’t cut it! There were so many crazy preservatives in it and the taste didn’t even come close to a homemade baked mac and cheese.

I knew then that I needed to get to work to create a make ahead freezer mac and cheese that my kids would love.

That’s when my kid friendly mac and cheese recipe was born! I found a way to get this ultra creamy, massively cheesy pasta into a freezer meal that everyone one will love!

A white dish full of macaroni and cheese with a wooden spoon in it on top of a blue napkin.

Now it didn’t come easily. I found that there were a lot of problems with mac and cheese that I was going to have to overcome. First, I didn’t want the sauce to separate. I also didn’t want it to be grainy or super dry. My kids would hate that and I am sure yours would, too.

So I kept working until I developed the creamiest, cheesiest freezer mac and cheese known to man.

And, oh man, was it worth it!

The combination of cheeses melted into a rich and creamy sauce layered in between beautiful pasta noodles. I mean, fuggetaboutit. So good.

A white bowl full of macaroni and cheese on top of a wooden board with a hand holding a spoon with mac and cheese above the bowl with one other white bowls in the background.

The best part is that this easy kid friendly mac and cheese is fool-proof and only has a handful of ingredients. A perfect homemade dinner, full of yummy melting cheese, that can easily be made ahead for an quick weeknight meal.

Now whenever my kids are craving it, I can pull out a pan of my freezer mac and cheese and it is ready in minutes!

During the summer I also love to make it and freeze it in individual ramekins. Then on busy days, I pull it out to thaw and my kids can heat it up for a quick no-mess lunch. I know, totally WINNING, right?

Two white bowls full of macaroni and cheese - one bowl has a fork in it with a hand holding it - on top of a blue napkin with a fork on the side with two other white dishes with cheese in one and a big dish of mac and cheese in the back.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CHEESES FOR MAC AND CHEESE?

Cheese is so individual and I get that. Every family has their favorite kinds.

For this homemade baked mac and cheese recipe I tried tons of different cheeses. But the creamiest, silkiest and best flavored mac and cheese version was by far the combo of Colby jack and sharp cheddar.

A oval dish covered in foil with the words "Mac & Cheese" written on it.

HOW LONG CAN FREEZER MAC AND CHEESE STAY IN THE FREEZER?

You can freeze this make ahead freezer mac and cheese for up to 2 months…if it lasts that long! Make sure you press down on the plastic wrap to remove all the air and then keep it covered in aluminum foil.

I hope you all give my freezer mac and cheese a try. I am sure you will love it as much as we do!

Recipe Card
4.67 from 3 votes
love it? rate it!

Freezer Mac and Cheese

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword Easy, Freezer Meal, homemade, Kid-Friendly
Servings 8
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
This freezer mac and cheese is perfect for the busy family who wants an easy, homemade meal. Kids (and adults) will LOVE it!

Ingredients
 

White Sauce Base

  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 oz dried macaroni pasta
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup colby cheese shredded
  • 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle cornstarch overtop and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until foamy and simmering (do not let it brown).
  • Add chicken broth; cook, whisking constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, until sauce thickens and starts to simmer. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Pasta: In a large bowl, combine white sauce and cream. Add Colby, and Sharp Cheddar cheeses; stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.
  • Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook macaroni for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to get soft (the pasta should be starting to get tender but have a firm bite). Drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly. Set aside.

MAKE IT NOW

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Return macaroni to stockpot, add cheese sauce and gently mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9- by 9-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden on top and bubbly on the inside. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL

  • Let cheese sauce cool to room temperature. Return cooled macaroni to stockpot, add sauce and gently mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9-by-9 -inch baking dish. Wrap baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing down gently to remove air. Cover with foil. Label and place in freezer.

THAW AND COOK

  • Place baking dish in refrigerator for around 24 hours to thaw. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove foil and plastic wrap. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until golden on top and bubbly on the inside. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Notes

If you’d like to bake this from frozen (and not thaw) you can! Simply preheat your oven to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap and foil from pan, then recover with the foil. I like to place on a baking pan. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until bubbly all over and lightly golden (about 15-20 minutes longer). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1355IU | Vitamin C: 4.5mg | Calcium: 265mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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WANT MORE RECIPES?

  • Homemade Chicken Taquitos with Cilantro & Pepper-Jack Cheese
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  • One-Skillet Sausage Tortellini & Veggies Freezer Meal
  • Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
  • Easy Instant Pot Peanut Chicken Satay Recipe
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posted in: Dinner, Family Favorites, Freezer Meals, From Scratch, Frugal Recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Elizabeth says

    February 24, 2021

    I followed the recipe exactly but it looks like there’s any to much liquid. The pasta looks lost in all that sauce. Is that correct?

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      April 21, 2021

      I like it saucy…haha!! Next time add more pasta if you like it less saucy.

      Reply
    • cynrok says

      August 5, 2021

      4 stars
      i worried about that too but because you’re only half-cooking the pasta, it soaks up a fair amount of the sauce. after i froze it, i took it out to cook and saw that the pasta had already soaked up a decent amount of the sauce, and then after cooking it had soaked up even more. once setting to cool, even more. it’s still saucy but kind of perfect once it’s all done and cooled! my only complaint is that i didn’t taste the cheese much, and i will make this again but add another cup of cheese.

      Reply
  2. Shannon says

    January 11, 2021

    “Now whenever my kids are craving it, I can pull out a pan of my freezer mac and cheese and it is ready in minutes!”
    Does this mean you can microwave individual portions straight from the freezer? Does it change the consistency of the sauce or make the noodle rubbery at all??

    Reply
  3. Veronica Lavallais says

    September 27, 2020

    5 stars
    Can’t wait to try. This looks good. I add teaspoon of yellow mustard for a little zing. Also, I think a variety of cheeses add depth of flavor. What do you think? I love fontina, few slices of American, mozzarella and parmesan. I think you have a good recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      October 1, 2020

      Sure, feel free to play with the cheeses and add fun ones if you like. This combo was the best after testing like 10 different combos but their isn’t a macaroni and cheese I don’t like!

      Reply
  4. Shelley says

    September 13, 2020

    Your comments say to go from freezer to oven but the recipe says thaw in fridge for 12-24 hours. How long do you cook from frozen. It says 45 min for thawed.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      September 24, 2020

      You will bake covered for 1 hour 10 minutes, then take foil off and bake for an additional 15 minutes or so until bubbling all over!

      Reply
  5. Tiffany says

    July 17, 2020

    Can the mac & cheese be transferred to Ziploc freezer bags instead of a dish?

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      July 27, 2020

      It could for sure, however you’d need to thaw it first to be able to add it to a pan and bake it.

      Reply
  6. Bec says

    March 27, 2020

    I’m wondering if you can freeze the sauce on its own and then make the pasta fresh and defrosting heat the sauce when needed? Would this work? I don’t mind cooking the pasta. It’s the sauce I don’t like to make because it’s such a hassle .
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      March 27, 2020

      I prefer to make it all up at once – I’m not sure how the sauce on it’s own will do!

      Reply
      • Bec says

        March 29, 2020

        Thanks for letting me know 🙂

  7. julie wilds says

    August 27, 2019

    What about portioning these into parchment lined giant muffin tins? Then bake and freeze? What do you guys think? I have teens and they love mac and cheese, but I hate all the sodium and junk in it. I wonder if you could microwave it once it is thawed in the parchment also?

    Reply
  8. Grace says

    July 24, 2019

    5 stars
    This recipe turned out much creamier than the pictures show. It was a hit!

    Reply
  9. KC says

    May 8, 2019

    How many cups of macaroni pasta?

    Reply
    • JLT says

      May 15, 2019

      How much macaroni did you use for this amount of sauce? I am supposing 1 pound—Right??

      Reply
      • Karrie says

        July 22, 2019

        It’s 8 oz. for a more creamy macaroni, but if you don’t like it super creamy feel free to use more noodles if you like!

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