This Is the Best Pasta Shape for Macaroni and Cheese, According to a Chef

There is nothing better than an ooey gooey, cheesy homemade mac and cheese. Despite it being such a classic dish, especially in the United States, it’s actually a surprisingly easy dish to get wrong. You can simply overcook the cheese sauce, choose the wrong pasta shape, or broil the breadcrumbs on top for just a tad too long, leaving it slightly burnt. While we aren’t able to look over your shoulder to check on the cheese sauce or broiling time, we can tell you the best pasta shape to prevent another mac and cheese mishap. 

Picking out a pasta shape for macaroni and cheese can be a bit overwhelming—there are so many options, how are you supposed to know which one will produce the tastiest results? Well, with most cheese sauces for pasta, you want the flavor to get into the grooves of the noodles, so that the pasta is covered from tip to tail. Based on that cooking tip alone, you can probably guess which pasta shapes are the most ideal for mac and cheese. 

These Three Pastas Are Your Best Bet 

First off, dried pasta is always the superior choice when cooking macaroni and cheese. This is because dried pasta is dependable and holds its structure inherently better than fresh pasta does, which is important when making such a thick and heavy cheese sauce. As far as shapes go, lumache, elbow, and cavatappi are the best pastas to make macaroni and cheese with. 

Lumache

“In my humble opinion the best shape for mac and cheese would have to be lumache,” says Chef Josh Capon, co-founder at VCR Group. “They are short, ridged, shell-shaped pasta that almost look like snails and the pinched end is perfect for trapping sauces and of course melted Violife cheese for an incredible dairy free version!” Lumache, also nicknamed “shellbows,” actually does mean “snails” in Italian and is meant for thick sauces like mac and cheese or ragù. 

Elbow

Elbow pasta is one of the most common options for a reason: The shape holds a ridged, curved macaroni shape and looks like a narrow tube. Many boxed mac and cheeses, like Kraft or Banza, often utilize elbow pasta. It’s incredibly easy to find at the grocery store—you probably already have some in your pantry! 

Cavatappi 

Cavatappi are nicknamed “double elbows” and shaped like a corkscrew. They also hold that short, ridged, pasta tube shape that will allow for sauces to soak in and penetrate the center and outer portion. They are a solid option for mac and cheese, of course, but also casseroles, pasta salads, or bolognese. 

Check out some of our macaroni and cheese recipes to get you cooking: 

• Baked Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
• Simple Macaroni and Cheese
• Creamiest Mac and Cheese