Paula Deen is a famous American chef, TV personality, and cookbook author that’s published 15 different cookbooks packed with delicious recipes.
She also has her own website loaded with quick, easy, unique, and hearty recipes.
One recipe she certainly knows how to make is mac and cheese. In fact, Deen has created a wide range of mac and cheese recipes we can make to impress our guests.
This includes classic mac and cheese recipes, super simple mac and cheese recipes, and unique mac and cheese recipes you’ll have never seen before.
Today, we’re here to help you find the perfect recipe. In this post, we’ve listed the very best Paula Deen mac and cheese recipes (Also check out Paula Deen’s Cheese Pie Recipes).
If you’re not sure which Paula Deen mac and cheese recipes to try, stick around to learn more!
We’ll kick things off with a more classic mac and cheese recipe that’s super creamy, cheesy, gooey, and filling. Like all the best mac and cheese recipes, this Paula Deen recipe calls for multiple kinds of cheese.
This includes cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and American cheese. Using three different kinds of cheese helps give the dish a richer and heartier flavor and texture.
Sour cream is added to the dish too, to give the flavor even more flavor.
In total, this dish only takes 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook. You’ll only need 12 basic ingredients too, so you really have no excuse but to give it a try.
If you’re looking for a slightly healthier mac and cheese recipe, give Paula Deen’s healthier veggie mac and cheese recipe a try instead.
What makes this veggie mac and cheese recipe healthier is the addition of green vegetables and the use of healthier cheese.
This recipe calls for Gruyere cheese and parmesan cheese instead of fatty American, cheddar, and cream cheese.
The vegetables this recipe calls for are broccoli, green peas, and cauliflower.
All three of these vegetables give the dish more nutrients, whilst also offering a slight crunch. To give the dish more creaminess, Deen uses fat-free Greek yogurt.
Ready to enjoy in less than an hour, this deep-fried mac and cheese recipe is perfect for anyone hosting a dinner party. Whether it be a buffet table or a three-course meal with appetizers, this mac and cheese recipe fits right in.
The helps make creamy and crispy mac and cheese before then showing you how to make small deep-fried mac and cheese balls. The key to this recipe is the breadcrumbs.
Without them, you won’t be able to make the perfect mac and cheese ball that has a crispy exterior.
Next up, we have a delicious baked mac and cheese recipe that only takes 40 minutes to make. If you came here looking for a simple mac and cheese recipe, this is the one for you.
Arguably the easiest Paula Deen mac and cheese recipe to make, this recipe only calls for 7 simple ingredients. Better still, there are only 3 simple steps you have to follow to make it.
This recipe does only call for cheddar cheese but the addition of sour cream helps give the dish that much-needed creaminess.
We actually found that using just one type of cheese helped make this dish feel a lot lighter to eat.
Those of you that want to make a ridiculously creamy mac and cheese need to give Paula Deen’s creamiest mac and cheese recipe a try (see also “Best Ina Garten Mac And Cheese Recipes“).
What makes this mac and cheese recipe so creamy is the addition of heavy cream, butter, cheddar cheese, and American cheese.
As you would expect, these ingredients also help to give the dish that ridiculously rich flavor we all love.
Two great additions to this recipe are cayenne pepper and mustard powder. Both of these ingredients give the dish more flavor and a hint of spice.
The next Paula Deen recipe on our list only takes 30 minutes to make. It’s one of the best recipes you can make if you want to try something more unique and flavorful.
That’s because this recipe is packed with a variety of different ingredients that add more flavor to a classic mac and cheese.
Offering a powerful kick of spicy flavor, this mac and cheese recipe is packed with Paula Deen hot sauce, pimento chilies, and smoked paprika. This makes the dish so much more impactful.
To offer extra creaminess and cheesiness, the recipe calls for whole milk, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese.
We love how the combination of spicy and creamy ingredients complement each other so beautifully in this dish.
Paula Deen’s lady’s mac and cheese recipe is another wonderfully simple mac and cheese recipe you can make in a pinch.
Like the baked mac and cheese recipe we looked at, this recipe is perfect for anyone that simply wants to make delicious mac and cheese with no hassle.
This recipe only calls for 7 basic pantry ingredients, most of which you’ll already have in your kitchen. Once you have the ingredients, it only takes 20 minutes to make.
The ingredients needed to make this mac and cheese are butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, eggs, macaroni, salt, and milk.
Despite the short ingredients list, we still found this mac and cheese to be gooey, cheesy, creamy, and crispy.
If you like the sound of Paula Deen’s lady’s mac and cheese recipe but need a recipe that contains less fat, this cut-the-fat lady’s mac and cheese recipe is perfect.
This recipe is very similar to the lady’s mac and cheese recipe above but it doesn’t contain as much fat. That’s because it doesn’t contain any cream cheese and it calls for low-fat, softened Neufchatel cheese.
Don’t worry though, the recipe still includes cheddar cheese for that divine cheesy pull. This recipe only requires 8 basic ingredients to make.
Paula Deen’s tomato mac and cheese recipe is ideal for anyone that wants to make mac and cheese that has more flavor and color. The tomatoes help give this dish a slightly sweeter flavor and a vibrant red color.
However, as much as we enjoyed the addition of the tomato to this dish, it was the combination of different herbs and spices that blew us away.
A seasoning mix of salt, pepper, paprika, and dry mustard help give this recipe a more intense flavor.
By far the healthiest Paula Deen mac and cheese recipe you can make is the healthier mac and cheese recipe. To make healthier mac and cheese, Deen gets us to use low-fat or fat-free ingredients.
This includes reduced-fat cheddar cheese, low-fat milk, and reduced-fat sour cream. Other low-fat cheeses such as parmesan cheese are used too.
This recipe may be healthier but it certainly doesn’t affect the flavors or texture.
This mac and cheese recipe is still delightfully creamy, rich, cheesy, and crispy.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 10 of the best Paula Deen mac and cheese recipes. As you can see from our list, Paula Deen has a huge variety of awesome mac and cheese recipes we can choose from.
While we could have looked at other mac and cheese recipes, too, we’re certain that we’ve given you a list of the very best. You should now pick the recipe you want to make first!
What Are The Best Kinds Of Cheese For Mac And Cheese?
Generally speaking, we can choose from an extremely large variety of different kinds of cheese to make delicious mac and cheese.
However, some types of cheese are definitely better than others. Some of the very best we can use include Monterey Jack, cheddar, American, Gouda, parmesan, and Muenster cheese.
Is Mac And Cheese Healthy?
The one downside with traditional mac and cheese recipes is that they aren’t particularly healthy. The dish tends to contain a lot of sodium and saturated fats.
However, newer, healthier recipes incorporate low-fat ingredients that make the dish much healthier to eat.
Is Mac And Cheese Healthier Than Fries?
Mac and cheese aren’t usually healthier than fries. Both dishes contain a high number of calories, a lot of fat, and a high sodium content. Having said that, we can make a healthier mac and cheese recipe to reduce calories, fat, and sodium.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
