The best frozen mac and cheese is creamy and indulgent and puts the boxed stuff to shame. Whether you’re looking for a mac worthy of your holiday table or you just want to upgrade dinner, the best frozen macaroni and cheese is just what the pasta doctor ordered.
Frozen mac and cheese is indulgent and delicious, yes, but it isn’t for control freaks. If you like having control over the doneness of your pasta—for instance, if you like your macaroni to the tooth (aka al dente)—frozen mac and cheese probably isn’t for you. This stuff is saucy and, generally, that makes for soft pasta. But let’s rewind and focus on the good. Like I said, this stuff is saucy. Cheese-saucy. It feels like special-occasion food, but there’s no reason you couldn’t throw a tray of it in the oven for dinner any night.
In two separate taste tests, we grabbed some of the most popular brands of frozen mac and cheese at the grocery store, cooked them as recommended (if oven was the first suggestion we went with that; otherwise, they went in the microwave), and tasted them back to back. We found the best frozen mac and cheese to serve a crowd and even the best frozen gluten free mac and cheese. Buckle up (but not too tight); things are about to get cheesy.
- Amy’s Macaroni & Cheese
The image on the box isn’t lying—this frozen macaroni and cheese is saucy as all get out. And the cheese sauce is definitely the star here. It’s silky and creamy and doesn’t separate like some other cheese sauces tend to. Even if you eat this with a fork, every bite packs a mouthful of sauce. That said, the sauce could stand to be a little more flavorful, but if you want something that won’t dry out on the table, this is the best frozen mac and cheese you can buy.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese
As we so often say, this one is a classic for a reason. Yes, the macaroni is mushy rather than al dente and the flavor of the cheese sauce doesn’t have a whole lot of complexity, but it’s warm and creamy and satisfying in a way that doesn’t require a lot of thought. No thinking, just eating. Whenever I have Stouffer’s frozen macaroni and cheese I always wonder why I don’t eat it more often. It’s a treat-yourself side that’s easy as hell to make (I love that the edges brown up even when you cook the tray in the microwave, which we did in this case). This is the best frozen mac and cheese for a crowd, especially if you’re feeding a big group with a bunch of kids. They’ll be so happy.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Beecher’s “World’s Best” Gluten Free Mac & Cheese
I will admit that I didn’t taste this frozen gluten free mac and cheese alongside its glutenous counterpart (see #2), but I swear, I would never, ever, ever be able to tell this tray of macaroni and cheese was made with gluten free pasta (penne, specifically). It’s so good! But, honestly, Beecher’s cheese sauce would be good on a boot. It’s so rich with salty, complex cheddar flavor. This is the best frozen mac and cheese for a mixed crowd—I highly doubt any gluten eaters will notice the difference.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese
Beecher’s claims to make the “World’s Best” mac and cheese. And in terms of overall flavor, no joke, this may be the best frozen mac and cheese you can buy. But here’s the thing: This isn’t macaroni! It’s penne! I couldn’t in good conscience give a penne and cheese the top spot on a macaroni and cheese list. That said, holy shit, this stuff is good. Beecher’s eschews a homogenous mystery cheese sauce for one that’s redolent of sharp white cheddar (Beecher’s Flagship cheddar, to be precise) and plenty of paprika. I cooked this one in the oven because that was the first suggestion on the package, and it browned up really nicely. Scoop this into a Pyrex and put it on your holiday table; no one will know it’s frozen mac and cheese. Just don’t gaslight guests by calling it macaroni!
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- Patti’s Good Life Mac & Cheese
Patti LaBelle is a music industry icon (c’mon, she has two tracks on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack). And if this mac and cheese from her lifestyle brand, Patti’s Good Life, is any indication, she’s also an absolute maniac in the kitchen. There are four servings of mac and cheese in this box and each individual serving packs 34 grams of fat and 20 grams of saturated fat. With stats like that, you’d assume this stuff is indulgent—and you’d be correct. This frozen mac and cheese, made with both cheddar and Monterey jack, isn’t just cheesy. It’s so, so buttery. Honestly, my new life goal is scoring a Thanksgiving or Easter invite to Patti LaBelle’s house, because you know this woman is loading her sides and casseroles with pounds of butter like god intended. But this isn’t the best frozen mac and cheese just because it’s egregious; it’s the best frozen macaroni and cheese because it’s really well seasoned and tastes absolutely excellent. If you can find this at Walmart (unfortunately but understandably it’s often sold out), buy it!
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best Sauce
Best for a Crowd
Best Gluten Free
Best Flavor
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: 365 Family Size Macaroni & Cheese, Banquet Mac & Cheese, Marie Callender’s White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, Michelina’s Macaroni & Cheese, Signature Select, Stouffer’s Ultimate Spicy Nacho Mac & Cheese
I’m not sure what made you decide that Patti’s Good life Mac & Cheese was the best of the best. I was absolutely horrendous. Greasy, tons of oil and gross. I did bake it in a toaster oven at work and thought maybe that was the reason but talking to my GF she made hers in a conventional oven and had the same result. Makes me wonder how reliable these reviews really are. This is with out a doubt the worst frozen mac & cheese I have ever had. How can I believe any other review if this was your top choice?
I don’t eat mac n cheese bc high calories and lactose issues but these make me want to branch out!
Have you tried GFS Artisan Mac and Cheese???? When I tried it for the first time, it actually changed my life forever. I could not believe frozen Mac and cheese could be that good.