Trinidad Macaroni Pie Recipe

A cheesy and flavor-filled baked pasta dish. The Caribbean version of mac and cheese. Trinidad macaroni pie is the perfect to be a part of your family's Sunday dinner.

    
If you want to find a dish that is just loved by everyone across the board, this is it.

I don’t think I know one person who does not like our version of mac and cheese that we call macaroni pie.

It’s just the most flavor-filled baked mac and cheese you can find.

It is the most common side dish that is a part of our usual Sunday lunch.

Along with some stewed chicken, stew peas, and rice of some form.

It is the cheesiest pie, with additional flavors that just takes it over the top. It is the yummiest pie that you would ever taste.

It’s like the mature version of regular mac and cheese.

The best cheese to use

What makes this pie so good?

One of the most important things is the cheese.

I always prefer to use a creamy, full-flavored cheese. At home, we call the cheese we use “Trini cheese”.

It’s really a vegetarian cheese.

It’s hard to get here so I resort to some other cheese brands that are very good.

I really like to Cabot or Tillamook cheese blocks for this.

It’s good to get the block cheese and grate. Yes, I know it is more work but pre-shredded cheese has a wax on it that doesn’t allow it to melt as well as the other cheese.

And especially for the mix with the pasta, you want your cheese to melt.

For the topping of the casserole, you can use pre-shredded if you have no other choice. But again block is better.

   

The best type of pasta to use

Yes, it is a macaroni pie, and macaroni is the first option to use. But I prefer to use elbows.

I feel like it makes a better pie and holds together better. But you are free to use whatever shape of pasta you want.

If you do use macaroni, you do not have to break it up. I prefer to leave them the full length.

Ingredients for macaroni pie

Now this recipe can vary from family to family.

There are numerous add-ins people use to up the flavor as they feel like it.

The first few ingredients are the basic macaroni pie ingredients, then I’ll list a few options for ideas.

Main ingredients

• Pasta (macaroni or elbows)
• Cheese (can be more than one type)
• Eggs
• Milk
• Salt/pepper
• Mustard

Additional Add-ins:

• Dill
• Mushroom soup
• Onions
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Breadcrumbs
• Ketchup
• Pimento pepper
• Chive
• Thyme
• Grated carrots
• Cream of mushroom soup (use this instead of the milk)

So yes, you realize that it’s about adding a lot of flavors to the mix.
   

How to make macaroni pie

It’s pretty easy to make. Even my toddler joined in.

I mix all my ingredients, except the pasta and the cheese together.

So beat the eggs into the milk in a bowl. Add all your extras: mustard, ketchup, etc.

All the things that would mix easily with milk.

If you are using a lot of powdered elements like thyme, chive, dill, garlic powder, then you can add those after you add the milk to the pasta.

When the pasta is al dente, strain and put the pasta back into the pot and put on the stove on low heat.

Pour milk mixture into the pot with pasta. Then you can add anything else you want to add.

I prefer to add the powdered things at this time and then my cheese.

Make sure everything is incorporated.

Then pour into my greased dish.

Then you sprinkle with cheese or if you want to use breadcrumbs also, mix and sprinkle.

  

Storage and reheating

I think this dish is the perfect meal prep dish.

Well once it doesn’t get eaten out on the first day.

This pie can be left in the fridge for a good five days.

It can be frozen. I cut up the leftovers into portions and put them into the freezer bags and put them to freeze.

If you think they will be frozen for longer than a week or so, I suggest wrapping in plastic wrap first then put into the freezer bags.

This helps with keeping out frostbite because sometimes freezer bags don't seal properly. Even better if you have an electric sealer.

This rewarms great in the microwave. You can rewarm from frozen.

Personally, I prefer to get the pie to room temperature first prior to rewarming. I think it gives the best “close to just baked” taste.



  

What to eat it with

As I mentioned macaroni pie is a huge part of a Caribbean Sunday lunch.

A typical Sunday plate includes some stewed meat of some sort like stew chicken, lamb or beef, with peas, callaloo and some fried plantains or even boiled plantains.



Or even with some orange ginger chicken.

It would also be great with some roasted ginger orange chicken. Yum!

I’ve also had just macaroni pie alone as a quick eat.

So it’s great either paired with other things and just as great alone.

  



So if you like macaroni and cheese I am telling you to go ahead and try this Caribbean baked mac and cheese version.

See why macaroni pie is such a favorite.

Here are some of my other pasta recipes that I love:

• Oxtail mac and cheese
• Chicken rasta pasta
• Chicken and shrimp lo mein
  
• Coconut milk pasta
  
• Chicken chow mein