The Forgotten 1950s Mac And Cheese Dish That Deserves A Comeback

It doesn't take a very long backward glance at some of the more bizarre retro foods from the 1950s to understand why modern foodies don't eat them anymore. Baked Alaska rules, but it's no mystery why Jell-O salads and bologna cake were phased out of the rotation. Still, there's one '50s-era culinary classic that we think deserves a proper comeback — and it's only as "off the wall" as the ingredients you choose to stir in.

We're talking about macaroni loaf, the party food and go-to entrée that once had a sure spot on the tables of the Nifty Fifties. Its rubber-brick aesthetic is soft around the edges and has a soft spot in our hearts. To make it, macaroni loaf starts with a basic Mornay roux-cheese sauce in a saucepan. Then, the macaroni is cooked in a separate pot of boiling water, the pasta and sauce are combined, and any desired mix-ins are stirred in. For the final pièce de résistance, the mixture gets transferred into a loaf pan or baking dish, pressed down firmly to compress, and baked in the oven over low heat to set the shape. Allow the loaf to sit for a few minutes before turning out onto a platter and slicing to serve. This retro recipe can be a great way to take boxed mac and cheese to the next level or use up leftover pasta.

This golden-yellow loaf was commonly served with a drizzle of extra cheese sauce or a thick draping of bright red tomato sauce on top – not exactly an appetizing texture or color, but points for dimensionality, we guess. Common mix-ins included fresh parsley, sweet pimento peppers, canned tuna, zesty diced green pepper and onion, or canned sliced mushrooms (drained).

A heartier, protein-forward version of this vintage dish was the Spam and macaroni loaf, which consisted of alternating layers of sliced canned Spam and cheesy macaroni. Spam's parent company, Hormel, used to run color advertisements for this dish as a promo to get home cooks to purchase more Spam and recommended serving the meaty mac loaf with a side of broccoli florets.

Unlike many of its contemporaries, there's nothing especially peculiar about this '50s fave. It tastes like macaroni and cheese, just compressed into a loaf shape. For true 1950s-inspired flair, assemble your mac loaf using classic elbow macaroni and Velveeta cheese. Or, for a more elevated take, use Gruyère cheese and coat the macaroni loaf with a mushroom cream sauce to serve. To add a little textural intrigue, it could also be topped with crunchy toasted breadcrumbs. All it takes is a loaf pan to add some refreshing variation to your go-to mac and cheese recipes.