Give Your Leftover Mac And Cheese A Texture Makeover With One Tool

There's nothing quite as comforting as a big, gooey bowl of macaroni and cheese. But if you make too much, the leftovers never have the same sheen as the original bowl of pasta and cheese sauce. We say, embrace the drier consistency of leftover mac and cheese and glow up your days-old dish into griddled macaroni and cheese waffles.

The great thing about this texture-forward reimagination of mac and cheese is that these savory waffles are easier to make than mac and cheese itself. Sure, you can make this recipe using fresh mac and cheese, but it's not necessary. It goes without saying that you'll need a waffle iron to pull off this tasty treat. If you don't have one, we recommend the WMR-CAP2 Round Classic Waffle Maker from Cuisinart. Once rated the best budget pick by Wirecutter, you can typically find this waffle maker for under or around $30.

As we mentioned, mac and cheese waffles are pretty easy to make. First, it's best to use warm mac and cheese since it won't be in the waffle maker long enough to completely heat through. So pop your leftovers in the microwave just long enough for your mac and cheese to reheat. Next, grease up your waffle iron — we like to spritz it with a little bit of spray EVOO — and then add enough of the warmed-up mac and cheese to give you an even spread once you latch the top of the waffle iron closed. Try adding extra shredded cheese to the bottom and top of the ungriddled mac and cheese to give your savory waffle an extra crispy crust.

Because this is an experimental dish, we recommend seeing how far you can push the flavor profile of your leftovers. We are big fans of adding kimchi to mac and cheese for a spicy, pickle-y crunch. Or if you want all the spice (without the moisture from pickled cabbage) try mixing in a little bit of cayenne, cumin, and/or hot sauce to your mac and cheese before griddling it in the waffle maker. These mac and cheese waffles are excellent on their own, as breakfast sandwich "bread," or as a side with your favorite version of homemade tomato soup.