Looking for a fun way to liven up pizza night? Look no further – Mac & Cheese Pizza is going to be a hit the whole family is going to love. By taking two classic family favorites, you are going to get smiles all around the dinner table. In fact, the only negative comment you are likely to endure is that you didn’t make enough!
The creamy homemade mac and cheese is so very delicious. The method for making the cheese sauce results in a bit thicker consistency. This was for 2 reasons – it helps the mac and cheese stay on the crust when you are building the pizza. And it lets it get a little more melty after being the oven on the second cook. Makes for an ooey gooey masterpiece. But you will want to hang on to this recipe for the mac & cheese recipe, as it make a delicious side dish.
I went with cubed ham for the protein on this pizza creation because I love putting ham in my mac & cheese anyway. I think you could get more creative and do pepperoni, sausage or bacon. If you really wanted to go outside the box – I honestly think BBQ Pulled pork would be a total winner on this pizza! I have included my own pizza dough recipe below the main recipe. You could also totally use a store-bought refrigerator or pre-cooked pizza crust, if you wanted to. Just use the directions for which ever version you prefer to use.
Now don’t get me wrong – this is wildly carb forward dish. So no it is not winning in healthy recipe awards and might even be a stretch for a “cheat day meal”. I subscribe more to the everything in moderation lifestyle – so a slice of this along side a nice healthy salad is a good combination.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Mac & Cheese Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 Pizza Dough refrigerated or see recipe below
- ½ Ham Steak cubed
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
For the Mac & Cheese
- 1 lb Small Pasta shells or elbows
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 2 cups Broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Ground Mustard
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 3 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven as directed by pizza dough recipe. Start water boiling for pasta.
- Spread out pizza dough (one recipe on each of two parchment paper covered baking sheets). Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from oven. (It will not be cooked through but will have a crust developed).
- Add pasta to boiling water. Cook as directed on package. Drain in colander, rinse with cool water and return to pot (away from heat).
- In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter and garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour and let cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth, ground mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Let cook another 2 minutes before whisking in heavy cream. Once incorporated and thickened, add cheese – stirring regularly to fully melt and combine.
- Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta and toss to coat.
- Spread half of mac & cheese on each par-cooked pizza crust. Sprinkle each with half of cubed ham and half of additional cheese. Return to oven and cook for 10 minutes more. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing to serve.
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 4 cups Flour
- 1 tbsp Yeast instant
- ⅓ cup Avocado Oil
- 1½ cup Warm Water
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil for bowl
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Pour in water while stirring. Then add olive oil and continue to mix by hand. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Brush the insides of a second bowl with avocado oil and transfer ball of dough. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let rise at least 1 hour. Dough should approximately double in size.
- Once risen, place dough on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Stretch and press it out until you cover the baking sheet with ¼ inch thick crust. Let sit another 15 minutes.
- Place in 400 deg oven for 15 minutes.
- Continue to pizza recipe directions.
- If making for focaccia – brush with oil and add desired seasoning. Then bake for 15 minutes in 425 deg oven.
Estelle Forrest’s self-published first cookbook – Homemade on a Weeknight: A Family Cookbook – was created after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
Estelle self-published a second cookbook – Burgers on a Weeknight – recently. It has over 60 delicious burger creations! You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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This looks so tasty. I would love to try 🙂
Oh, this looks delicious. We have a restaurant nearby that has mac and cheese pizza. I love it!
This sounds so delicious and interesting that I had to pin it and pick it for a feature this week. I am definitely going to have to try this one out. Looks tasty. #HomeMattersParty