Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese (a frozen Mac hack)

Frozen single-serve macaroni and cheese is a favorite in my household and offers a quick comfort food option. With just a few ingredients it is transformed into a whole new dish, Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese. It takes no more time for this frozen mac hack and it will become a new favorite for school lunches and fast dinners alike.

This post is sponsored as part of Boulder Locavore’s ongoing partnership with Udi’s Gluten Free. All opinions are my own.

We are big mac and cheese eaters and I’ll confess I don’t always make it from scratch. Busy kids, busy life, you know? The good news is that there are great gluten-free single serve mac and cheese options that my kids can make myself that taste great. I too love mac and cheese and appreciate having frozen single-servings in the freezer for some spur of the moment comfort food.

Today I’m sharing a secret from a lazy mom (I’m actually not lazy at all but do love to be practical about the time I have on busier days; sound like I’m rationalizing?!). You can easily transform frozen mac and cheese into something completely different with little effort, getting a bit ‘wow’ for the end result. A favorite of ours is Pepperoni Pizza Mac and Cheese! Sound good? My son said it tastes like fresh pizza mac and cheese and I agree.

My goal when turning regular mac and cheese into something new is that it won’t take any more time than preparing the mac and cheese does (that lazy thing again). This recipe includes chopped pepperoni, canned diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning, chopped fresh basil and a sprinkle of grated mozzarella (I buy it pre-grated; now I am really showing my lazy mom cards….). Mixed into the prepared (microwaved) single serve mac and cheese, it becomes a whole new dish.

With Udi’s Gluten Free single serve mac and cheese the macaroni comes out creamy with supple macaroni pasta that stays intact. If you didn’t know it was gluten-free you’d never guess it!

Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese is easy to make multiple portions quickly and feel great about serving up a wholesome gluten-free meal. It would be an excellent choice for lunchbox thermoses for back to school as well as a fast dinner.

How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese

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Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese

Frozen single-serve macaroni and cheese is a quick, comfort food that cooks up in just a few minutes in the microwave.  Dress it up with favorite pepperoni pizza ingredients to transform it into something truly special without taking more time!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword frozen macaroni hack, pizza macaroni recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 1

Calories 420 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

• 1 package Udi's Gluten Free Mac & Cheese (single serve)
• 1/4 cup Canned diced Tomatoes with Italian Herbs drained
• 1/4 cup Pepperoni chopped
• 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil chopped
• 1 tablespoon Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare the single serve mac and cheese as instructed for the microwave on the package.

2. While the mac & cheese sits for the specified time after cooking, prepare and combine the tomatoes, pepperoni and fresh basil in a small bowl.  Stir in the mac & cheese and top with the mozzarella cheese.  Return to the microwave for 10-15 seconds to melt the mozzarella cheese and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

If diced tomatoes with Italian herbs are not available, use regular canned diced tomatoes and sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon of Italian herbs (or to your taste).

Nutrition Facts

Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 420 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 15g75%

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 400mg17%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 750IU15%

Calcium 300mg30%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.