Caribbean

Serving

Macaroni Pie

Name: Macaroni Pie
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 1 lb elbow macaroni; 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk; 3 eggs, beaten; 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided; 1/2 small onion, finely diced; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 1 teaspoon mustard powder; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon paprika, for topping

A Caribbean baked macaroni and cheese, egg-bound and enriched with sharp cheddar and evaporated milk for a dense, custardy casserole.

60 minutes

Serves 4

Side

21 min prep

33 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy mustard Wheat

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Instructions

8 steps

1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a baking dish.
2
Boil the macaroni in salted water until just al dente, about 8 minutes, then drain well.
3
In a large bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, melted butter, mustard powder, black pepper, and salt.
4
Stir in the diced onion and 2 1/2 cups of the grated cheddar, reserving the rest for the top.
5
Fold the drained macaroni into the egg and cheese mixture until every piece is well coated.
6
Pour into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining cheddar and a dusting of paprika.
7
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set with only a slight jiggle.
8
Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing into squares; it will firm up further as it cools.

Macaroni Pie — plated and served — Serving moment. How Macaroni Pie looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

72/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 62

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 93

Pantry-friendly 54

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

525

Calories

25 g

Protein

48 g

Carbs

26 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Macaroni Pie is the baked, sliceable cousin of mac and cheese that anchors Sunday lunch across the English-speaking Caribbean, especially Barbados and Trinidad. Unlike the loose, stovetop American version, it is set firm in a dish so it cuts into neat squares to sit beside rice, peas, and stewed meats. It arrived through British colonial cooking but became distinctly Caribbean once cooks bound it with evaporated milk and sharp cheddar for a denser, richer slab.

Listahan note

This version leans on evaporated milk in the cheese sauce so the pie sets firm enough to cut into squares rather than scoop, and it pushes the bake long enough to build that signature crusty top.

Technique cues

Cook the macaroni a minute shy of package time before saucing, because it keeps absorbing liquid in the oven and fully tender pasta turns mushy in the set pie.
Evaporated milk is doing the work here: its concentrated, low-water content is what lets the custard set into sliceable squares instead of staying loose like a stovetop sauce.
Reserve a layer of cheddar for the surface rather than mixing it all into the sauce, since the exposed cheese is what browns into the crusty top that defines the dish.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Grate the cheddar and warm the evaporated milk while the macaroni boils so the sauce comes together the moment the pasta drains.
Make-ahead: Assemble the pie in its dish a day ahead and refrigerate unbaked, then bake straight from cold adding about ten minutes.
Leftover move: Cut cold leftovers into squares and pan-sear the cut faces for a crisp-edged side the next day.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the cheese-sauce pot the instant you pour off, because dairy proteins cement onto the metal as they cool.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Macaroni

Starch base

Purpose: Its short tubes trap the cheese custard and give the pie its structure once set.

Handling: Boil to just under al dente so it finishes cooking and firms up during the bake.

Adaptation: Penne or small shells work, though wider tubes hold less sauce per bite and the pie feels chunkier.

cheddar cheese

Flavor and binder

Purpose: Sharp cheddar carries the dominant savory flavor and its proteins help the pie hold together when sliced.

Handling: Grate it fresh and hold back a portion for the top so it browns into a crust.

Adaptation: A colby or red Leicester gives similar melt and color, but milder cheeses dull the signature sharpness.

evaporated milk

Custard liquid

Purpose: Its concentrated milk solids set the sauce firm enough to cut, which fresh milk cannot match.

Handling: Add it warm to the cheese sauce so the cheese melts smoothly without seizing.

Adaptation: Whole milk plus a spoon of flour approximates the body, but the pie sets softer and slices less cleanly.

mustard

Seasoning accent

Purpose: A spoon of mustard is the classic Bajan touch that sharpens the cheese and keeps the rich pie from tasting flat.

Handling: Whisk a little prepared or powdered mustard into the warm sauce before it sets.

Adaptation: A pinch of cayenne or hot pepper sauce gives a different lift if mustard is unavailable.

Technique notes

Pour the assembled pie into a hot, greased dish so the bottom layer starts setting immediately and releases cleanly when sliced.
Let the baked pie rest ten minutes before cutting so the custard finishes firming and the squares hold their edges.
Season the sauce with a touch more salt than tastes right warm, since the cheese flavor mutes once the pie cools and sets.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free direction: Use a cashew or oat cheese sauce with full-fat coconut milk, though the set is softer and the flavor reads nuttier than sharp cheddar.
Gluten-free direction: Swap in gluten-free corn-rice macaroni, which holds the bake well but can soften faster so pull it earlier from the boil.
Lower-sodium direction: Use a reduced-sodium cheddar and skip added salt in the sauce, relying on the cheese and a pinch of mustard powder for punch.

Serve alongside

Rice and peas
Bajan stewed chicken
Coleslaw with vinegar dressing
Fried plantains
Sorrel drink
Ginger beer
Cold mauby

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; the pie firms further when cold and slices even more cleanly.
Reheat squares in a 350F oven for about 15 minutes, or pan-sear the cut faces to revive the crust.
Freeze baked squares wrapped individually for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Equipment

Baking dish
Box grater
Heavy saucepan
Colander

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