One Canned Soup Turns Mac And Cheese Into The Creamiest Seafood Dinner

Whether you're making boxed mac and cheese or preparing a homemade version, you can't go wrong with its cheesy flavor. But that mild, rich dish can be easily enhanced, and sometimes all it takes is one more grocery store ingredient like a canned soup to totally upgrade your mac and cheese. Enter New England clam chowder, the affordable seafood addition that lends a whole new flavor profile to macaroni and cheese. The soup's creaminess adds more richness to the sauce and makes it thicker, while the clams bring a salty, briny bite to the dish.

For the easiest preparation, just prepare boxed macaroni and cheese as you normally would, then fold in the clam chowder. Add as much as you want until the dish reaches your desired consistency, then let it heat through. It's one of those simple boxed mac and cheese hacks that adds so much flavor. The classic yellow cheddar mac and cheese will work, but if you can find a garlic and herb variety like Kraft Deluxe or Cracker Barrel, that would make the dish even more flavorful. The boxed stuff is great, but for macaroni and cheese flavors that better complement the canned soup, it's easy to make a homemade version as well.

For the sauce to have a good texture and consistency, it's best to use New England clam chowder. Manhattan clam chowder has a much thinner base that won't get the creaminess you're likely looking for. Heat the clam chowder, then whisk in the amount of cheese and cream you prefer depending on how thick you want it, and add the macaroni. 

There are all kinds of underrated cheese choices you can mix into your mac and cheese, but stick with a combination that works well with seafood, such as a blend of parmesan, Gruyére, and white cheddar. Parmesan and white cheddar are both robust and savory, while the mild nuttiness of the Gruyére will balance out the cheese blend, ensuring the overall sauce isn't too salty. Canned soup tends to be salty on its own, so be careful about adding extra salt in addition to that and the cheese.

Enhance the macaroni and cheese with bright herbs and aromatics like lemon zest, fresh parsley, or fresh dill. All of these will balance the savory richness. For something different, add Cajun seasoning to give the seafood macaroni some spice. You can finish the mac and cheese with a crispy cheese or breadcrumb layer under the broiler, or just serve it right out of the pot in its creamy state.