I love mac and cheese. I especially like it jazzed-up with toppings. ESPECIALLY if it’s like a build-your-own toppings bar kind of set up.
Not only is a mac and cheese bar a good way to make all the people happy, it’s easy to get your whole meal in a bowl. And when you can fit your entire meal into a single bowl, you’re winning at life.
Mix and match, use what you have on hand, or get totally wild and fancy. There’s really no way to go wrong when you’re loading up a bowl of mac and cheese!
Here are 105 topping ideas for your next mac and cheese bar:
Meats + Proteins
Bacon
Pulled pork
Pepperoni
Buffalo chicken
Ground beef
Ham
Sausage
Hot dog
Lobster
Ground turkey
Roast beef
Proscuitto
Chorizo
Grilled chicken
Shrimp
Taco meat
Kielbasa
Popcorn chicken
Smoked turkey
Fried egg
Produce
Steamed broccoli
Roasted cauliflower
Roasted red pepper
Chopped green onion
Chopped red onion
Chopped fresh garlic
Roasted garlic
Diced jalapeño
Charred Brussels sprouts
Diced tomatoes
Sautéed asparagus
Sautéed mushrooms
Sautéed green beans
Caramelized onions
Fried cabbage
Roasted butternut squash
Diced avocado
Sautéed kale
Wilted spinach
Edamame
Fresh mushrooms
Fried leeks
Fresh arugula
Collard greens
Peas
Coleslaw
Fried shallots
Bean sprouts
Condiments & Sauces
Barbecue sauce
Buffalo sauce
Pesto
Hot sauce
Bacon-onion jam
Salsa
Salsa verde
Sour cream
Bruschetta
Chili
Pico de gallo
Chimichurri
Guacamole
Horseradish
Sriracha
Ketchup
Mustard
Ranch
Canned
Artichoke hearts
Olives
Capers
Diced green chiles
Sundried tomatoes
Pickled onion
Chipotles in adobo
Baked beans
Black beans
White beans
Cheese
Blue cheese crumbles
Feta
Goat cheese
Cotija
Pepper jack
Parmesan
Asiago
Mozzarella
Gouda
Crunchy
Homemade breadcrumbs
Croutons
Crushed Ritz crackers
Panko
Toasted pine nuts
Crushed potato chips
Chopped almonds
Herbs and Spices
Himalayan salt
Cracked black pepper
Garlic powder
Crushed red pepper flakes
Cilantro
Chili powder
Fresh basil
Sage
Fresh tarragon
Smoked paprika
Ground nutmeg
Fresh chives
Dried oregano
Fresh dill
Some favorite combinations:
Bacon + Brussels sprouts + tomato + homemade breadcrumbs
Hot dog + barbecue sauce + crushed jalapeño potato chips + sliced jalapeño
Buffalo chicken + blue cheese crumbles + green onions + cilantro
Ham + peas + crushed Ritz crackers + nutmeg
Fresh garlic + fresh basil + roasted red pepper + toasted pine nuts
If you need a mac and cheese recipe, my favorite is here.
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