Macaroni & Cheese Grilled Cheese

Two favorites come together for the ultimate comfort food mashup: the macaroni grilled cheese! Learn how to pack it so it stays crunchy and crave-worthy until lunchtime rolls around.

Grilled Macaroni and Cheese Sandwich

You know that one random scoop of mac & cheese still in the pot? I started stuffing it into grilled cheese to make this ridiculously good grilled macaroni and cheese sandwich, and trust me, you NEED this sandwich in your life!

This simple lunch idea is a great way to use up leftovers and is guaranteed to be devoured! While it won’t stay hot like my thermos mac & cheese, if packed right, it will stay crispy, buttery, and with a cheesy, to-die-for creamy center!

Ingredients

The recipe card below has exact amounts, but here are the basics of what you’ll need for this macaroni grilled cheese:

• Bread: any sturdy sandwich bread will work.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: if possible, I recommend shredding the cheese yourself; it will melt better into the mac and cheese for extra gooeyness. And if all you have is sliced cheese, no worries-you can use that too!
• Cooked macaroni and cheese: perfect for using up any leftover mac & cheese hanging out in the fridge.
• Butter: for grilling.

How to Make a Macaroni Grilled Cheese 

This grilled sandwich only takes 5 minutes to make with these simple steps. Check out this air fryer grilled cheese for an even easier method and skip the stovetop altogether:

1. Prep the bread
   Butter all four slices of bread and flip them over so the buttered side is facing down.
2. Heat the Mac and Cheese
   Warm the cooked macaroni and cheese in the microwave, stirring once or twice to heat it through. This helps it mix smoothly with the shredded cheese, creating an extra gooey (not clumpy!) filling. Once hot, stir in the shredded cheddar for even more cheesy goodness. If using sliced cheese instead, place it directly on top of a non-buttered side of the bread.
3. Assemble the Sandwich
   Divide the warm mac and cheese onto two slices of bread. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, buttered side out.
4. Grill to Perfection
   Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the sandwiches in the pan and grill for about 2 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and grill the second side until golden brown.
5. Pack it for school
   If packing these sandwiches for school, let them cool before slicing them in half on a cutting board or plate and pack them in a hard container keeping any lunch sides separate.

Keeping Grilled Sandwiches Fresh for School Lunch

Now that you have this legendary macaroni grilled cheese (assuming you haven’t already devoured it) these packing tips for grilled sandwiches will keep it perfectly crispy until lunchtime:

Use the right container
Instead of zip bags, pack them in a hard, sandwich-sized container to keep the sandwich from getting flattened in the lunch bag.

Keep wet and dry ingredients separate
Keep sides like fruits and veggies separate from the sandwich in their own compartment or container to keep everything crisp. Add an ice pack to keep them fresh until lunchtime.

More Gourment Grilled Cheese Recipes

If you want to keep leveling up your grilled cheese game, you've got to try a rich mushroom grilled cheese, an irresistibly crunchy bacon grilled cheese or a sweet and creamy cranberry pear grilled cheese!

Macaroni Grilled Cheese

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

You never have to choose between mac & cheese and grilled cheese again with this epic macaroni grilled cheese sandwich!

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• ⅓ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup macaroni and cheese, already cooked
• Butter, for grilling

Instructions

Prep:

• Butter all 4 slices of bread and flip them over.
• Warm the cooked macaroni and cheese in the microwave, stirring once or twice to heat it through. Once hot, add the shredded cheddar to the bowl and toss to combine. If all you have is sliced cheese, add ½ to 1 slice of cheese on top of the non-buttered side of the bread.

Assemble:

• Divide the warmed mac and cheese on top of two slices of bread. Close the sandwiches, buttered side out.

Grill:

• Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the two grilled cheese sandwiches on the pan for about 2 minutes until it’s golden and crispy. Flip the sandwiches over and grill the second side.
• Remove the sandwiches from the pan onto a cutting board or plate, slice in half, and serve.

Pack for school:

• If packing for school, wait for the sandwich to cool to room temperature and place it inside a hard lunch container. Keep lunch sides separate and pack everything in a lunch bag with an ice pack, if necessary.

Equipment

101 Packed Lunches

Kids Lunch Box

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwiches | Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1260mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 4mg