Easy BBQ Mac and Cheese Recipe

This easy BBQ Mac & Cheese Recipe features a homemade macaroni and cheese that is topped with pulled pork or shredded chicken that has been deliciously smothered with barbecue sauce.

With just a few ingredients you can pull together a homemade mac and cheese with a barbecue twist! It’s simple to make, comforting, and absolutely delicious. This recipe is great for dinner any day of the week, but also perfect for game day.

For this recipe, you will need:  cheese, pasta, evaporated milk, butter, a few seasonings, plus pulled pork or chicken that has been combined with BBQ sauce.

BBQ Meat Options

You have several different BBQ meat options for this recipe. We think the best way to make this recipe is to use up BBQ leftovers that you might have had for another meal. You can make it with your choice of meat: pulled pork, pulled chicken, or beef. If your leftover BBQ meat isn’t already covered in BBQ sauce, simply pick your favorite BBQ sauce and mix the meat up with it.

Don’t have leftover BBQ meat? You have a few easy options:

• Cook up 2-3 chicken breasts, shred them, and combine with BBQ sauce
• Purchase a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and remove the chicken from the bones. Shred and combine with BBQ sauce
• Cook 1 pound of lean ground beef and after cooking and draining off any fat, mix the meat with your favorite BBQ sauce
• Buy pre-made pulled pork at your grocery store in the refrigerated meat section. Look for brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Farm Rich, Curly’s, or even store brands such as Walmart or Sam’s Club are available

Leftover BBQ Mac and Cheese Recipe Instructions

Once you have your BBQ meat of choice, you’ll cook and drain your pasta according to the instructions on the box. Add your pasta back to the pot and combine with evaporated milk, cheese, butter, and seasonings. Spoon into a 9×13″ baking dish and top mac & cheese with your bbq meat, leaving a 1-2″ edge of the mac & cheese not covered. Top with additional shredded cheese.

Bake until hot and the cheese has melted and it’s ready to serve!

Serve hot & enjoy!

Leftover BBQ Mac and Cheese Recipe

The full recipe is located below, ready for you to print, if you wish. If you like this recipe, be sure to share it on Facebook or pin it on Pinterest.

Leftover BBQ Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

16 ounces penne noodles
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
16 ounces sharp cheddar and/or monterey jack, shredded and divided
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups leftover BBQ meat (pulled or shredded pork, chicken, or beef combined with BBQ sauce)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package directions and drain. Pour the cooked pasta back into the pot and add in the evaporated milk, about 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) of the shredded cheddar and/or monterey jack cheese, and the parmesan cheese, and stir to combine.

3. Pour the mac & cheese into the baking dish and top with leftover BBQ meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and/or monterey jack cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with extra BBQ sauce, if desired.

Notes

–You can substitute other types of pasta. Other recommendations: elbow, farfalle (bowtie), fusilli, rotini, or shells.