Get ready for the cheesiest Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta cheese! Our signature baked mac and cheese with Velveeta is jazzed up with cherry tomatoes, hot dogs, and peas to complete the meal.
Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
We know you guys are obsessed with baked pasta recipes along with baked mac and cheese. Today’s recipe is seriously so delicious it’ll have the kids asking for seconds!
We are bringing in a little of our midwestern roots with this baked mac and cheese with Velveeta! It’s taking a simple mac and cheese recipe, but fancying it up with hot dogs, a few veggies, and a big ole’ block of Velveeta cheese!
It is seriously the creamiest mac and cheese that will remind you of your childhood.
The flavors are spot on to boxed Velveeta mac and cheese, but you get extra added protein from the hot dogs and a couple of vegetables, too (for good measure)!
Why you’ll love it!
- Everything is made in one casserole dish.
- No saucepan or stovetop needed.
- Perfect side dish or main meal.
- No roux necessary (no butter or flour).
Ingredients You Need
Here is everything you need to make this baked mac and cheese with Velveeta (plus some substitutions or add-ins)!
- Velveeta- Get yourself a big block of Velveeta cheese from any grocery store. Be sure you buy the Velveeta cheese block and not the Velveeta cheese sauce packet!
- Macaroni noodles– We used macaroni noodles, but you can use any type of pasta! Even gluten-free noodles!
- Cherry tomatoes– the cherry tomatoes are the other base ingredient for this cheese sauce, just like in all of our cheesy baked pasta dishes! Don’t skip them!
- Green onions– we use the white parts of the green onion as a delicious ingredient in this pasta dish, but keep the green ends for garnish! If you don’t have green onions, feel free to use any type of onion sliced or minced.
- Hot dogs– oh baby, don’t skip the hot dogs. Did anyone else’s parents cut up hot dogs into their mac and cheese? We are big fans of Hebrew Nationals or Ball Park Franks hot dogs, but any hot dog will do.
- Garlic powder– don’t skip the garlic powder in the cheese sauce!
- Salt + Pepper – salt and pepper this mac and cheese to taste.
- Pasta water– before you strain the pasta be sure to set aside some pasta water for later! It helps thicken the cheese sauce! We always like to take a little more pasta water just in case!
- Frozen peas– the frozen peas add some veggies to this dish, because ya know…trying to be balanced! Don’t add the frozen peas until the end!
- Monterey jack cheese– if there wasn’t enough cheese to begin with, we added a bit more cheese by adding Monterey jack cheese! It melts easily and takes the cheesiness of this mac and cheese to the next level. Feel free to sup for shredded cheddar cheese instead.
- Heavy cream: heavy cream adds a little indulgence.
Can I add other veggies?
Feel free to mix up or add other vegetables to this baked Velveeta mac and cheese. Here are some ideas:
- Broccoli
- Onion
- Cauliflower
- Fresh spinach
Can I sub the hot dogs?
Not a hot dog person? Here are some other protein ideas for you to try:
- Cooked ground beef
- Pulled pork
- BBQ chicken
- Shredded chicken
- Diced ham
- Bacon
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
- Prep everything. Before anything preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray or drizzle it with olive oil.
- Fill that casserole dish. Add all of your ingredients (except for the peas, Monterey jack cheese, and heavy cream) to the casserole dish. Be sure that the block of Velveeta cheese is right in the middle of the casserole dish!
- Bake. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Prepare the pasta. While the pasta sauce is cooking cook your macaroni noodles to perfection (al dente) and before you drain the water from the noodles, set aside around 1/4 cup pasta water so you can thicken up your cheese sauce later.
- Stir. Once you have baked your Velveeta cheese and the tomatoes have burst (or almost burst) remove the casserole dish from the oven and stir everything together until a delicious cheese sauce develops.
- Add other ingredients. Add the frozen peas, Monterey jack cheese heavy cream, and pasta water to the cheese sauce and mix. Add noodles and stir again until all of the noodles are covered in cheese!
- Enjoy.
Our Favorite
Casserole Dish
This le creuset casserole dish is our all time favorite casserole dish! The white color rocks, it has a cover, and it’s great for so many dishes.
Pasta!
Not sure what type of pasta to use? Any pasta will do because this sauce is so delicious.
- Spaghetti
- Linguine
- Fettuccini
- Rigatoni
- ps: ANY gluten-free noodle will also work!
How to Store Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
Got leftovers? Let your mac and cheese cool completely, and then transfer it into an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Baked Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
Ingredients
- 16 oz. block Velveeta cheese
- 1 pint cherry tomato
- 6 green onions separated
- 4 hot dogs chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. macaroni noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, green onions, and hot dogs into a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Drizzle olive oil over all the ingredients and then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until all the ingredients are coated in oil.
- Next, create a well in the center of the casserole dish and add the block of Velveeta. Bake the casserole dish at 400ºF for 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta.
- Cook the pasta until it is cooked to al dente.
- Before pouring the pasta into a strainer remove 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and set it aside. Strain pasta and set aside.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and mash the tomatoes and Velveeta with a fork. Stir everything together to create a creamy cheesy pasta sauce.
- Add 1/4 cup pasta water, peas, Monterey jack cheese, and heavy cream to the casserole dish and mix everything together until the Monterey jack cheese melts. Add the cooked macaroni noodles to the casserole dish and mix.*
- Serve with fresh cracked black pepper and enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- If you would like a thinner cheese sauce add 1 tablespoon of the remaining pasta water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
When do you add the water?
Hi Whitney! Good catch! You add the water in step 9, just fixed it in the recipe card.