Brisket Macaroni and Cheese is a smoky, cheesy twist on classic mac & cheese. This dish blends sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, colby, and savory brisket—baked to bubbly perfection and broiled for that crave‑worthy crust. Perfect for cozy family dinners or impressing friends at game night!
updated 6/14/2025
Table of Contents
Ingredients to make Brisket Mac and Cheese
- Pasta noodles such as elbow, penne, or small shells
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Colby cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Milk
- Egg
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Chopped brisket
- Worcestershire sauce
- Paprika
What kind of cheese?
I have a couple of secrets to a great mac and cheese. First, use more than one kind of cheese – cheddar, jack, colby, gouda, even muenster make a great mac and cheese. I have found combining cheddar, jack, and colby cheeses make for an amazing mac and cheese. Second, use heavy whipping cream along with milk. Instead of making a roux, I speed up the mac and cheese process by adding a thick heavy whipping cream as I melt the cheeses into the pasta. It brings a creaminess that can’t be beat!
Now let’s make that Brisket Mac and Cheese
Make the pasta according to directions.
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
Drain pasta and add butter, and mix until completely melted.
Add cheddar cheese and half of cream and mix until mostly melted.
Next add Monterey Jack cheese and rest of cream and mix until melted.
Add milk, salt, seasoning salt, and garlic.
If you have sliced brisket, chop it before adding it to the mac and cheese.
Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and mix in the brisket.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Spray a casserole dish with non stick spray and transfer the mac and cheese into it.
Sprinkle the top with leftover cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Broil for just 3-4 minutes, just until cheese starts to brown on top.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Cool for a few moments before serving.
Tips & Suggestions
- Make‑ahead friendly: Assemble and refrigerate, then bake just before mealtime.
- Cheese swaps: Add gouda or pepper jack for creamier melt and flavor.
- Heat lovers: Stir in chopped jalapeños or a sprinkle of cayenne.
- Protein options: Use pulled pork, chopped chicken, or even barbecue sausage instead of brisket.
FAQ
Can I use different pasta?
Yes! I used Texas‑shaped noodles from Skinner Pasta, you can use noodles like elbow, shells, cavatappi, or penne. They’ll work just as well.
What if I don’t have leftover brisket?
Grab pre‑cooked chopped brisket from the grocery deli or use any BBQ meat like pulled pork—you’ll still get delicious results.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 325°F until hot and cheesy.
More BBQ Recipes
- Slow Cooker Five Ingredient Barbecue Chicken
- How to make Cowboy Brisket Casserole
- How to make BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
- BBQ Baked Potato
- BBQ Brisket Sliders
- Smashed Cowboy Kabobs
Brisket Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 2 oz pkg pasta noodles
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup colby, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack, shredded
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅓–½ lb chopped brisket
- Dash Worcestershire sauce
- Dash paprika
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Save about 1/4 cup of cheese to top the macaroni at the end.
- While the oven is preheating, add the butter and mix in half hte cheese and half the cream.
- Once those are incorporated, add the rest of the sharp cheddar with half the chream until mostly melted.
- Add the rest of the cheese and cream, and stir until it's well incorporrated.
- Stir in milk, salt, garlic powder, brisket, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
- Beat in the egg thoroughly.
- Pour the macaroni into a greased casserole dish, top with the last of the mixed cheese, and bake for 25 minutes until bubbly.
- Broil 3–4 minutes to brown the top, sprinkle with paprika, cool briefly, then serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 335mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 19g
Any nutritional information on thetiptoefairy.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.
This Brisket Mac and Cheese tastes amazing. It’s hearty and has a smokiness from the brisket that is just so good. Plus, it heats up wonderfully for leftovers.
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26 comments
I can’t wait to give this a try! I love to mix things in with my macaroni and cheese to make an easy, one pot meal for the family. Thanks for sharing this.
Boom! Nothing beats an awesome mac and cheese recipe, and this one is fully awesome. I’m going to make sure we have this at our next cookout.
Adding the brisket and making this a done dish meal is always the way to go. Meat will make the men in my family happy and who doesn’t love a good mac and cheese dish. Combine the two and you have a winner.
Oooo yes! I will be making this soon. I love mac and cheese and I love brisket!
This looks delicious ! My kids would eat that up in a heart beat! Anything Mac and Cheese is #1 in my kids eyes!
Wow, yes! I love mac and cheese, and I love brisket. To pair the two of those together – mind blowing! This is pure comfort food and it’s best!
We use Skinner pasta all the time. This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. I am sure it will be a big hit in my house.
Love a good mac and cheese. Brisket is also a favorite. I can’t wait to try our recipes.
Pinned this earlier today and just now getting a chance to check it out! This looks SO good and such a nice change from regular mac and cheese! We LOVE brisket in our family!
I make a similar mac and cheese to this that I love so I know I’m going to have to try yours!! YUM!!
Thats so cute the texas shaped noodles. I dont think I ever had brisket style mac and cheese.
My daughter love this pasta shape. I would love to make this recipe for the weekend. Looks super delicious!
That looks really good! Now I have to try to make this one soon!
This looks so good for dinner. I love the addition of the brisket to the classic mac and cheese!
Looks delicious! I love those Texas-shaped pieces of pasta! My kids would eat this up, between the cool pasta and the cheese. Plus this is easy enough to make on a busy weeknight.
I have 2 teen boys at home who just love brisket and I think this is a lovely recipe that they’ll devour in no time, lol! It’s always nice to prepare some mac and cheese for the kids.
Oh, we havent tried a mac and cheese that we didnt love. This recipe is sure to please a crowd, so I cant wait to try it at some point over the next week or two.
This is totally fantastic and tempting. I wanna grab it right now lol. I’m pretty sure that my family will surely love it.
It has been years since I have had mac and cheese! I need to try making a vegan version of this.
You had me at brisket and cheese. The mac is just love on top. LOL! I will have to try this when I move to Texas because they have the best brisket. – yolonda
Mac and cheese is so good and now this looks amazing!!
Love this idea! My kids love mac n cheese and often forget to eat the protein. I can’t wait to try this one pot meal!
Mac and Cheese is one of our son’s all time favorite food! He could eat it every single day. And I’ll bet he’ll love the addition of brisket.
Drooling over here! Mac and cheese are one of my favorite meals. I need to give this recipe a try.
My homeschool kids do units on different states and we will be making this now for when we research and explore the state of Texas. Thank you so much for sharing this! It looks fantastic!
Okay, that Texas shaped pasta is adorable! I want some! These looks soooo good too.