12 Odd Toppings People are Adding to Their Mac and Cheese

Prepare for your mac and cheese to take a wild twist! You will be amazed at these 12 unusual additives folks are tossing into their beloved mac and cheese. More than just a quirky shock to your routine meal, they will inspire you to make mealtime a riskier, yet rewarding, experience. Be ready to defy conventional food norms, and set the gears of imagination turning in your kitchen with these one-of-a-kind topping ideas.

Dijon mustard

Dijon mustard is one of the most controversial condiments because its tangy, slightly smokey flavor can be too intense for some people. However, this is precisely why others like to add it to their macaroni and cheese.

Dijon mustard users swear by its intensity; they believe it adds flavor and richness to macaroni and cheese, which can be slightly bland without it.

Of course, its popularity varies. Many don’t like the condiment as a standalone, so they don’t like it with macaroni and cheese.

Broccoli

We all grew up disliking broccoli, even if we find it delicious now. Broccoli has always had a negative image, so naturally, some won’t like adding it to macaroni and cheese because it drastically affects the flavor.

Those who add broccoli claim otherwise; to them, slightly crisp broccoli adds flavor and texture to macaroni and cheese.

It’s also a great way to encourage children to eat vegetables. However, many find the addition distasteful because it overpowers the mac and cheese. For most, adding broccoli is equivalent to ruining mac and cheese.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower has an acquired taste, just like broccoli. Cauliflower is generally tasteless, so adding it to mac and cheese seems boring. However, many add the vegetable and claim otherwise.

Cauliflower boosts the nutritional value of macaroni and cheese. It also blends well with the macaroni, so it’s easier to consume.

However, people who can easily nitpick an ingredient or sense a slight change in food think otherwise. Most people dislike cauliflower because it tastes weird. It also has an odd mushy texture, which is off-putting.

Nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast or nooch is typically consumed as a vegan-friendly seasoning. Although it’s pretty popular in dieting regimens, it’s equally unheard of otherwise. Many like nutritional yeast because it has a cheesy flavor.

Naturally, adding this cheesy powder to mac and cheese doesn’t sound bad, even if it is deactivated yeast.

Those who add nutritional yeast claim it enhances the flavor of mac and cheese. It also gives it an umami flavor, transforming this simpleton into a decadent food. Of course, we’ll have to test it ourselves, but it sounds promising.s

Cinnamon applesauce

Here’s one of the weirdest food combinations you’ll ever find: cinnamon applesauce on macaroni and cheese. Just hearing the two words together sounds like a bad idea, and it probably is.

People who add cinnamon applesauce do it because they find the combination of sweet and savory delicious. It even enhances the mac and cheese.

Naturally, most will find this combination weird because of the jarring flavors. Cinnamon applesauce has a nice toasty edge, but adding it to mac and cheese is just ruining both ingredients.

Apples

One of the most popular fruits to eat with cheese is apples, so we at least understand how this idea was birthed. Adding chopped apples to macaroni and cheese enhances the cheese flavor and gives it a nice edge.

Additionally, the crispiness of the apple pairs exceptionally well with macaroni and cheese, transforming it from a simple dish into a delicious mix.

However, only some are fond of apples in mac and cheese. Ultimately, adding fruit to macaroni and cheese sounds terrible and can be off-putting for many.

Sugar

Many savory foods taste better with a pinch of sugar in them. This is why countless people add sugar to their macaroni and cheese in hopes of amping up the flavor and taste of the beloved dish.

The flavor of mac and cheese becomes more nuanced after adding sugar. The sweet food acts as a unique flavor enhancer.

Yet, some might find the idea silly since adding it doesn’t change the macaroni too much. It’s also challenging to balance, so adding even a pinch of sugar more than you intended can throw off the flavor.

Haggis

This isn’t only the weirdest food addition; it’s also the grossest. Haggis is a Scottish savory pudding. It is typically made with a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, minced and rolled into a ball.

Naturally, the idea of haggis is displeasing and disgusting for many. Even the thought of adding it to mac and cheese sounds disastrous.

So we know most people wouldn’t try it. Those who have been attempting haggis mac and cheese claim it works well. But haggis has an acquired flavor, so even if we were to experiment with this one, only a few of us would like it.

Salsa

We all know someone who likes to add salsa to everything. For salsa lovers, there’s nothing better than the delightful tomato concoction. Naturally, someone had to add salsa to their mac and cheese, too.

Adding salsa to mac and cheese isn’t as disastrous as it sounds; it improves the dish’s flavor and gives it a tangy kick.

The tomatoes and onions in salsa bring the same flavor to macaroni and cheese as in marinara. This alone makes it one of the best weird additions to mac and cheese. The chili adds the finishing touch, making it an excellent combo.

Walnuts

It’s not always the flavor that excites a person; many love experimenting with different textures, so they’ll add crunchy nuts to something soft like mac and cheese. The contrast of textures ironically works well.

Finding walnuts in macaroni and cheese isn’t a bad image either, so we can see how this combination succeeds.

However, a small group of people dislike this combo because walnuts have a slightly bitter taste. Their bitterness can easily cut through the cheesiness, drastically impacting overall flavor and quality.

Ice cream

Adding ice cream to macaroni and cheese is one of the craziest combinations we’ve ever heard. Although these two foods are equally loved by people, combining them into one sounds like the start of a nightmare.

Yet some people add ice cream to their mac and cheese because they like the merging of hot and cold textures.

But only some people are this daring; for many, ice cream is strictly a dessert and should remain so. It doesn’t add umami or richness to mac and cheese. Instead, it heavily reduces the quality, so it’s a bad idea.

Wasabi

Many of us like wasabi with sushi because it adds an exciting kick to food. Its intense spice might be intimidating, but it works well in most cases. This is why some people like to add wasabi to their mac and cheese.

Of course, wasabi brings out the flavor in mac and cheese and prevents it from tasting bland.

However, wasabi can be too intense for most, so they’d instead leave it at the sushi eateries. Because wasabi is one of the few foods with a divided fan base, whether it works with mac and cheese depends entirely on the eater.

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