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Home / How to Make Caribbean Baked Macaroni and Cheese

How to Make Caribbean Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Trinidad macaroni pie (or Trini macaroni pie) is a classic Caribbean comfort food that is not only easy to make, but delicious served hot, cold, or at room temperature. Serve it as a main dish for a simple lunch, or as a side dish with spicy stewed meats or fish like they do on the islands. I even love eating a cold square of macaroni pie for breakfast!

A square piece of macaroni pie on a plate with a red dish in the background.

There are many variations of macaroni pie from island to island and household to household. It's a common side dish that is a part of a Caribbean Sunday lunch, and often served with fish or stewed meats, but it's also wonderful as a main dish.

This Caribbean comfort food is similar to American baked macaroni and cheese except you don't make a cheese sauce with a roux. Trinidad macaroni pie typically uses evaporated milk instead for the milk component, and eggs to help bind it together into a casserole that can be cut into squares instead of scooped.

Because you don't melt the cheese into the sauce, instead mixing it in at room temperature, you end up with pockets or cheese throughout the pie which is a delightful surprise when digging in. The overall texture is firm with crispy edges.

This recipe features a sweet oniony flavor and kick from the generous amount of black pepper and optional cayenne or hot sauce. If you are sensitive to spice, reduce the amount of black pepper and skip the cayenne/hot sauce.

Ingredient notes

Ingredients for Trinidad macaroni pie on a white marble background.
  • Macaroni: The most common shape of macaroni used for this dish is elbow macaroni. You could use another tubular macaroni shape like ziti or penne if that's all you have, but elbows would be preferred.
  • Evaporated Milk: This recipe uses exactly 1 can (12 fluid ounces) of evaporated milk, so there's no need to measure. Do not confuse evaporated milk with condensed milk, which is a very different product and is sweetened unlike the evaporated milk.
  • Cheese: Trinidad macaroni pie is traditionally made with Trinidad-style cheese (New Zealand cheddar) but you could use any sharp cheddar you like. Be sure to grate the cheese yourself for the best results! Store-bought shredded cheeses contain added starches to keep it from clumping, and won't melt as smoothly, adversely impacting the texture of your pie.
  • Mustard: Yellow mustard or dry mustard (mustard powder) is pretty common in Trinidad macaroni pie, and provides not only a bit of flavor but some yellow color as well! Try not to skip it.
  • Black Pepper: This recipe uses a fairly generous amount of black pepper, which gives it a nice peppery kick along with some cayenne or hot sauce. You may reduce the black pepper if desired and still yield delicious results.
Closeup of a browned bubbly cheesy casserole in a square baking dish.

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 375°F with the rack in the center. Grease a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

Cook the elbow macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente (about 5 minutes). Drain and return to the pot off the heat.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add finely chopped onion. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the cooked onions to the pot of drained macaroni.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Whisk in sour cream, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.

Cooked elbow macaroni in a pot surrounded by bowls of cheese, scallions, and white sauce.

Add to the pot of macaroni and give it a good stir (PHOTO 1). Add grated cheddar cheese to the macaroni, along with the scallions and hot sauce and stir to combine (PHOTO 2). The cheese won't melt into the sauce, and that's fine.

Step-by-step photos of mixing sauce, grated cheese, and scallions into a pot of macaroni.

Pour into the prepared baking dish (PHOTO 3) and sprinkle the top with additional grated cheddar cheese (PHOTO 4).

Before and after photos of adding shredded cheese on top of a macaroni and cheese casserole.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Cool the pie for 10 to 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve. You can also enjoy it cold the next day, Caribbean style, or reheat it if you prefer.

Closeup of a square of Trinidad macaroni pie on a white plate.

Expert tips

To freeze leftovers, cut into squares, wrap individually with plastic wrap (to prevent freezer burn), and then store in freezer bags. To reheat frozen Trinidad macaroni pie, I recommend thawing the squares first and heating in a toaster oven or oven, or even a microwave will work fine. You can reheat from a frozen state but it may not reheat as evenly, and will take longer.

This is a great recipe for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time. Cut it into smaller squares and serve it with tongs or a small spatula or stick a toothpick into each square for easy grabbing. Serve it cold or at room temperature.

There are many varieties of Caribbean macaroni pie. Bajan (meaning from Barbados) macaroni pie varies a bit from Trinidad macaroni pie by adding ketchup, going very heavy on the mustard, and sometimes adding sweet red peppers and/or finishing with breadcrumbs on top.

You can adjust this recipe to suit your tastes. Swap the fresh onion/scallion with some onion and garlic powder instead. If you dislike onion, you can omit it along with the scallion. Skip the sour cream if you don't have it, or leave it in for another layer of flavor. You can also add grated carrot or finely chopped red peppers if you'd like for added flavor and color.

A square casserole dish with squares of mac and cheese with a couple pieces on white plates.

Other recipes you may like

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  • Browse all Caribbean Recipes

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A square piece of macaroni pie on a plate with a red dish in the background.

  • 8 ounces (2 cups) dry elbow macaroni
  • ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 (12 fl oz) can evaporated milk (1 ½ cups)
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard or prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper or a few shakes of hot sauce (preferably Caribbean hot sauce) (optional)

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F with the rack in the center. Grease a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

  • Cook the elbow macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente (about 5 minutes). Drain and return to the pot off the heat.

  • In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the cooked onions to the pot of drained macaroni.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the evaporated milk. Whisk in the sour cream, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Add to the pot of macaroni and give it a good stir. Add all but ½ cup of the grated cheddar to the macaroni, along with the scallions and hot sauce and stir to combine.

  • Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the reserved ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and edges are bubbly.

  • Cool the pie for 10 to 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve. You can also enjoy the pie cold the next day, Caribbean style.

  • To freeze leftover macaroni pie, cut into squares, wrap individually with plastic wrap (to prevent freezer burn), and then store in freezer bags. To reheat frozen Trinidad macaroni pie, I recommend thawing the squares first and heating in a toaster oven or oven, or even a microwave will work fine. You can reheat from a frozen state but it may not reheat as evenly, and will take longer.
  • Adjust this recipe to suit your tastes. Swap the fresh onion/scallion with some onion and garlic powder instead. If you dislike onion, you can omit it along with the scallion. Skip the sour cream if you don't have it, or leave it in for another layer of flavor. You can also add grated carrot or finely chopped red peppers if you'd like for added flavor and color.
  • This is a great recipe for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time. Cut it into smaller squares and serve it with tongs or a small spatula or stick a toothpick into each square for easy grabbing. Serve it cold or at room temperature.

Calories: 366 kcal | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Cholesterol: 108 mg | Sodium: 478 mg | Potassium: 227 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 6 g

*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*

How to Make Caribbean Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Source: https://mission-food.com/trinidad-macaroni-pie/