Macaroni
Macaroni is a short, tube-shaped pasta made from durum wheat semolina, most commonly seen curved into the small "elbow" shape sold for mac and cheese. The name covers a family of short tubular pastas, but in American grocery stores it almost always means elbow macaroni: about an inch long, ridged or smooth, hollow in the middle so it holds sauce and cheese inside the tube as well as outside.
Varieties
"Macaroni" is a broad term in Italian for tube-shaped pasta (maccheroni) and can refer to shapes much longer than the American elbow, including straight tubes like ziti. In the U.S., "macaroni" defaults almost exclusively to the small curved elbow shape because of its long association with boxed mac and cheese.
Buying tips
Check the box for "bronze-cut" or "bronze die" pasta if available; the slightly rough, matte surface holds cheese sauce far better than the smooth, shiny extruded kind. For gluten-free cooking, brands made primarily from corn hold their shape better than rice-only blends, which tend to go soft faster.
Substitutes
Small pasta shells (shellbows or medium shells) — 1:1
Same cook time and a similar sauce-catching shape; the cupped shells hold cheese sauce even better than elbows.
Cavatappi — 1:1
A corkscrew tube with more surface area, so sauce clings harder; needs about 2 extra minutes to cook through.
Ditalini — 1:1
Smaller and straighter than elbows; works in mac and cheese but cooks 1-2 minutes faster, so watch it closely.
Gluten-free elbow pasta (rice or corn-based) — 1:1
Cooks faster and turns mushy sooner than wheat macaroni; pull it a full minute before the package time.
Chickpea or lentil elbow pasta — 1:1
Higher protein and fiber but a denser, slightly grainy bite; rinse briefly after draining to wash off extra starch.
Storage
Store dry macaroni in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry for up to two years; it doesn't need refrigeration. Cooked macaroni keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days, but tossing it with a small amount of oil before chilling stops it from clumping into a solid block.
How to use
Beyond mac and cheese, macaroni works in cold pasta salads, soups like minestrone, and baked casseroles. A few real hacks: cook it in salted water at a full rolling boil and stir in the first minute, since that's when starch release causes sticking; save a cup of the starchy cooking water before draining and stir it into cheese sauce a splash at a time to keep the sauce silky instead of clumpy; and for stovetop mac and cheese, cook the macaroni directly in milk instead of water for a naturally thicker, creamier sauce with less added flour.
What it pairs with
Classic with sharp cheddar, gruyere, or a cheese blend in baked or stovetop mac and cheese; also holds up well in tomato-based soups, tuna casserole, and cold salads with mayonnaise, peas, and diced ham.
Nutrition
A typical 2-ounce dry serving of regular macaroni has around 200 calories, 7 grams of protein, and 42 grams of carbohydrate, and is usually enriched with iron and B vitamins. Whole wheat macaroni has roughly triple the fiber but a denser, nuttier texture that changes the mouthfeel of mac and cheese noticeably.
FAQ
Why does macaroni turn gluey in leftover mac and cheese?
The starch on the pasta surface keeps absorbing moisture from the sauce as it cools and sits, thickening past the point of creamy. Reheating with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water loosens it back up.
Should you rinse macaroni after boiling?
Only for cold pasta salads, where rinsing stops the cooking and washes off starch that would otherwise make the salad clump. For mac and cheese or any hot sauced dish, skip rinsing so the starchy surface helps the sauce stick.
Can you cook macaroni directly in the sauce instead of boiling it separately?
Yes, using the one-pot method: simmer the macaroni in broth or a broth-milk mix in a covered pot, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the pasta is tender, usually 10-12 minutes, then stir in cheese off heat.
How do you keep macaroni from sticking together right after draining?
Toss it with a teaspoon of oil or butter while still warm, or mix it immediately into sauce; letting drained plain macaroni sit uncovered is what causes it to fuse into clumps.
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