This Italian Mac and Cheese Recipe Is So Good, I Went Back for Thirds

Some people may find this wild, but I didn’t grow up with macaroni and cheese at my family’s holiday dinners. On Thanksgiving, sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing took center stage, and for Christmas, it was always a side of tomato-sauced gnocchi and a creamy, cheesy potato casserole. 

I always thought we had enough starchy sides to go with the turkey and ham, but I’ll be honest, I learned about two years ago that I’ve been missing out when TikTok user Tini’s mac and cheese went mega-viral. For three holiday seasons now, Tini’s mac and cheese has broken the internet—and even sold out the grocery stores of some of the ingredients.

I have finally seen the error of my ways regarding mac and cheese on the holiday table—and this year, I might be serving two different versions of the comfort classic. One platter of Tini’s creamy, three-cheese creation and one of TikTok user Alessandra Ciuffo’s new Italian-style mac and cheese.

How To Make Vodka Sauce Mac & Cheese

When flavorsbyalessandra was tasked with making a side dish for a Friendsgiving, she didn’t want to make just any old mac and cheese. Instead, she combined her Italian roots with the American classic to make a Vodka Sauce Mac & Cheese.

The dish has all the cheesy, creaminess of classic mac and cheese, with the added flavor of tomato-based vodka sauce and some Italian cheeses. To make the dish, you’ll essentially mash up a baked mac and cheese recipe with a vodka sauce recipe, which is, admittedly, more time-consuming than if you made either of the recipes on its own—but, believe me when I say it’s oh-so worth it. 

To make the Vodka Sauce Mac & Cheese, you’ll sauté pancetta until crispy, then remove the meat from the heat and set it aside to drain. In the same pot you cooked the pancetta, you’ll cook two chopped shallots until translucent, then make a roux with 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. 

Next, you’ll add one can of tomato paste and 1/4 cup of vodka, and let it reduce to cook off the alcohol. Then, you’ll stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream and allow the sauce to thicken slightly. 

While the sauce is simmering, you’ll cook 1 1/2 pounds of pasta—like Tini, Ciuffo uses cavatappi—according to package instructions. Then, drain the pasta water, reserving 1/2 cup in case your sauce is too thick.

Once the sauce is thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of shredded Fontina, and 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese until smooth. Then, add the pasta and toss to coat, adding the pasta water, if necessary.

Lastly, you’ll assemble the dish by adding half the pasta to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, then topping it with half the remaining cheese (you’ll have about 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella and 1 cup of Fontina left). Finish with the remaining pasta, cheese, and pancetta. 

Bake, covered, in a 375-degree F oven for 20 minutes, then finish with a 2-minute broil, uncovered.

I Tried the Viral Vodka Sauce Mac & Cheese Recipe

A creamy vodka sauce is always my go-to when I’m eating Italian food, so I knew this extra-cheesy, baked version was going to be delicious. What I didn’t expect was that it would be so good I would go back for thirds, which is exactly what happened.

This dish is the perfect balance of Italian and American flavors, complete with tomato sauce, Italian cheeses, and a roux to tie the mac and cheese together. My only tweak next time would be that I’d add crushed red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste to make it more of a spicy vodka sauce mac and cheese.

But, as is, it’s a total crowd pleaser and one that I will be making again and again for many holidays, dinner parties, and even weeknight meals to come.