The Salad Ingredient That Unexpectedly Elevates Boring Boxed Mac And Cheese

There's nothing quite like mac and cheese when you want a comforting meal. Ooey, gooey, salty, and loaded with delicious carbs, it not only tastes great, but it's also filling. Now, while you're welcome to make mac and cheese from scratch, the easiest way to get your hands on a plate of this delicious comfort food is to whip it up from a box.

No matter if it comes from a famous blue box or is a fancy organic variety, if you're going to use boxed mac and cheese, don't just stick to the package instructions. Instead, elevate your meal by adding a secret salad ingredient: Caesar dressing. The Caesar dressing can help give your meal an extra edge and add a creamy touch to the sauce.

To give this trick a whirl, there are a couple of things you'll need to know first so that you can perfectly elevate your meal and get a boxed mac and cheese with a whole new flavor dimension to it.

Adding Caesar dressing to your boxed mac and cheese can give unique tasting notes to your classic meal. Caesar dressing has quite a distinctive flavor, largely thanks to the garlic and anchovies in it. Dijon mustard and lemon juice also add a tangy dimension. When you add the dressing to your boxed mac and cheese, you'll notice that these savory, garlicky, and tangy notes shine through and complement the cheese sauce. 

Another thing to know about adding this salad ingredient to your meal is that there's no one kind you need to go with. There are plenty of different store-bought varieties out there that you can use, or you're welcome to whip up your own homemade Caesar dressing. Just note that the flavors of the condiment can vary slightly depending on which kind you use, which will ultimately affect your pasta's taste. Regardless of what type you use, however, the dressing will also add extra creaminess to your finished mac and cheese and may even soften the neon orange color of it all. 

Besides adding Caesar salad dressing, there are plenty of other ways to make boxed mac and cheese taste better. One method for doing so is to add a bit of sour cream. Like Caesar dressing, this ingredient can give your meal a creamier texture and a richer flavor. Another option for enhancing the texture is to crack an egg yolk into your mac and cheese. You'll find that doing so can give your pasta a custard-like feel and can help improve the consistency of boxed mac and cheese.

Other ways to step up your mac and cheese include cooking the pasta in bone broth or stock to add depth to your dish and infuse it with an earthy taste and savory flavor. Or, for another umami boost, go ahead and add a bit of fish sauce. Next time you prep this quick boxed pasta, choose one of these enhancements for an even better comfort meal with extra flavor.