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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Romanian > Romanian Mains

    Romanian Mac and Cheese

    Published by: Adina September 7, 2020 · Last modified: November 7, 2024 6 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with title romanian mac and cheese.

    This classic Romanian mac and cheese recipe uses only three ingredients and is made in a skillet. You can serve it with sugar - the traditional way - or without it.

    romanian mac and cheese with feta in a cast iron skillet.

    I grew up with Romanian mac and cheese, or macaroane cu branza - one of the most popular Romanian comfort foods, especially among kids.

    Macaroni and cheese are comfort food worldwide; there must be a billion recipes and variations out there. Why another one? Well, you have to know the Romanian version as well.

    It is slightly different from the creamy American version. It is made in a cast iron skillet, and the cooked macaroni mixed with cheese is lightly fried before serving. And the best part about the recipe? You serve the noodles sprinkled with sugar! Heaven for any child! Sugar for lunch!

    What other dishes do Romanian kids love? Romanian Pea and Chicken Stew, Romanian cornuri, or Biscuit Salami.

    Jump to recipe
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to make Romanian mac and cheese?
    • Store and reheat
    • Traditional Romanian comfort food
    • Recipe
    • Romanian Mac and Cheese

    Recipe ingredients

    Pasta: Traditionally, this pasta dish is made with elbow macaroni, often called melcisiori in Romania. However, any short-shaped pasta is fine.

    Cheese: My grandmother used to always make this dish with telemea – that is a Romanian kind of feta made of cow's or sheep's milk. It comes in big white blocks and has different degrees of saltiness and creaminess. Feta is a very close substitute, either cow or sheep feta.

    • Alternatively, use Gouda or Cheddar instead. It's not traditional and definitely another flavor, but it's good! I've done it, and it tastes great!
    • I've also cooked this dish with different kinds of cheese I found in the fridge. It is cheese; after all, you cannot really go wrong with cheese!

    Sugar makes this dish special, contrasting the salty cheese and the sweet sugar. It is optional but so good! Try it first to see if you like it. I grew up with it, and I adore it, but don't sprinkle your whole plate with sugar before trying it first on a smaller portion.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make Romanian mac and cheese?

    • Step #1: Cook the noodles according to the packet's instructions and drain them.
    • Step #2: Add them to a cast iron pan and mix with the crumbled (grated) cheese.
    • Step #3: Fry in a bit of oil until you get those crispy and delicious golden brown spots here and there.

    That is the big secret of my grandma's mac and cheese: those crispy brown spots, the contrast between the soft, comforting noodles, and those crunchy and hearty brown spots! And the sugar!

    Try these Romanian Cheese Crackers or Saratele, too.

    Store and reheat

    Refrigerate leftover Romanian mac and cheese in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

    Reheat on the stove top, adding a tiny splash of milk to stop them from catching too much at the bottom of the pan. You can also reheat them in the microwave.

    However, I usually eat the leftovers at room temperature.

    bowl with romanian macaroane cu branza, more in a skillet.

    Traditional Romanian comfort food

    • romanian sarmale cut in a traditional bowl.
      Sarmale Recipe – Romanian Cabbage Rolls
    • romanian moussaka with potatoes, ground pork and tomatoes served on a plate.
      Romanian Potato Moussaka
    • romanian meatball soup with a large pork rib in it in a traditional bowl.
      Romanian Meatball Soup – Ciorba de perisoare
    • Romanian Boeuf Salad (Salata de boeuf)

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    romanian mac and cheese in a grey bowl.

    Romanian Mac and Cheese

    This classic Romanian mac and cheese recipe uses only three ingredients and is made in a skillet. You can serve it with sugar.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Romanian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 453kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 1 lb elbow macaroni or other short pasta shapes, 500 g
    • 10.5 oz feta cheese or Romanian telemea, 300 g, Note
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil not olive oil
    • sugar optional to serve

    Instructions

    • Cook macaroni: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a large pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook according to the packet's instructions. Drain.
      1 lb elbow macaroni/ 500 g
    • Cheese: In the meantime, grate or crumble the cheese.
      10.5 oz feta cheese / 300 g
    • Cook mac and cheese: Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or another large pan. Add the noodles and the cheese to the pan and mix very well. Add some salt if the feta you use is not very salty or if you use another kind of cheese.
      2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • Fry the macaroni and cheese until crispy golden brown spots start to appear here and there. Stir often. Stop when the cheese is melted, and you think that the macaroni has enough golden brown spots, about 10 minutes.
    • Serve immediately, either plain or sprinkled with sugar. Try the sugar version on a smaller portion to see if you like it. If you do (which you probably will), add more.

    Notes

    Cheese: Instead of feta or Romanian telemea, you could use almost any other kind of cheese; I have repeatedly made this dish with Gouda or Cheddar as well. Sometimes, I also mix different kinds of cheese rests that I can find in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/6 of the dish | Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan Miller says

      February 26, 2025 at 2:05 am

      I am also Romanian on my father's side.My family from Bokavina. My mother's side from Germany. I grew up on Romanian stuffed cabbage but we called them Galushde and made them with ground pork, onions. We cooked them in soured water and serve with sour cream and mumalega.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        February 27, 2025 at 8:21 am

        Nice to meet you, Susan. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Maria says

      July 15, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      Hello!!
      Just found your blog as I was researching Pasta recipes in Romania for a video my husband and I are making. Hope we can easily find it in restaurants so we can film, and find some more info about behaviors around this dish, like, is it eaten for lunch or dinner, part of celebrations? just daily meal, and so on.
      Thank you for all the great info and recipe here!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 15, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Hi Maria. Thank you for the comment. I'm not sure you can find macaroane cu branza in restaurants, at least I've never seen the dish on a menu. It's the kind of dish that people eat at home, I suppose. I wish you luck!

        Reply
    3. Laura Dembowski says

      December 20, 2017 at 7:44 pm

      I love that this is so easy. It looks incredibly comforting as well.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        December 25, 2017 at 8:20 am

        Thank you, Laura. One of my favorite childhood dishes!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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