Velveeta Shells and Cheese

Smooth and creamy with lots of golden yellow cheese sauce this copycat Velveeta Shells and Cheese recipe always satisfies!

Copycat Velveeta Shells and Cheese Recipe

This is the creamiest homemade macaroni and cheese with Velveeta! Better than a box and it really only takes a few minutes longer to make. This pasta makes a great side dish.

Serve with a simple Vegetable Tray or a fun Zucchini Ribbon Salad for a simple meal the whole family enjoys.

Our Crock Pot Mac and Cheese has been super popular on Pinterest, so we used it as the basis for this recipe. The crock pot is convenient for traveling and holiday parties. We prefer this stove top recipe for quick weeknight meals to feed the family.

Small or medium shells cradle and absorb that yellow cheese sauce so beautifully!

Baked Velveeta Shells and Cheese

We love to split the cheddar cheese by melting half of it in the cheese sauce and sprinkling the other half on top before baking. The extra layer of cheese on top pairs perfectly with panko bread crumbs and adds so much eye appeal.

Bake for 20 minutes to melt it all together and help the more liquid cheese sauce set up.

I love that baked shells and cheese doesn’t call for flour or a roux. That saves so much time!

This baked Velveeta shells and cheese dish is best eaten right away. We enjoy reheating leftovers, but the bread crumbs do lose their crunch over time.

One of our holiday favorites is this Baked Mac and Cheese with Heavy Whipping Cream, but it takes so much more time than this super simple version here.

Ingredients Needed:

• Shell pasta
• Butter
• Evaporated milk
• Milk
• Velveeta cheese
• Shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make Shells & Cheese Better

Adding a thin layer of cheddar cheese and panko bread crumbs on top of shells and cheese is marvelous!

Bake for 5 – 10 minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread crumbs. Broiling is also an option, but do not step away from the oven as it will not take more than 1 – 2 minutes!

Panko bread crumbs can be substituted for crushed ritz crackers or even a few crushed plain potato chips. Anything you enjoy that adds a little crunch and compliments a cheesy pasta dish will take your shells and cheese up a notch or two.

Add granulated minced onion or garlic or pepper are more options to make shells and cheese taste better.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Any shape of pasta works fine, we prefer a shape that can hold more of the cheese sauce.
• To make ahead of time cook the pasta, coat with butter and refrigerate. Wait until ready to serve to melt the cheese into the dish.
• Extra make great leftovers, but try to only use breadcrumbs on the portion that you think will be eaten immediately as they absorb liquid and don’t reheat quite as well.
• I use a board scraper to cut Velveeta cheese into blocks
• Smaller cubes of cheese melt more quickly than larger cubes

Step By Step Instructions

Bring pot of water to a boil and add about a teaspoon of salt before cooking pasta. Follow the directions on the box to cook shells.

Drain well, return to warm pan and add a few pats of butter.

Stir well to coat the shells. This adds flavor and prevents them from sticking together.

I like to add both types of milk next. Then turn the heat to medium low.

The milk will begin to warm up while you measure and add the other ingredients.

Add cubes of Velveeta and stir well.

Then add shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir well.

Once all of the cheese is melted and smooth, serve immediately or pour into a baking dish to bake.

Remove from heat to serve. The mac and cheese mixture will continue to firm up over time.

Shells and Cheese for a Crowd

We like to make a double batch in a larger pot for parties. A big batch fills up a big tin foil pan and works great for holiday parties.

Another popular option for parties is our Mac and Cheese made in a roaster oven.

More Delicious Easy Family Meals

• Country Style Ribs and Sauerkraut is a great meal with lots of flavor that’s easy on the budget!
• Pierogies and Kielbasa can be made quickly in a skillet and is delicious.
• Easy Sausage Jambalaya mixes Andouille sausage and rice for an easy and unique meal.
• Slow Cooker Sausage and Potatoes is classic and flavorful.