Trinidadian Macaroni Pie

Caribbean macaroni pie is a beloved baked macaroni and cheese dish that no gathering can go without, especially during the holidays. It’s crowd pleasing, tasty, and economical. Whenever there is a holiday potluck the question is always, “Who made the macaroni pie?” There’s a silent judgment in the air and to get a “pass” it means the pie has to be tasty on its own and also complement everything else on the plate, such as a comforting Sunday afternoon lunch of stewed chicken, callaloo, and green fig salad. If you're used to a saucy macaroni and cheese but want to try something new for your holiday menus, this version is the perfect way to bring Caribbean flavor to a classic American favorite.

What Makes Macaroni Pie Special

Jamaican, Trinidadian, Bajan, Guyanese and other Caribbean cuisines have slight variations on this recipe, and it varies from cook to cook, but the ingredients and method of cooking is similar. The macaroni, typically bucatini, is seasoned with pimento peppers, garlic, sometimes onions, dried seasonings, and whatever other additions the cook decides. Evaporated milk, ketchup, mustard, and lots of cheese is stirred in, then baked in a casserole until golden and firm. Once it’s done baking it should hold its shape when cut, even when right out of the oven. This firmness is a big part of what distinguishes macaroni pie from macaroni and cheese found outside of the Caribbean.

The Key Ingredients

• Cheese: Traditionally, Anchor New Zealand white cheddar is used for Trini macaroni pie. I’ve noticed this brand is hard to find in a typical US grocery store, but you can certainly buy it at West Indian markets, specialty cheese shops, and gourmet markets, as well as Whole Foods. Any extra sharp white cheddar will work perfectly in place. I’m using both Tillamook extra sharp white and yellow cheddar (for color) in this pie.
• Pimento peppers: These may not be the tiny canned bits of red pimento that you are used to. Local to Trinidad, pimentos are small peppers, found in shades of green, yellow, orange and red. They’re also called “seasoning peppers.” They lend a mildly spicy flavor to any dish, but without the heat. You can find pimento peppers at West Indian supermarkets, specialty markets, and some grocery stores. If you can’t find them, cubanelle peppers would be a good substitute here.
• Pasta: Bucatini is a popular choice for macaroni pie, but you can certainly use elbows. The idea is to choose a tubular pasta shape that will capture the seasonings and delicious sauce inside the noodle. 

Macaroni Pie Variations

• Milk: Evaporated milk is commonly used in Caribbean cooking. We even love to use it in our coffee and tea! It’s convenient and gives a nice flavor to sweet and savory dishes such as macaroni pie. You can certainly use whole milk in place, but heavy cream is a little too rich for me since this pie already has a lot of cheese and eggs. 
• Eggs: This is a “do as you please” kind of recipe so you can leave out the eggs, butI love to include them because they really hold everything together. 
• Crunchy topping: Sometimes I also make a nice cracker or panko topping for extra texture.
• Green seasoning: I love to add a heaping tablespoon or two of Caribbean green seasoning to the macaroni while mixing. It gives it extra flavor. You can find out how to make green seasoning as part of the recipe in my Guyanese Chicken Curry.

Make Ahead

If you're planning a big feast for the holidays and want to get a jump on things, you can prep and assemble this pie, refrigerate it, and bake it the next day.

More Caribbean Recipes for Celebrating

• Guyanese Chicken Curry
• Salara (Guyanese Coconut Roll)
• Trinidadian Boiled Corn
• Pastelón (Puerto Rican Plantain "Lasagna")
• Guyanese Pholourie