Enjoy a bowlful of elbow pasta with your favourite sauces or pasta ingredients. Whether featured in a creamy macaroni and cheese, a zesty pasta salad, or a comforting casserole, elbow pasta gives you a satisfying texture that blends seamlessly with various ingredients, making it a delightful addition to both traditional and modern recipes.
What is elbow pasta?
Elbow pasta, also known as elbow macaroni, is a short, curved pasta in the shape of a hollow semicircle. It is a type of macaroni, a category that includes various short, cylindrical pasta shapes. Elbow macaroni is particularly favoured for its characteristic shape, which makes it perfect for holding sauces in its curved, hollow form. Made from durum wheat semolina, it has a firm texture and a slightly chewy bite, giving you the ideal pasta texture for your favourite recipes.
If you want to know more about other types of pasta, go to our extensive pasta encyclopaedia or read our articles on specific pasta types:
Penne pasta
Spaghetti
Lasagne sheets
Fettuccine
Stuffed pastas
Recipes with elbow pasta
Start your elbow pasta cooking adventure with some of our popular recipes. Whether you like a creamy pasta sauce or a cheesy pasta bake, you can find various options in our selection. Some are extra cheesy, while others contain crispy vegetables for added crunch and colour. So, start exploring and find your new favourites.
Bechamel pasta
Our rich and creamy baked béchamel pasta is a comforting dish that tantalises the taste buds. This mouthwatering recipe features tender chicken enveloped in a luscious béchamel sauce with colourful vegetables, including aubergine, courgette, corn, and mushrooms. These vegetables add a delightful twist and infuse the meal with a sweet and caramelised essence. What sets this pasta bake apart is the perfect golden crust achieved through baking, adding a satisfying crunch to complement the creamy layers beneath.
Vegetable pasta bake
Enjoy a stunning vegetable pasta bake filled with bright colours and creamy textures. Our recipe offers a tasty mix of sweet pepper, onion, courgette, and tomatoes in rich béchamel sauce. The veggies are first sautéed to bring out their natural flavours and then baked with the pasta. The result is an easy-to-make dish boasting a selection of great vegetables and tender pasta wrapped in a dreamy, creamy sauce and topped with a golden-brown mozzarella crown.
Mac & cheese recipes
The ultimate comforting, cheesy recipes will always be mac and cheese made with elbow macaroni or Gomati elbow and loads of cheese. Explore some of our mac and cheese favourites below.
Quick mac and cheese
Make a hassle-free and quick mac and cheese in the microwave. In no time, you get tender macaroni coated in a velvety cheddar cheese sauce, creating the perfect blend of comforting flavours and smooth textures. Topped with crispy roasted onions and fresh chives, this quick and easy mac and cheese delivers a burst of bright flavours and satisfying crunch, elevating humble mac and cheese to a whole new level. Whether you need a speedy lunch, a quick dinner option, or simply want to indulge in rich, cheesy goodness, this recipe will become your new go-to.
Butter chicken mac and cheese
Delight in the rich creaminess of mac and cheese infused with the bold, aromatic flavours of Indian butter chicken. This tantalising fusion of two beloved classics presents a harmonious combination of velvety mozzarella and cheddar sauce, heightened with fragrant butter chicken spices. The tender and savoury chicken, cooked in butter and seasoned with aromatic spices, complements the creamy and cheesy elements, resulting in a truly indulgent meal. With each bite, you experience a delightful contrast of textures and flavours, making this butter chicken mac and cheese a new family favourite.
Buffalo chicken mac and cheese
Buffalo chicken mac and cheese boasts a spicy twist on the classic. The chicken is seasoned with buffalo spice to give it a slight kick of heat, while béchamel sauce, grated mozzarella, and tomato purée deliver a dose of creamy textures. This mac and cheese version is great when you want a new spin on classic comfort food. Cook up a portion in about half an hour and enjoy a great dinner.
Mac and cheese balls
Our tasty recipe for mac and cheese balls is evidence that mac and cheese dishes come in all shapes and sizes. And now we are talking about bite-sized balls of deliciousness. Their creamy inside is made from a trio of cheeses. Béchamel sauce with cheese joins forces with mozzarella and cheddar to create a luscious, gooey inside. The mac and cheese balls are coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried for a crisp finish. This combination offers creaminess and crunch in every bite, and you can serve them on any occasion that calls for incredible snacks.
Baked mac and cheese
Cooking mac and cheese in the oven can add a little extra to a classic dish. Our indulgent baked mac and cheese takes all the wonderful flavours of the tried-and-tested classic, adds a layer of breadcrumbs on top, and allows it to form a crispy crust. This pairing of textures is a simple way to spin an already great recipe. Our version takes less than half an hour to cook without sacrificing the beloved mac and cheese creaminess.
Questions about elbow pasta
We have answered some questions about elbow pasta so you can get the most of the best elbow pasta recipes in your repertoire.
How long to cook elbow pasta?
Cooking elbow pasta typically takes about 8-10 minutes in boiling water. Boil the pasta in thoroughly salted water, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Begin testing for doneness around the 8-minute mark; the pasta should be tender yet firm to the bite, achieving the perfect al dente texture. This ensures that it will hold up well in your favourite recipes, whether you mix them with sauce or opt for an oven-baked meal.
How much elbow pasta per person?
We recommend 125 grams of dried pasta per person, as this is usually enough when served with a sauce and a few vegetables or meat. If you serve the elbow pasta as part of a bigger meal, for example, with steak or chicken, we recommend 100 grams of dried elbow pasta per person.
What to make with elbow pasta?
The versatile shape makes elbow pasta ideal for a wide array of dishes. Classic macaroni and cheese is a timeless favourite, with its creamy, cheesy sauce clinging to each piece of pasta. For something lighter, try a pasta salad with fresh vegetables, a tangy vinaigrette, and perhaps some crumbled salad cheese or grilled chicken. Hearty casseroles featuring rich tomato sauces, ground meat, and a melty cheese topping are also excellent choices. With elbow pasta, the culinary possibilities are endless, inviting creativity and delicious experimentation with sauces, grilled meat or vegetables, and cheesy pasta bakes.