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    Home » Caribbean

    Macaroni Pie from Barbados

    Published on Jan 8, 2021 Modified: Aug 8, 2020 by Alexandria Drzazgowski.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Macaroni Pie from Barbados is the ultimate comfort food. Barbados has made macaroni and cheese their own by adding evaporated milk, ketchup, and mustard to the dish. This baked casserole is creamy, savory, and slightly sweet, with a perfectly cheesy center. 

    Large square piece of macaroni pie on a plate with a fork resting next to it.

    Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!

    I have always had a love affair with macaroni and cheese. What’s not to love about noodles drenched in lots of cheese?

    My preference has always been for real gooey sauce, not baked (that dries out the noodles in my opinion).

    This Macaroni Pie Recipe from Barbados breaks that rule and still somehow manages to be incredibly delicious and creamy.

    Despite being baked it is still so oh-so-gooey. The combination of evaporated milk, ketchup, and mustard may seem strange at first but the flavor is so, so good. It’s a touch sweet, but also tangy and savory.

    If you’re looking for a slightly new twist on macaroni and cheese, this dish will not disappoint. It’s full of flavor, cream, and the perfect texture and will make an amazing main dish for dinner or an easy lunch.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Origin
    • Why Make This Recipe
    • What Do I Need To Make This Recipe
    • How to Make This Recipe
    • Expert Tips:
    • Storing Leftovers 
    • FAQs
    • Macaroni Pie From Barbados

    Recipe Origin

    Macaroni Pie is one of the most popular dishes in Barbados, often served as part of a Sunday lunch or dinner. 

    Bajan cuisine is inspired by the many different cultures that have come to the island since its beginning. It was colonized by the British in the 1600s, who brought slaves from Africa to help cultivate sugar cane and rum. Slaves were emancipated in the 1800s but still treated poorly for centuries. 

    The British brought ingredients from all over the world to the small island. Macaroni pie may have been a take on American macaroni and cheese, though others say it originated in Barbados and spread to the United States from there. 

    Bajan Macaroni Pie is, of course, very different from the macaroni and cheese you may be used to. This dish is made flavored with ketchup and mustard, and filled with 5 cups of cheese melted into evaporated milk! This creates a thick and uniquely flavored pasta casserole that can be cut into slices with small pockets of cheese in each bite.

    Macaroni pie has become so popular in Barbados that it is more often simply called “pie.” Each family has their own variation of making the dish at home, but you can also find it in restaurants all over the island.

    Why Make This Recipe

    1. New Spin on an Old Classic: I’ve never had a problem with blue-box mac and cheese, but this version of an old favorite is worth a try!
    2. Easy Recipe: There are no intimidating ingredients in this dish, just noodles and cheese in a slightly unique cheese sauce
    3. Taste of Barbados: You’re in for a treat if you have never had a dish from Barbados before. This classic comfort food is a great place to start!

    What Do I Need To Make This Recipe

    Ingredients

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    Ingredients shown are used to prepare Macaroni pie recipe.
    1. Elbow Macaroni: Long, tubed macaroni noodles are a traditional option. These noodles are the most hearty and can withstand being baked.
    2. Yellow Onion: Grated so that it will flavor the Macaroni Pie Recipe without the texture being detected. 
    3. Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded. Anchor brand is a popular choice in Barbados. It’s a very sharp cheddar cheese that melts beautifully. Choose any aged cheddar you like.
    4. Mustard: It is also popular to use ground mustard, but in this recipe I am using prepared mustard. If using ground mustard, reduce the quantity. 
    5. Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, ground thyme and complete seasoning with garlic powder and onion powder. You could also add some marjoram and oregano if you like!

    Tools

    1. Large Pot
    2. 9×9 Baking Dish: Greased with nonstick spray! 

    How to Make This Recipe

    Step One: Cook your Pasta

    Pot of water with elbow macaroni in.

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

    Boil and salt water, and cook the noodles according to the package instructions until they are al dente. Drain the noodles.

    Step Two: Prepare the Sauce

    Onions sauteing in butter.
    Onions softening in butter.
    Evaporated milk added to the onion mixture.
    Flour incorporated with evaporated milk added to roux.
    Ketchup, seasonings, mustard added to the roux.
    Shredded cheese, ketchup, mustard and seasonings added.

    In the pot, melt butter. Then add the onion. Saute for about 5 minutes until softened. 

    Once the onion is softened, add the flour and mix until a paste forms. 

    Add the evaporated milk over medium-high heat and whisk until it comes to a boil and begins to thicken up. Your milk is ready when it can thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon. 

    Turn off the heat, then add 4 cups of the cheddar cheese to your milk mixture and whisk until the cheese fully melts into the milk. 

    Then add the rest of the ingredients into the cheese mixture (ketchup, mustard, and seasonings). Mix to combine again. 

    Step Three: Combine and Bake

    Cooked macaroni added on top of cheese sauce in pot.
    Cooked pasta added to cheese sauce.
    Wooden spoon stirring the cheese and pasta
    Spoon stirring pasta.
    Macaroni added into a glass dish and topped with shredded cheese.
    Macaroni added to baking dish and shredded cheese added on top.

    Finally, add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, and give it a good stir so that the noodles are fully coated.

    Grease a 9×9 pan and put the macaroni mixture into the dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

    Bake the macaroni pie recipe for about 35-40 minutes until heated all the way through and the cheese is melted on top. Enjoy! 

    Expert Tips:

    Slice of macaroni pie recipe on a plate with a fork resting on the plate.
    • My recipe does not call for marjoram or oregano because I chose to keep it simple, but some families do add these seasonings! If you choose to add them, I would add about a teaspoon of each. 
    • Bajan Seasoning is another popular spice to add when this is being made in Barbados. You can order it online or make your own. It adds a bit of spice to the dish.
    • It’s a good idea to reserve a little bit of pasta water in case you need to adjust the thickness of your sauce. 
    • When I ordered this dish in Barbados, I noticed the Bajan version was often white, rather than orange. To get this color you could use white cheddar.
    • You can use just about any kind of mustard in this dish. You can use a teaspoon of dried ground mustard, or try it with dijon. I’ve even seen some chefs use honey mustard for a little extra sweetness. 
    • Feel free to top your Macaroni Pie with bread crumbs. This is not a traditional topping, but it is delicious! For an extra crispy topping you can spray your bread crumbs with a little oil before baking.

    Storing Leftovers 

    Close up of macaroni and cheese before baking.

    This Macaroni Pie will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months once completely cooled and sealed in an airtight container.

    FAQs

    Slice of macaroni pie on a plate garnished with diced parsley.
    Do You Eat Macaroni Pie Hot or Cold?

    Either! My preference is to have Macaroni Pie hot right out of the oven, but it is often served cold or at room temperature.

    How Can I Keep My Noodles From Drying Out?

    The cheese on top of your macaroni will help keep the sauce underneath from drying out during baking. If you still find that it is drier than you would like, you may want to make your sauce a bit thinner next time.

    Why is My Sauce So Thick?

    If your sauce is becoming thick too quickly, you may have accidentally added too much flour. It’s a good idea to reserve some pasta water to add to your sauce to achieve the right consistency. The pasta water will thin out the sauce, and the starch in the water will ensure that a sauce consistency is maintained. 

    Is Macaroni Pie from Barbados the Same as Trinidad Macaroni Pie?

    The two dishes are very similar and are both macaroni and cheese delivered in a Caribbean style. One main difference is Trinidad Macaroni Pie includes pimento peppers.

    If you are a fan of macaroni and cheese, you’ve got to try making this dish for yourself! 

    And if you enjoyed this macaroni pie recipe, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

    • Bakes from Barbados
    • Cou Cou from Barbados
    • Homemade Macaroni Recipe
    • Haitian Spaghetti  
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    Slice of macaroni pie on a plate with a fork resting on the side.

    Macaroni Pie From Barbados

    This Macaroni Pie from Barbados is the ultimate comfort food. Barbados has made macaroni and cheese their own by adding evaporated milk, ketchup, and mustard to the dish. This baked casserole is creamy, savory, and slightly sweet, with a perfectly cheesy center.
    4.63 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: casserole, dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Barbados
    Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 435kcal
    Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

    Equipment

    • Pot(s)
    • 9×9 Baking Dish
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Whisk
    • Box Grater
    • Oven Mitt

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb dry Elbow , or Tubed Macaroni
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
    • 1 small yellow onion, grated
    • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1 12 oz evaporated milk
    • 5 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Anchor brand is a popular choice in Barbados
    • ¼ cup ketchup
    • 1 tbsp mustard
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper (Use code FF20 for 20% off)
    • ¼ tsp ground thyme
    • 1 tsp complete seasoning, with garlic, onion powder etc. Try to find a version without salt or adjust salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Boil and salt water, and cook ½ pound noodles according to the instructions package until they are al dente. Drain the noodles.
    • In the pot, add 2 tbsp butter and allow it to melt. Then add the small grated onion. Saute for about 5 minutes until softened.
    • Once the onion is softened, add 1 tbsp flour and mix until a paste forms.
    • Add 12 oz evaporated milk over medium-high heat and whisk until it comes to a boil and begins to thicken up. Your milk is ready when it can thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon.
    • Turn off the heat, then add 4 cups of the cheddar cheese and whisk until the cheese fully melts into the milk.
    • Then add the rest of the ingredients into the cheese mixture (¼ cup ketchup, 1 tbsp mustard, and seasonings). Mix to combine again.
    • Finally add the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and mix so that the noodles are fully coated.
    • Grease a 9×9 pan and put the macaroni and cheese into the dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
    • Bake the macaroni pie for about 35-40 minutes until heated all the way through and the cheese is melted on top. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
    • Elbow Macaroni: Long, tubed macaroni noodles are a traditional option. These noodles are the most hearty and can withstand being baked.
    • Yellow Onion: Grated so that it will flavor the Macaroni Pie Recipe without the texture being detected.
    • Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded. Anchor brand is a popular choice in Barbados. It’s a very sharp cheddar cheese that melts beautifully. Choose any aged cheddar you like. I grate mine on the large setting on the cheese grater.
    • Mustard: It is also popular to use ground mustard, but in this recipe I am using prepared mustard. If using ground mustard, reduce the quantity.
    • Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, ground thyme and complete seasoning with garlic powder and onion powder. You could also add some marjoram and oregano if you like!
    • My recipe does not call for marjoram or oregano because I chose to keep it simple, but some families do add these seasonings! If you choose to add them, I would add about a teaspoon of each.
    • Bajan Seasoning is another popular spice to add when this is being made in Barbados. You can order it online or make your own. It adds a bit of spice to the dish.
    • It’s a good idea to reserve a little bit of pasta water in case you need to adjust the thickness of your sauce.
    • When I ordered this dish in Barbados, I noticed the Bajan version was often white, rather than orange. To get this color you could use white cheddar.
    • You can use just about any kind of mustard in this dish. You can use a teaspoon of dried ground mustard, or try it with Dijon. I’ve even seen some chefs use honey mustard for a little extra sweetness.
    • Feel free to top your Macaroni Pie with bread crumbs. This is not a traditional topping, but it is delicious! For an extra crispy topping, you can spray your bread crumbs with a little oil before baking.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 512mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!
    YouTube video

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    Comments

    1. J.c says

      October 04, 2024 at 11:25 pm

      Made this, pretty good! My girlfriend said it tastes like a cheeseburger with the mustard and ketchup. Just an FYI. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        October 05, 2024 at 10:32 am

        Hahaha yes it does have a mustard + ketchup taste but that is the point! Glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    2. Lynn Kelly says

      September 09, 2023 at 7:07 pm

      3 stars
      I’m dying to try this but nowhere does it say how long to cook in the oven. I don’t want to overcook it, so could someone help me out?

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        September 12, 2023 at 9:17 am

        Hi Lynn, I am so sorry about that, it seems that my recipe card got cut off! I just updated it so you should be good to go. You need to bake the macaroni pie for about 35 minutes 🙂

        Reply
    3. Matthew says

      August 05, 2023 at 8:04 pm

      This looks like a great recipe but I’m really unclear about the quantity of cheese required. As cheese doesn’t fit easily into a cup, how much does 6 cups weigh? And is it 6 cups of cheese, which you then grate? Or six cups of grated cheese? Just don’t want to get it wrong. Thanks

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        August 18, 2023 at 11:59 am

        Six cups of shredded cheese (the biggest setting on the cheese grater)!

        Reply
    4. Patricia Oliver says

      March 07, 2023 at 1:06 pm

      I am a 76 year old Bajan. I was also a home ec. teacher. Our macaroni and cheese is savoury. You never add anything SWEET. We use dry mustard, freshly chopped onions and tomatoes. We also add beaten eggs to hold the pie together. What you posted above is NOT Barbadian. I will not tell you how it is made for you to sell the recipe as your own.

      Reply
    5. Denise says

      November 28, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      Hi I am from Barbados, thanks for introducing our traditionally dish of Bajan Macaroni Pie. If you like spicy I normally substitute the Barbados hot sauce for the honey mustard, it gives it a bang!! and I also make a white sauce and add the cheese and the grated onion and the other ingredients.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        November 28, 2021 at 8:49 pm

        Hi Denise,
        Hot sauce sounds like such a fun addition! Thank you for the suggestion!

        Reply
    6. Wes says

      April 24, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      In Barbados we usually use “real” onion (grated or finely chopped) rather than onion powder.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        April 24, 2021 at 5:43 pm

        Thanks so much for the tip, that’s great to know! Do you cook it before adding it to the pasta or just put it in there raw? I’d like to add a note with your adjustment 🙂

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          November 14, 2021 at 5:45 am

          4 stars
          Hi. We just add it in. It cooks while it bakes 🙂 (chip finely)

          Reply
    7. Katie Jo says

      February 12, 2021 at 5:17 am

      5 stars
      This was a really yummy twist on traditional “macaroni”. I didn’t have honey mustard since we don’t use it much, so I subbed regular mustard and a bit of honey and it turned out great!

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        February 13, 2021 at 12:02 am

        Hurray!! So glad you liked it!!! It’s good to know that regular mustard is just as delicious 🙂

        Reply
    8. Susan Padgett says

      February 04, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      Only one thing needs to be changed. You have “sweetened condensed milk” written in the picture of ingredients, which is entirely different from evaporated milk, which you correctly have listed in the ingredients. Just need to change that to keep people from getting confused and inadvertently making a dessert with noodles and cheese😉

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        February 04, 2021 at 7:26 pm

        Hi Susan! Whoops! I think this was a tired-Alexandria-at-2am-mistake haha. Thanks so much for pointing it out. I will update the photo 🙂

        Reply
    9. Nicole Luchetta says

      April 06, 2020 at 8:22 pm

      Hi Alexandria! I am doing a cooking around the world project, alphabetically, just like you. I came to this passion project on my own and in my research never imagined how many other people I would find on the same journey. This week is Barbados and since we are in Quarantine, Flying fish and other similar things just doesn’t seems that easy find. I stumbled upon your recipe–and then entire blog– and this seems like the perfect meal with accessible ingredients during this quarantine time. I am SO excited to meet a fellow different-country-a-week chef and can’t wait to let you know how my Barbados Cuisine night goes tonight.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        April 06, 2020 at 11:08 pm

        Hi Nicole! It is so great to (virtually) meet you! I feel the same… I came up with the idea on my own but had no idea how many other people would be interested in doing the same thing as myself! This is one of the most popular recipes on my site, so I hope you love it! Keep me up to date on how your adventures are going. I will check out your blog right now:)

        Reply
        • Nicole says

          April 06, 2020 at 11:10 pm

          Great to e-meet you as well! Cant wait to peruse your site for other awesome dishes. Im suuuuper behind on my blog posts so bear with me while I update it. I assume Ill have a lot of time in the coming weeks! haha. Thanks for checking it out and excited i found your site!

          Reply
          • Nicole Luchetta says

            May 05, 2020 at 4:47 am

            5 stars
            Made this a few weeks ago and forgot to review immediately! What a fab dish. Really easy to find the ingredients and easy to make in a world wide food shortage and the best comfort food when you need a (food) hug during quarantine. Loved this and big hit with the boyfriend. Who wouldn’t like Mac n cheese?!

            Reply
            • The Foreign Fork says

              May 06, 2020 at 7:47 pm

              Hi Nicole!! This comment made me SO happy to read! Sometimes during this crazy time all we need is a nice food hug haha. Thanks for commenting! 🙂

    10. Olivia says

      March 30, 2020 at 11:47 am

      Can we substitute GF noodles and leave off the breadcrumbs? Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        March 30, 2020 at 11:55 pm

        Hi Olivia!
        I’ve never tested this recipe with gluten free noodles, but I can’t imagine it would change the recipe that much because the noodles are cooked separately. You can omit the breadcrumbs if you’d like, or use gluten free breadcrumbs if you can find them! If you do make the recipe with gluten free noodles, please let me know how it goes!

        Reply
      • Katie Jo says

        January 08, 2021 at 7:26 pm

        Hey Olivia – I haven’t used them in this recipe specifically, but I used the Aldi GF fusilli noodles in Alexandria’s Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe and they worked great!

        Reply
        • Marilyn Machin says

          November 05, 2021 at 8:38 am

          My Instant pot gluten-free elbow noodles mac & cheese.

          I love your recipe! I take 1 lb. of gf elbow noodles & check the box for the suggested cooking time for wheat noodles. If it’s 9 minutes for the wheat, you would divide the time in half (4.5 bumped up to 5 minutes.) Cook in just enough water to cover the noodles. When the 5 minutes is up, do a quick release & start adding the other ingredients to the elbows. A splash of soy sauce really makes this lovely! If you have any questions, I’m at [email protected]. Happy eating! BTW since 1 lb of elbows doesn’t make a large portion, I use my IP 3-quart cooker!

          Reply
    11. Francesco Gatti says

      March 07, 2020 at 8:05 am

      I really love macaroni a lot. The ingredients and recipe to make this dish are very much helpful. Thank you for sharing it with us.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        March 07, 2020 at 10:44 pm

        My pleasure Francesco! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading it 🙂

        Reply
    4.63 from 8 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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