Trinidad Macaroni Pie (recipe)
Trinidad Macaroni Pie. I had often wondered if there is such a thing in a definitive sense, however I have gotten so many hits with that as a search term that I now have to believe that there is. Coupled with the fact that my Jamaican mother does not make this dish more than once a leap year (and when she does she does in a -very- different manner) and I have to believe that Trinidad Macaroni pie is indeed not universal in nature.
This dish is a stereotypical part of the traditional Trinidadian Sunday lunch and is also offered in cubed form at BBQs and other casual outdoor functions. Feel free to play around with the proportions. A sprinkling of parsley on top after it comes out of the oven, though not traditional, adds a dash of colour and enough appearance of ‘nutrition’ to soothe any guilt you may have over the comforting (but over the top) fatty starchy content 
Trinidad Macaroni Pie
(Adapted from a recipe in the Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pk macaroni
2 eggs
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, grated
28-32 oz. evaporated milk
1 onion, finely minced
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced
salt
pepper
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Boil macaroni in salted water
3. Beat eggs, combine in large bowl with onion, pepper, cheese, salt, pepper, and evaporated milk
4. Drain macaroni and let cool
5. Combine macaroni with egg mixture.
6. Pour everything into a baked oven-ready dish
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes
8. Let cool/set 15-20 minutes before serving
Makes 8 servings
Ah never see anybody like onion so!
MMMMMM! I love macaroni and cheese and I love scotch bonnets! This couldn’t get any better. I have that spicy Guyanese tongue! You know, the pepper sauce with every meal….even cereal.
HAHHAHAAH pepper sauce in cereal
I think some people must think I put it on icecream and all 
hahaha there is a pattern in our recipes it appears 
glad you have a love of the scotch bonnets too
oh! beenz!
btw, when replying to a comment click the “Reply to this Comment” link on the comment you want to reply to rather than the big box at the bottom 
that keeps all the conversations grouped together and makes them easier to follow 
thanks 
hey sarina, looks good
funny cause macaroni here is usually the short (elbow) kind. this one is something i know of as mezza zita. looks like a good side dish. ha! evaporated milk …. do you guys use that a lot?
define ‘a lot’
i mean it’s not a rarity 
we have elbow macaroni but we call it elbow macaroni lolz 
will look up mezza zita 
you never posted my arabic gum comment
say what?!? i NEVER got no gum arabic comment!! whotchu tokkin bowt?? just checked…never got that comment (could be blogger again — wouldn’t be the first time; when did u send it?).
some places (countries) use tinned milk more than others, especially for baked goods.
sent it yesterday
saw gum arabic in the drugstore 
like what you had in your pic 
wikked cheap too 
yuh mashin up meh threadz man
yeah ?
well i only know milk powdered or tinned or cartoned 
me eh have no cow 
Yummy
hehe
i know, i clicked the wrong comment button — sorry :S
so did you buy it?? btw ur face is coverin’ the words your replies!! i’ll forgive yuh cause ur cute
LOL
Oops, sorry about that. I will do that from now on. I wonder if they sell scotch bonnet ice cream. I would buy it.
)
i know ! i’m so irritated at my face covering up my words! i wrote the creator of the plugin for what to do to fix it but didn’t hear back… argh! will have to sit down with the html and figure it out
didn’t buy it yet
was so cheap i felt no rush 
HAHAHAH scotch bonnet icecream
actually! lilandra who comments a lot here said she made a pepper and lime cheesecake and said it was the yum 
hehe
This reminds me a bit of the baked mac and cheese that my mother and grandmother make. I can’t make it like they do though, which is kind of sad. I’ve rather given up on it. The macaroni we have here isn’t the long macaroni, but the short elbow pieces. I may get brave enough to try this recipe out.
awww you should find out what they do different
macaroni pie rocks
seriously
but i have phobias
my bro’s rule of thumb is when you think you have enough cheese, put more. (this also applies to mustard)
haha
i didn’t *make* it
i bought it in a coffee shop (did you ever go to Rao’s?)
hee
i guess you don’t like too much cheese or too much mustard? can’t blame ya 
love the dijon tho 
rao’s?
Lovely uber simple recipe Sarina. This one is great for hangover days – guilt free fat!!
haha
[...] callaloo, and it’s my go-to resource for traditional island fare, like the ever-decadent macaroni pie and [...]
wow, u ladies , absolutly beautiful, and we west indians love fire!!!i say, u go girl stay sexy, holla at the master chef in ontario!!!!
This is mac ‘n cheese taken to a new level. Love the addition of the scotch bonnet pepper! Forget the guilt, I say – Enjoy!
The best price for long macaroni is at EverythingTrini.com – they ship to anywhere in the world. Apparently, they carry 2 sizes – 400g and 800g. They also have a coupon for 50% off the listed price that they sent out to registered member – I guess you can email them to see if they will send the coupon to you.
Ty – hahaha holla!
Toni – Glad that you like the pepper
I do have an affinity for the spicier side of the taste aisle hehe
William – thanks for letting readers know
I doubt they are cheaper than my local HiLo though hehehe 
I also add mustard and chopped herbs as well as a seasoning pepper. And when i want to make it more substantial-a cup of cooked and seasoned ground beef/soya mince.
i will try this Trinidad Macaroni Pie soon. My grandchildren love to eat macaroni pie.
Yum…I love macaroni pie! My moms recipes is similar to this. She omits the pepper because everyone in the house can’t take the heat of the so who ever wants it just piles on the pepper sauce at the end.
She also adds mustard and mayo to make it even creamier. As if we needed the additional fat.
And thanks to William Silver for the link! I’m going to surprise my grandma and mom with some tamarind balls and other stuff for Christmas.
I learned to make macaroni pie from my mother. I never saw her use onion though. Interesting.
I have been looking for this noodle-macaroni but have been unable to find anywhere. Please let me know where I can purchase this macaroni. I have a recipe from my father-in-law that calls for this noodle. Thank you.
I was looking for this, MUMMMM! I’m going to make this right now.
ah missing meh Trini Food…so ah trying to cook up ah storm here in Austria….
Nice and Simple recipe.
our family macaroni pie has many variations, but mine I prefer it sweeter, so I don’t add salt or pepper or anything like that….just eggs and milk with cheese! It’s amazing when you have the right texture…with the spicy “sunday lunch” combination, it’s always it hit!
well im here tryna cook up a storm for my dad and my lil siter…daddy sick so im tryna sweeten him up here lol
but i love this recipe its easy
Greetings Sarina (all),
My family is from Trinidad but has lived in America for two generations now. We make macaroni pie as well. I’ve never seen mac pie with onions or peppers, and we use regular pasturized milk. I will definately try this version tomorrow..on Sunday LOL!
On another note, does the addition of evaporated milk, onions and peppers make this more of an au gratin?
Wow, I have never seen long macaroni like that. Is that a Trini product? We make a similar dish here in The Bahamas with the following differences:
- The pasta is always “Ready-cut” macaroni (preferably Muellers), which is a large elbow noodle that is boiled until it is flat and soft
- Diced onions, green bell peppers and celery are added along with seasoned salt, black pepper and minced bird or lady finger pepper
- At least a half cup of vegetable spread is added (some people use real butter)
- The cheese used is what we call “hard cheese”, which is a generic, sharp cheddar cheese that is dark orange in colour. If you have to use American cheese, try a mixture of Colbey and Cheddar and use more salt
- Some people would include at least two more eggs
- The ingredients are added all at once to the boiled, drained noodles instead of making a cream sauce first
- A think layer of shredded cheese is added to the top, to form a delicious crust when baked
- The baking dish would be greased with vegetable spread
It’s baked like this one, and is very popular as a side dish in The Bahamas.
Ilive in California by way of NY 30 32 years. But born in Trinidad. I have always made macaroni pie using onions. My three sons all born in NY loves that pie. I usually have to make a huge one. My mother in law never makes it with onions, however,in my humble opinion, the flavors of the onions and cheese is unbelievable. Leaving Trinidad so young, I cannot remember what our macaroni looked like.Here we can only find the elbows.
Trini4Life – oh gorm, Austria! Hope it turned out well
Angela –
I love hearing all the variations 
Resha – Hope that everything turned out well!
Shevonne – I don’t find it necessarily makes it more of an au gratin.. maybe if one topped it with bread crumbs + cheese and used elbows?
Ooh, that’s also an idea right there 
Star – thanks for that Bahamian adaptation
I’ll be sure to give it a try 
My mom has a booklet of Bahamian recipes from the early 70s. I’ve never given it a shot 
I think I’ll dust it off now 
And yes, that ‘macaroni’ is a very Trini thing 
Gail – I’m so glad someone else is familiar with the usage of onions
It really is nice!
Any of the Trini’s here add crushed crakers tothe op of their macaroni pie. I live in the US now so I have to use elbow macaroni, but i add a layer of crackers and cheese on the top of my pie. MMMMM great!!! My dinner guest love it.
me! well sometimes. and sometimes i don’t! it depends on my mood:
http://lilandra.com/blog/archives/2008/08/18/another-macaroni-pie-recipe/
i know what you mean i eat that almost every SUNDAY my parents are both from there and it is a tradition in my family
Yum! I was looking for a recipe for this. My Grannie is from Trinidad and this is a staple at every family gathering. I was curious if this was some ’secret’ recipe since I’ve never had it other than when my Trini family members have made it. Found your site and that’s almost bang on to our ‘family’ recipe. We don’t use evaporated milk, just regular milk, but always onions! It’s not the same without the onions. I’m in Ontario, Canada, and can find the long macaroni pretty easily, but when I can’t I just use penne and it comes out great. Thanks for the great recipe!
Bake macaroni or macaroni pie as we call it is a must in my house on Sundays,just some little add ons that I usually do which includes three different cheeses and mustard definitely gives it a unique flavor .Try it.
I likin’ the mustard suggestion… I’ll definitely try that… thanks!
i must say…. this was a great recipe.. it was my first time making it and it was delicious!! i was so worried that i wasnt going to get it right because i was trying to impress my man cuz he is a trini lol but he loved it!!! thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i lvoe all your recipes… you make cooking easy!
For Macaroni Pie what weight does half pack equate to?
I recall having red beans as an accompanyment to macaroni pie. Can some one advise how to make this please?
i say trini style is the best.say wah.i man is trini
i loved your version for the pie sometimes i add sweet peppers tomatoes and onion on top it smells completely different…and tastes so delicious not everyone likes it especially the little ones so i try to do on only half and the mustard is a must……
shereen’s last blog post..Caramel Crunch Bars
My mom has a completely different recipe that i think is just a little bit better.
You will need:
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1&1/2 cups of chicken broth
1&1/2 cups milk or one can of condensed milk
2 cups (8 ounces) of cheddar cheese
2 sticks of butter
16 ounces of macaroni elbows
Boil the macaroni in salted water, strain and return to empty pot, set aside.
In seperate pan, melt 2 sticks of butter, add flour and stir until the flour is mixed well into the butter. Add chicken broth and milk. Keep stirring. In a bowl, scramble up the eggs, keep the whisk moving briskly and slowy add at a slow drizzle your butter flour milk broth mixture, keep in mind you want to temper the eggs not cook them, you need them as a liquid. After eggs have been tempered, add to pot. Now add in all the cheese. This will be your cheese sauce, you can add scotch bonnets or onions or both they all taste great in this.
Now, take a ladel and scoop some sauce into the macaroni pot keep doing so until between 1/4 to 1/2 of the sauce is in the macaroni pot. Grease or butter up a good bake pan, i use an 8″ by 11″ glass one about 3 inches deep but any 2 qt. Baking pan will work fine. Pour in all the macaroni and cheese you mixed up and pour the rest of cheese sauce on top. Crumble up some crackers for the top. And bake at 350 degrees for between 45 minutes to an hour.
Trust me and try this recipe. Its freakin amazing.
Thanks for sharing Panda
I can’t mix meat with dairy for religious reasons so would have to switch the chicken broth to vegetable broth. I’ll give it a try the next time I make a macaroni pie though. 
On the variation by Panda, just had to ask about the condensed milk. Where I live, condensed milk is referred to as “sweet milk” because it is thick and sweet. We pour it on fresh homemade bread for a treat, bake with it or use it in Milo as a creamy sweetener.
Are you actually adding sweetened condensed milk to this dish, or do you have an unsweetened version? Have never seen UNsweetened condensed milk but its a great idea!
Yes, i am actually adding “sweet” milk. Trust me, it changes the taste for the better!
My husband makes this for me and I love it! We usually have to use elbow macaroni, but on a trip to Chicago we found one bag of the long noodles in a little cheese and wine shop. He was so excited to find them and after he made a pan of macaroni pie with them I understood why! It was wonderful.
I saw my aunt make this once and swore not to ever do so again. then again I would be happy to eat it anytime !!
For a large pie she put
* 8 eggs
* 1 stick butter
* whole mik
* 2 pack grated sharp chedder
A real mac-n-cheese
I tried adding a little blue cheese (for sharpness) and it added a unique flavor. I’ll try it with the scotch bonnets
Great recipe
wow me thougt me tasted all de pie variations but dis me have to ask someone to make fah me since me ah lical to young to operate de oven with such heat ya kno.
Hi,
There was no need to put in the complaints. If you just asked that would have been sufficient to change the text and remove your photos.
I dont understand why you are challengin the Macaroni Pie Recipe. That is my own recipe.
I emailed you on two occasions. On neither occasion did I receive any response thus leading me to exercise my other legal options. As you never requested permission to use my materials (or the materials of the other bloggers whose work you have stolen) and you never gave me (or them) any credit, and even went so far as to deliberately alter my images so as to remove the watermarks, it is not for you to dictate or suggest how I, as the copyright owner, should protect my work. I fully expect the infringing materials to be removed within 24 hours from both CaribbeanRecipes.info and EasyCaribbeanShop.com. The macaroni pie link was erroneously submitted to me and upon double checking I retracted it from subsequent submissions and forwarded the link instead to the photographer whose work you -did- take. So yes, instead of 11 links containing MY uncredited material, your site indeed ‘only’ had 10. The Caribbean food blogging world is an overwhelmingly ethical, respectful and protective one and we all look out for each other. If you are truly interested in becoming part of it you will respect your fellow netizens by spending more time developing your own material and being willing to give credit where credit is due.
There was no need? Did you fracture your skull falling down a staircase before you posted that? You were contacted, and the picture wasn’t yours to use i.e. you stole it and used it without going through the proper channels to obtain permission from the author/s. You lost all rights to suggesting how authors should handle content theft of their material when you resigned yourself to stealing it. It must be a criminal offense where you are to actually have quality original content. I wonder if anyone even bothers to steal “your” work? You probably wouldn’t care since the quality work is probably not your own.
Look here, Carribean.Recipes.info, theft is theft. You cannot take the pictures that other people took. That’s the way it works… it’s called STEALING. Unless you have a brain the size of a pea that functions as well as a broken faucet, you should understand that you cannot take what is not yours and pass it off as your own.
How’s this for a start: get your own digital camera and take your OWN pictures. Write YOUR OWN recipes.
If caribbeanrecipes.info and easycaribbeanshop are reading this still – you steal loads of content from other people and were hoping they’d never notice? and still don’t think you require an official complaint/notice? Flagrant and repeated theft isn’t solved simply by removing the content when it displays a pattern of conduct and disregard for law and ownership of property…or just plain good manners.
Chennette´s last blog ..Farewell Geocities
Can everyone stop posting your disagreements in the recipe comments? peope signed up to receive updates about the RECIPES, really don’t want to hear it…
Thanks
Keish, if you don’t want to hear it fair enough. However as the site owner I must say it has meant a lot to me to feel the support and outrage of other readers who clearly do not accept or consider the blatant theft of my work a matter of ‘disagreement’. Thank you Jaz, Lynn and Chennette.
Hi Guys,
I did not want to offend anybody. I put these recipes on my easycaribbean site for the benefit of my customers. Unfortunatly I did not put credit to the owners.
I apoligise for this. You can be flattered in the fact that when I was picking these recipes and photos I was picking only the best.
Anyway now I am in the process of changing over all my pictures and recipes and hope not to offend anybody in the future. http://www.simplytrinicooking.com has been very kind and they wanted me just to put a link to credit them with the work which is fine.
Anyway once again sorry for offending anybody. This was not my intention.
CaribbeanRecipes.info´s last blog ..Green Fig Salad
Keish, this is also a site for anything Trinigourmet and like any owner it is only natural that she would want to feel the support from fans of her work as it is a very integral part of what any food blogger does so you really need to rethink that post.
The recipe says use half a pack of macaroni. Exactly how many grams or ounces is that? Is it a one pound bag? Can you please clarify?
Here we go again. When are people going to learn that it is NOT OKAY to steal/borrow without permission/ not give credit?
How many more instances are we going to have to highlight and fight before it stops? Its so EASY – ASK!
Sorry this happened to you again Sarina! An tanks…ah goin tuh put some peppa in meh pie!:D
Kris´s last blog ..Artist Interview: Ally and Nely (Girl ninjas who scrapbook!)
hi Sarina,
I wanted to alert you to CreativeCommons.or, they offer licenses to protect your work. there are 5 or 6 options and all are free, I believe all their services are also free. They also monitor and advise those who use your content. I definitely recommend that you add one of the licenses to your website and articles. -darrel
below is a link to the license options.
http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/
Sarina -
I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed this recipe. I tweeked a little with my husband’s help from his memories of growing up in Trinidad. Once it was finished the smile on my husband’s face was well worth the time and effort to research his homeland food. I will be trying out some of your other recipes real soon. The Macaroni Pie is a favorite of our friends and family. Thank you so much!
Onions ROCK !!!
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