This Greek mac and cheese swaps the usual cheddar for two of Greece’s finest cheeses, sharp, crumbly feta and nutty, robust graviera. The result is rich, bold, and frankly more interesting than any version you have made before.
Greeks have always baked pasta with cheese, think pastitsio casserole, think makaronia tou fournou. This recipe follows that same comforting logic but with the simplicity and soul of a weeknight mac and cheese. A creamy blended cheese sauce, shell pasta that captures every drop of it, topped with golden, gratinated graviera. It is the kind of dish that disappears fast.
You can have it on the table in under an hour, and it feeds six generously. Serve it alongside a crisp green salad with herbs and cherry tomatoes, and dinner is done.
If you loved this Greek mac and cheese, you will also love my viral Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta and this easy, comforting Orzo with Tomatoes and Parmesan.
Why you will love Greek mac and cheese
Ingredient notes
Shell pasta. The shells are hollow, capturing the creamy sauce inside each piece. Rigatoni or penne work as substitutes, but shells are the best choice here.
Feta. Use a proper barrel-aged Greek feta. The recipe calls for crumbled feta blended into the sauce, where its sharpness and salinity are the backbone of the flavor. In the US, look for imported Greek PDO feta, like Dodoni or Mt Vikos. It makes a real difference.
Graviera. This is Greece’s answer to Gruyère. It’s nutty, slightly sweet, and wonderful when melted or gratinated. Half goes into the sauce, and the other half is scattered on top to form that golden crust. If you cannot find Graviera, a good Gruyère is the closest substitute.
Fresh spring onions and garlic. These form the sauce’s flavor base, softened in butter before the flour goes in. Do not rush this step — you want them truly soft, not just wilted.
Fresh oregano and parsley. Both give a fresh herby brightness to the sauce. Dried oregano works in a pinch, but fresh makes a noticeable difference here.
Whole milk. Full-fat only. The fat content is what gives the sauce its body. Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk will leave it thin.
Pasta cooking water. Do not skip saving this. The starch in it helps the sauce bind and cling, and it thins the sauce to exactly the right consistency for baking.
Love pasta? Try our Greek Style Chicken Bolognese — a rich, hearty Greek twist on a classic, made with ground chicken, warm spices, and a deeply flavourful tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best.
Step by step
Step 1 — Soften the aromatics Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the spring onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until completely soft and wilted — about 4–5 minutes. While this is happening, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Step 2 — Make the sauce Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. Pour in the milk, stirring constantly, and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the liquid begins to thicken. Meanwhile, cook the shell pasta for 3 minutes less than the packet says, scoop out 500 ml of the starchy cooking water and set it aside, then drain. Add the reserved pasta water to the thickened sauce, stir well, and remove from the heat.
Step 3 — Add the cheeses and herbs Crumble in the feta, add half the graviera, the chilli flakes, oregano, and parsley and stir well — the feta will melt into the sauce as you stir, creating a creamy, flavourful base. Taste for salt.
Step 4 — Assemble and bake Add the drained pasta to the pan and stir well to coat every shell in the sauce. Scatter the remaining graviera over the top and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Pro tips
- Undercook your pasta on purpose. Three minutes less than the packet says is the rule here. The pasta finishes cooking in the oven, and if it goes in fully cooked, it will turn to mush.
- Save the pasta water before you drain. Put a measuring jug under the colander — you need 2 cups / 500 ml, and it is easy to forget. Once it is down the drain, it is gone.
- Taste for salt before assembling. Feta is salty, so you may need no extra salt at all. Taste the sauce after mixing and season from there.
- Do not skip the top layer of graviera. This is what creates the golden, slightly crisp top that makes the whole dish. Press it down lightly so it adheres.
- Let it rest before serving. Five minutes out of the oven lets the sauce set slightly and makes it much easier to scoop out cleanly.
Variations
- Add heat. Stir more chili flakes into the sauce, or add a sliced chili pepper while sautéing the spring onions. A pinch of smoked paprika also works wonderfully.
- Make it vegetarian-friendly as a main. Add a handful of wilted spinach or roasted cherry tomatoes to the pasta before baking.
- Add a breadcrumb crust. Mix 3 tablespoons of coarse breadcrumbs with a little olive oil and scatter over the graviera before baking for extra crunch.
- Swap the pasta. Rigatoni, penne, or cavatappi all work well. Avoid anything too small — the sauce needs a sturdy shape to hold onto.
Storage and leftovers
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb more sauce as it sits, which actually makes the flavor even better the next day.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 160°C for 15 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Add a splash of milk or water before covering to loosen the sauce. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave — 2 minutes on medium power, stirring halfway.
Freezing: This dish freezes well. Portion into individual freezer-safe containers before freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. The texture holds well, though the top will not be as crisp after freezing — a few minutes under the grill after reheating will fix that.
FAQs
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Greek Mac and Cheese with Feta and Graviera
Equipment
- oven proof deep skillet
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 1 lb shell pasta
- sea salt for the pasta water, as needed
For the cheese sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 spring onions finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk 500 ml
- 2 cups reserved pasta cooking water 500 ml
- ½ cup Greek feta cheese
- ¾ cup graviera cheese or gruyere
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ cup fresh oregano leaves loosely packed
- ¼ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
- sea salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, wide ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until completely soft and wilted — about 4–5 minutes. While this is happening, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.sea salt, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 spring onions, 1 garlic clove
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. Pour in the milk, stirring constantly, and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Meanwhile, cook the shell pasta for 3 minutes less than the packet says, scoop out 2 cups (500 ml) of the starchy cooking water and set aside, then drain. Stir the reserved pasta water into the sauce and remove from the heat.1 lb shell pasta, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups reserved pasta cooking water
- Crumble in the feta, add half the graviera (3½ oz / 100 g), the chilli flakes, oregano, and parsley. Stir well — the feta will melt into the sauce as you stir, creating a creamy, flavorful base. Taste for salt.½ cup Greek feta cheese, ¾ cup graviera cheese, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, ½ cup fresh oregano leaves , ¼ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Add the drained pasta to the pan and stir well to coat every shell in the sauce. Scatter the remaining graviera evenly over the top and more chili flakes if you like, and bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Save the pasta water before you drain — you need 2 cups (500 ml).
- Taste before adding salt — the feta is salty; you may need none at all.
- Make it ahead: assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to the bake time.
- Graviera substitute: Gruyère is the closest alternative in flavor and melt.
Nutrition
