How Much Macaroni Do You Need Per Person?

The reason we serve less macaroni per person than other pasta shapes

When serving pasta as a main course, we generally allow 75-85 grams of dried pasta per person. In the case of macaroni, though, because this shape is most commonly paired with an outrageous amount of cheese, we reduce the amount to around 60-65 grams per person to reflect the additional calories and richness the cheese provides.

The age-old question: Is macaroni a main or a side?

Macaroni is a somewhat divisive pasta shape that has been the subject of many impassioned arguments. Some say it should only ever be served as a side dish, while others gladly tuck into it as a stand-alone main course without guilt. Some people add meat, vegetables, and breadcrumbs, while others consider a big bowl of nothing more than macaroni and cheese to be the perfect comfort food that doesn't require any messing with.

We will stick our necks out and admit that we only ever eat macaroni cheese as a side dish. We completely understand why some people consider it one of the most comforting main courses known to Man, but we find the heady combination of carbohydrates, fat, and salt to be too much of a risk to our waistlines.

The right amount of macaroni per person for a main or a side dish

We recommend 35-40 grams of macaroni per person when serving as a side dish. You might think we're stingy for a main course, but we wouldn't recommend serving much more than 60-65 grams per person.

Macaroni cheese (or mac 'n' cheese to our American friends) is difficult to find in Italy. Their famous four-cheese dish, Pasta Ai Quattro Formaggi, is a riotous celebration of the combination of pasta and cheese, but it's a very different beast from American or English macaroni cheese, where gooey cheddar is the order of the day.