Scottish Macaroni Cheese Pie

Calories: 1135|Fat: 62.7|Carbohydrates: 106.9|Protein: 33.9 | 30

recipe ingredients tips

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

A Scottish Macaroni Pie is a Scotch pie case filled with tasty Macaroni cheese, made with a mature Scottish cheddar.

macaroni and cheese with a bottom pie crust

You can enjoy this Scotch Macaroni pie hot or cold, just like a sandwich, without needing a plate or forks. It pairs well with any sauce or side, and kids will love dunking it in ketchup or their favourite sauce for a special treat.

For The Perfect Macaroni Pie

If you’re using a bottom crust, cook it on its own for 5 minutes to prevent sogginess. Ensure the pasta filling is not too watery.
Don’t exaggerate with the extra toppings suggested. Without any extras or substitutions, the pie is perfect.

What You Need

Pastry – Subs the Hot Water Pastry with puff pastry or shortcrust. You can omit the bottom pie crust.
Cheese – Subs the strong cheddar cheese with mozzarella
Macaroni pasta – You can replace it with penne, rigatoni pasta or any gluten-free pasta. Just follow the cooking instructions for the pasta so they don’t become too mushy or remain too hard.
Milk – Use full-fat milk.
Butter – Use butter or vegetable oil.
Flour – Use plain flour or gluten-free.
Mustard – You can use Dijon mustard or leave it out.
Salt and Pepper
Other Toppings –
- Haggis – Optionally add Scotch haggis to the bottom part of the pie.
- American-style – Mix hot sauce and chicken to make American-style buffalo chicken mac n’ cheese.
- Veggies – Add veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
- Bacon – Sprinkle some bacon bits on the top of the macaroni pie.

Saving the Scotch Macaroni Pie For Later

After cooling the pie, wrap it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat the whole pie or pies in the oven. If you want to reheat only 1 small individual pie you can also do it in the refrigerator though it may slightly affect the texture of the pastry.

Serving the Macaroni Pie

Macaroni Pie can be served on its own or with some green salad and chips.

As a dessert may I recommend another Scotch speciality – Scottish Cream Crowdie (Cranachan).

Health Info

Calories: 1135
Sugar: 8.3
Sodium: 1204
Fat: 62.7
Carbohydrates: 106.9
Fiber: 4
Protein: 33.9

Macaroni Pie Recipe Scotland

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 4 people

Calories 1135kcal

Description

A Scottish Macaroni Pie is a Scotch pie case filled with tasty Macaroni cheese, made with a mature Scottish cheddar.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
100 g (½ cup) lard
125 ml (½ cup) water
¼ tsp salt

For the Macaroni Pie Filling

250 g (2 cups) macaroni pasta
500 ml (1 cup) milk
55 g (¼ cup) butter
3 tbsp flour
200 g mature cheddar cheese grated
50 g cheese grated for the top of the pie
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp salt
black pepper

Instructions

Make the Hot Water Pastry Dough

Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Cut the lard into small cubes and add them to a pot of hot water. Be sure to stir continuously to prevent boiling. Stir until the lard has melted.
Pour the mixture into the well of flour mixing the ingredients with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Place the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it a little, adding extra flour if it's sticky. Work quickly as the pastry cools. Divide the pastry into four even balls for individual pies.

Prepare the Pie Crusts

Oil the pie tins
Roll each ball to about 5mm depth and about 20cm width. Place 4 pastry shells into the pie tins, but use all the pastry as these pies do not have lids. Run a knife along the top edge of the tin removing any excess pastry to give a straight edge to the top of the crust.
Put all the pie crusts in the fridge to harden for about 30 minutes while making the macaroni. You can leave them overnight if you want to.

Prepare the Macaroni Pie Filling

Cook the macaroni al dente in salted water, Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and stir until it starts to froth up. Remove from the heat.
Slowly add the milk to the pot while whisking to avoid any lumps. Return the pot to the heat and bring to a boil while continuing to stir. Once the mixture thickens, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the grated cheese. Simmer until the cheese melts in the sauce.
Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Season with black pepper, and add the mustard for extra flavour. Let it stand for 5 minutes while the pasta absorbs the cheesy milk.

Assemble the Pie and Bake

Turn your oven on to 180°C or 356°F.
Take the pie casings out of the fridge.
Fill the 4 pie shells with the macaroni filling leaving some space at the top. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until the top has a nice golden brown colour.
Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

Baking tips: For the perfect macaroni pie, pre-bake the bottom crust for 5 minutes, ensure the filling isn’t too watery, and avoid excessive toppings.
Storing: Cool, wrap, and refrigerate for 3-4 days, or freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating in the oven.
Serving: Enjoy Macaroni Pie solo or with a side of green salad and chips. For dessert, consider Scottish Cream Crowdie for a delightful Scottish treat.
Pastry: Substitute hot water pastry with puff or shortcrust; bottom crust optional.
Cheese: Use mozzarella instead of strong cheddar.
Pasta: Replace macaroni with penne, rigatoni, or gluten-free pasta.
Milk: Use full-fat milk.
Butter: Use butter or vegetable oil.
Flour: Use plain or gluten-free.
Mustard: Use Dijon mustard or omit.
Toppings: Add haggis, hot sauce with chicken, veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, spinach), or bacon bits.