We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
As a condiment that’s practically synonymous with savory dishes, there are a number of ways to use Worcestershire sauce to elevate your meals. The sauce is typically made with a variety of ingredients including anchovies, white vinegar, tamarind, chili peppers, molasses, garlic, and onions for a uniquely tangy and robust flavor profile. Add a little Worcestershire sauce to your next batch of mac and cheese for an effortless upgrade inspired by the late Anthony Bourdain’s no-nonsense yet still luxurious recipe. It’s important to make this addition while the cheese is still hot for the most impactful taste.
This simple sauce makes a huge difference, whether you’re preparing your favorite brand of instant mac and cheese or a scratch-made recipe. You can tinker with the ratios as you please, but between a half or full teaspoon should suffice for a recipe that serves four. The zing of the flavors will cut through the richness of the cheese to make a bright and satisfying contrast in every bite.
Saucing up your mac and cheese
Adding Worcestershire sauce to any store-bought packaged mac and cheese is quick and easy while having exponential results. With so many decadent mac and cheese recipes to choose from, there’s no shortage of ways to incorporate this extra bit of umami flavor. Knowing that Worcestershire sauce typically includes anchovies as an ingredient, adding it to a mac and cheese that you’ve bulked up with canned tuna would be complementary to the existing fish flavors.
Worcestershire would also make an excellent inclusion in a mushroom- or onion-forward mac and cheese dish to give an extra tangy bite to the rich flavors. It would also do well with any recipes that include red meat like beef or lamb. For those who don’t eat animal proteins, try using a vegan Worcestershire sauce, like this one from The Wizard’s Sauce, with your favorite plant-based mac and cheese for just as much accessible flavor enhancement. Just about any way you can think to combine Worcestershire sauce with mac and cheese will yield a pleasing dish.
