Mac And Cheese vs Lasagna: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Lasagna has higher protein at 10.8 g compared to mac and cheese's 6.7 g. Mac and cheese is lower in calories with 164 calories versus lasagna's 185 calories.

Mac and cheese and lasagna are both beloved dishes, but they differ significantly in their nutritional content. This comparison will highlight key differences in calories, protein, carbohydrates, and more.

What Is the Difference Between Mac And Cheese and Lasagna?

Mac and cheese is a pasta dish made with macaroni and a creamy cheese sauce. It is often baked and can be customized with various ingredients. Lasagna is an Italian dish consisting of layers of pasta, meat, cheese, and tomato sauce. It is typically baked until bubbly and golden.

Mac And Cheese vs Lasagna: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of mac and cheese and lasagna to illustrate their nutritional differences.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Macaroni and cheese	Lasagna with meat
Calories	164 kcal	185 kcal
Protein	6.7 g	10.8 g
Carbs	23.1 g	11.4 g
Sugar	1.6 g	3.1 g
Fat	5.0 g	10.7 g
Fiber	1.2 g	1.5 g
Sodium	460 mg	466 mg

Which Is Better, Mac And Cheese or Lasagna?

For weight loss: Mac and cheese is lower in calories at 164 calories compared to lasagna's 185 calories.

For muscle and protein: Lasagna has more protein at 10.8 g, while mac and cheese contains 6.7 g of protein.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Mac and cheese has higher carbohydrates at 23.1 g compared to lasagna's 11.4 g, while lasagna has more sugar at 3.1 g versus mac and cheese's 1.6 g.

How to Track Mac and cheese and Lasagna Accurately

Portion sizes and macro content can be easy to misjudge, impacting overall nutritional intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers presented are rounded reference values for educational use. This information is not intended as medical advice. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Lasagna has more protein at 10.8 g compared to mac and cheese's 6.7 g.

Which has fewer calories?

Mac and cheese has fewer calories at 164 calories, while lasagna has 185 calories.

What are the carbohydrate contents?

Mac and cheese contains 23.1 g of carbohydrates, while lasagna has 11.4 g.

How much fat is in each dish?

Mac and cheese has 5.0 g of fat, whereas lasagna contains 10.7 g of fat.

What is the sugar content in mac and cheese?

Mac and cheese has 1.6 g of sugar, while lasagna has 3.1 g.

What is the sodium level in lasagna?

Lasagna contains 466 mg of sodium, compared to mac and cheese's 460 mg.

Key Takeaways

• Mac and cheese: 164 calories per 100 g.
• Lasagna: 185 calories per 100 g.
• Mac and cheese: 6.7 g of protein.
• Lasagna: 10.8 g of protein.
• Mac and cheese: 23.1 g of carbohydrates.
• Lasagna: 11.4 g of carbohydrates.