Maccheroni (often abbteviated as "Mac" in anglo-saxon countries) is a kind of Pasta; specifically a tube-like pasta related to to mezze maniche or rigatoni. However, in central Italy, Maccheroni more often refer to a specific kind of homemade Spaghetti. In all definitions, true Maccheroni are made with whole grain. In Italy, they are often served with a thick tomato-based sauce (however there are variant recipes with cream-based sauce). In countries where the Kraft corporation has significant market share, they are more commonly served prepackaged with cheese.

There are many proposed roots for the word, linguist Giovanni Alessio proposed a Greek root, possibly meaning a corrupted version of "Funeral Food", loosely translated.