How many cups dry macaroni make 3 cooked macaroni?

It's impossible to give an exact answer to how many cups of dry macaroni make 3 cups of cooked macaroni. Here's why:

* Macaroni shapes vary: Different shapes of macaroni absorb water differently during cooking. Some shapes, like elbow macaroni, will absorb more water and increase in size more than others.

* Cooking method: The amount of water used, the cooking time, and whether you drain the macaroni thoroughly can all affect how much the macaroni expands.

* Brand and type: The type of macaroni (regular, whole wheat, etc.) can also influence how much it expands.

General Guideline:

A good rule of thumb is that 1 cup of dry macaroni will typically yield about 3-4 cups of cooked macaroni.

Therefore, you could expect to use about 1 cup of dry macaroni to make 3 cups of cooked macaroni. However, it's always best to follow the cooking instructions on the package for the specific type of macaroni you're using.