Panera Mac and Cheese – Cookies and Cups

Should you’re a fan of Panera Mac and Cheese, now you can make it at dwelling with this simple recipe. It delivers creamy, tacky pasta that tastes identical to the restaurant model.

Ensure that to take a look at my tried and true Stovetop Mac and Cheese recipe too!

Copycat Panera Bread Mac and Cheese made in a dutch ovenCopycat Panera Bread Mac and Cheese made in a dutch oven

Why You’ll Love This Mac and Cheese Recipe

Should you’ve by no means tried it, you is likely to be questioning, “Is Panera Mac and Cheese good?” And I’m right here to reply that for you! Sure, it’s REALLY good. It’s tremendous creamy, tacky, and flavorful. It’s one of many stand-out, evergreen objects on their menu that I can’t think about they ever discontinue!

  • Straightforward To Make! Making this dish at dwelling is straightforward and fast. You management the substances, lower your expenses, and skip the journey to the restaurant.
  • Accomplished In About 20 Minutes! All the things is finished proper on the range prime very simply. It is a nice recipe for starting cooks.
  • Scrumptious Taste! This recipe will simply develop into a household favourite.
Ingredients for Panera Mac and Cheese labeledIngredients for Panera Mac and Cheese labeled

What You Will Want

The Panera Bread Mac and Cheese ingredient checklist is tremendous easy. You may even have all the pieces in your kitchen proper now! Ensure that to scroll all the way down to the recipe card on the backside for the total checklist of substances and directions!

  • Pasta. Panera makes use of Pipette Rigate, which you’ll be able to simply discover, however I at all times have shells on-hand, so I exploit these too. Any quick, minimize pasta will work! Simply prepare dinner it al dente so it holds a bit chunk because it sits within the cheese sauce and continues to prepare dinner a bit.
  • Butter. I specify utilizing salted butter on this recipe as a result of it’s what I desire. You need to use unsalted butter as nicely. The one added salt on this recipe is what you employ to salt the pasta water in addition to the salt that exists within the cheese.
  • Flour. Common all function flour is what you want for this recipe.
  • Pepper. Floor black pepper is the one further seasoning within the ac and cheese recipe. I like plenty of black pepper, however be happy to make use of as a lot or as little as you favor.
  • Milk. You need to use both 2% milk or entire milk on this recipe. I don’t  advocate 1% milk, skim milk, or almond milk for the creamiest outcomes.
  • Cheddar Cheese. To make this an actual copycat Panera recipe I exploit a light white cheddar cheese. You’ll be able to actually use yellow cheddar if that’s what you’ve gotten! The end result would be the similar, simply the flavour will differ barely.
  • Parmesan Cheese. The addition of parmesan cheese enhances the cheddar with out making the sauce too “sharp”. Panera mac and cheese has a light taste, so that you don’t need an excessive amount of Parmesan.
  • American Cheese. That is the “secret ingredient” to essentially getting the creamiest cheese sauce. Don’t skip the addition of the deli-sliced white American cheese!
A pot of homemade Panera Bread mac and cheeseA pot of homemade Panera Bread mac and cheese

Suggestions On How To Make Panera Mac and Cheese

  • Prep all of the substances earlier than beginning. This recipe comes collectively in a short time, so that you need to have all the pieces on-hand and prepared whenever you want it!
  • Use high-quality white cheddar: This offers the mac and cheese its signature style. You don’t want to make use of an aged cheddar or something tremendous sharp, however a pleasant, creamy white cheddar will make the sauce further scrumptious.
  • Cooking the pasta: I like to begin the water boiling for my pasta on the similar time I soften the butter for the sauce, that means all the pieces is finished about the identical time. However you possibly can simply make the pasta earlier than hand and simply drain and maintain it coated and heat so as to add on the finish. The pasta may stick collectively a bit, however it is going to be okay as soon as it’s combined into the cheese sauce.

What Makes Panera Mac and Cheese Particular

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it’s completed in minutes, it has nice taste, could be loved as a fast foremost dish dinner or lunch, or perhaps a good dish dish at your prepare dinner out or BBQ.

A pot of mac and cheese in a dutch oven with a wooden spoonA pot of mac and cheese in a dutch oven with a wooden spoon

Can You Use One other Kind Of Cheese?

There’s only a creaminess and texture that may’t be defined, due in-part to the three cheeses I used. I labored laborious to create this copycat recipe that’s each simple and scrumptious, with a creamy mix of cheeses. Is it precise? I can’t say for positive, however it’s fairly darn shut!

You’ll be able to actually sub in yellow cheddar and yellow American for the white cheddar and it’ll work completely. You may as well use a unique mix of cheese for those who desire and use this recipe as a base to essentially make your individual!

Concepts To Add-In To Mac and Cheese

In fact Panera Mac and Cheese is ideal as-is, there are tons of issues you possibly can add to make it a full meal or amp of the flavour!

  • Sizzling sauce. My husband ALWAYS provides sizzling sauce to his mac and cheese. Doesn’t matter if it’s selfmade or from a field. He loves the warmth and tang that sizzling sauce offers.
  • Hen. Actually any type of protein would work nicely in mac and cheese, however cooked hen combined in is a straightforward technique to make this a full meal. And for those who actually need to take it there, strive hen nuggets combined in…SO GOOD!
  • Chili. When you’ve got some leftover chili, including a scoop on prime of this mac and cheese creates probably the most scrumptious Chili Mac!

How To Retailer Panera Mac and Cheese

I’ll be sincere, this recipe is finest the identical day you make it, loved heat. Macaroni and cheese tends to lose its creaminess the longer it sits. That’s simply the way in which it really works when you find yourself utilizing actual cheese. Whereas it can lose a little bit of the creamy texture you possibly can completely retailer this and revel in it the day as leftovers. Merely cowl it in hermetic container and whenever you reheat it add a splash or 2 of milk as you prepare dinner it!

White Cheddar Stove top mac and cheese inspired by Panera in a sauce pot with a wooden spoon from aboveWhite Cheddar Stove top mac and cheese inspired by Panera in a sauce pot with a wooden spoon from above

Extra Mac and Cheese Recipes To Attempt


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Description

It is a spot-on copycat model of Panera Mac and Cheese. It’s tremendous simple to make and takes lower than 20 minutes from begin to end. Everybody loves this one!


  • 3 1/2 cups medium shell pasta
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/4 cup all function flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon contemporary floor black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups 2% or entire milk
  • 2 cups contemporary shredded white cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup contemporary shredded parmesan cheese
  • 4 slices deli-style white American cheese, torn into items


  1. Deliver a big pot (5 – 6 quarts) of water to a boil. Add within the salt and stir. Add within the pasta and prepare dinner in accordance with the package deal instructions. Drain and put aside.
  2. Whereas the pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan soften the butter over medium-low warmth. As soon as the butter is melted, whisk within the flour and prepare dinner for 1 -2 minutes till clean. Add within the black pepper after which slowly add within the milk, whisking consistently.
  3. Deliver the milk combination to a boil, stirring regularly so the milk doesn’t scald. As soon as it’s reached a boil, stir consistently for two minutes till thickened.
  4. Flip the warmth instantly to low and add within the cheddar, parmesan, and American cheese, stirring till clean. Add within the cooked pasta and stir till coated.
  5. Season with extra pepper if desired and serve instantly.


Notes

Such a mac and cheese is at all times finest when loved the identical day. You’ll be able to at all times retailer hermetic within the fridge and reheat within the microwave with a splash of milk!

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Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Pinterest Image with textCopycat Panera Mac and Cheese Pinterest Image with text

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