Panera Bread Mac & Cheese
What a delicious copycat recipe of Panera Bread Mac & Cheese that is full of white cheddar and white American cheese. This is easy to make and it is made completely on top of the stove. This was very, very good and it takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Source: Six Sisters’ Stuff Copycat Cooking
Ingredients
Cook the pasta according
to the package directions.
Drain and set aside.
Shred the cheddar cheese
(if not already shredded) and
break up the American cheese.
In a large saucepan over
medium heat, melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Continue stirring over medium heat until
the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Remove from the heat and add in the
cheeses, mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Stir until the cheese melts
and the mixture is smooth.
Add the pasta.
Toss gently until the cheese sauce
completely coats all of the pasta.
Cook over medium heat for
about 1 minute, gently stirring,
or until hot and then serve.
Panera Bread Mac & Cheese
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 6 slices white American cheese
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese (or shred all of an 8 oz. block)
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce (I used Franks Hot Sauce)
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside.
- Break the American cheese slices into small pieces. If you have a block of white cheddar cheese go ahead and shred it. (I couldn’t find it shredded so I shredded my own)
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk.
- Continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- Remove from the heat and add in the cheeses, mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
- Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the pasta and toss gently until the cheese completely coats all of the pasta.
- Return to medium heat for about 1 minute while gently stirring or until hot, then serve.
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Categories: Cheese, Milk Products, Pasta, Sauces
Yum Mac and cheeseeee!🙈🙈
I agree Saania!!!
Cheeeeese* 😜
I know right!!!!
Wow, delicious!
Greetings
We really loved it. Thank you so much!
Such a delicious pasta recipe with cheese, and butter.Kids will lick the tiny bits also from the pan😋😋
And so did the adults! hahahaha Thank you Deeksha ❤
Mac & cheese is one of my favorite sides…really, I could make a meal of it. 🙂
That’s what I do when I make it..lol
This stuff is worth it’s weight in gold!!
Absolutely!
I love mac & cheese! I make it similar to this recipe with a rue base but I don’t use American Cheese – I use my own 3 cheese blend, which does include extra sharp cheddar, and I use penne pasta (gluten free because for medical reasons I can’t have gluten). I also put the mac and cheese in a dish once it is all cooked and mixed and add a layer of cheese on top, then put in the oven until melted. So lots and lots of cheese ☺️
I have always used yellow cheddar and/or yellow American cheese. I, too, bake mine in the oven. I don’t think I ever had white cheddar and white American cheese before because it was amazing and this recipe doesn’t go in the oven. It was a nice change of taste.
Thank you for spelling it out Diane, I’m not so good in the kitchen and I need directions !! This is so wonderful, my kids love Mac and cheese and I’ll try this ❤️
You are so welcome this turned out delicious!
Yes please 🙂
It was amazing!
Looks great, Diane!
Thank you Jennifer!
Oh my goodness!! I’m going to have to try this. It looks so creamy!
I never realized how different and delicious white cheddar and white American cheese is! Thank you Michelle!
I’ll have to try try this. Looks amazing!
Thank you, you won’t be sorry it tastes wonderful.
Yum.. perfect combo!
I love Panera bread, and I love Mac & cheese. <3 definitely will be cooking this for dinner one night!
It was really good, enjoy!
Ooh, I like white mac and cheese! This looks very good Diane.
Thank you it made so much I froze serving size containers. Not sure how it will be but I didn’t want to eat it all!
Yes, sometimes “noodle dishes” end up with lots of leftovers and having it around is too tempting (for me anyway).
I love Mac and Cheese. Looks delicious and easy to make. 💕
This sounds so delicious!
It turned out amazing but it makes a lot!
I must say that is quite a long recipe for mac and cheese. 🙂 Sounds good though. I wonder what would happen if I made this for a family dinner or a reunion. I have to save this recipe…
It’s just a lot of pictures. You can make the cheese sauce by the time the pasta cooks. It was SO good! It would be perfect for a family dinner because it makes a lot.
As I’ve said before, I love recipes that contain cheese. They are so flavorful. This sounds like a very nice version of mac and cheese.
OMG this was fabulous Linda! It makes a full pound of macaroni so there is plenty to share! Thank you Linda!
Definitely sounds better than that boxed stuff. Sounds good with a bit of a kick.
Oh yes 100 times better than boxed! It made so much that I was afraid I would eat it all so I froze individual freezer containers of it. I have never done that before and I hope I didn’t ruin it! Thank you Carla!
I know sounds strange but I never tried mac & cheese 🙂
But just looking at your pictures and seeing all that cheese my mouth is watering 🙂
I really must try it 🙂
Wow I have never known anyone that hasn’t tried it. You’re right! You need to try it. Thanks for your nice comment!
🤪🤪🤪 I guess is not pretty common to find someone that did not tried it yet 🤪🤪
But I will do it soon 😉
I love Mac and Cheese….
Me too!
Ooooh, that looks yummy!
It was and it made a lot so I froze the leftovers in single serving freezer containers. They froze perfectly! After microwaving you would never have know it was frozen! Thanks so much!
Yum!
What is even better is that I froze the leftovers in single serving size containers. All I did is microwave to thaw and warm and they tasted as good as if I had just made them. Thanks!
Oh never heard of this before! Must try it!
Enjoy it is very tasty!