Panera Mac and Cheese (Copycat)

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

2 Comments

5 from 1 vote
8 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Jump to FAQsJump to Recipe
Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Panera Bread Mac and Cheese Copycat is just as comforting and indulgent as the original you love. Skip the wait in line and try this at home!

It’s easy to recreate your favorite Mac and Cheese copycat Sides. Check out these other fast food favorites like KFC Mac and Cheese and Boston Market Mac and Cheese too!

Bowl of mac and cheese
ingredients for mac and cheese in bowls
Cheeses and milk in pot with whisk
Collage of mac and cheese on spoon and cheese sauce in pot
Collage of mac and cheese
Recipe Snapshot

Why You’ll Love This Side?

  • The perfectly smooth, buttery cheese sauce made with a blend of three kinds of cheese.
  • Can be whipped up in just about 15-20 minutes.

Sabrina’s Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

Whether you’re looking to satisfy a Panera Bread craving or want to master a truly amazing mac and cheese recipe, this is the recipe for you. This homemade version of Panera Bread’s White Cheddar Macaroni is sure to be a hit for family dinner. Impress at the next potluck with a large batch of this rich, hearty, and leveled-up cheesy pasta dish.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Panera Bread Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

Panera Bread Mac and Cheese Copycat is just as comforting and indulgent as the original you love. Skip the wait in line and try this at home!
Yield 8 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Bowl of mac and cheese
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups white cheddar , freshly shredded
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese , freshly shredded
  • 8 ounces American cheese
  • 1 pound medium pasta shells

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of the ingredients listed on the box, then drain and set aside.
  • In a large dutch oven add the butter on medium heat until melted.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add in the salt, milk and heavy cream, whisking well until it starts to thicken, about 4-5 minutes once it has come to a simmer.
  • Add in all the cheese (white cheddar, cheddar and American) and whisk well until fully melted.
  • Add in the pasta and gently stir until well coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and cling to pasta.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1575IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 677mg | Iron: 1mg

Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes

Pin this recipe now to remember it later

Pin Recipe

Note from Sabrina

Grate the cheese yourself! It is an extra step but grating the cheese yourself for Mac and Cheese makes such a difference to the texture of the sauce. Bagged shredded cheese has anti-caking agents on it so it doesn’t stick together and they can make your cheese sauce gritty.

Table of contents

Back to Table of Contents

About this Recipe

What sets this Mac and Cheese apart is the perfectly smooth, buttery cheese sauce made with a blend of three kinds of cheese, butter, whole milk, and heavy cream. It’s the ideal comfort food: creamy, buttery, warm, indulgent, and so easy to make!

Ingredients

  • Roux: The cheesy creamy sauce starts with a roux made with butter, flour, and salt. A roux is a classic technique of cooking flour in butter. The butter helps cook off the raw flour taste and this paste helps thicken the milk mixture that you add later.
  • Milk Mixture: You add a cup milk and 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream to turn the melted cheese into a smooth sauce. The heavy cream adds richness and the milk helps keep the creamy cheese sauce from being too rich and thins it out a bit.
  • Cheese: This incredible mac and cheese recipe is made with a flavorful blend of cheeses. The white cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and American cheese come together for a tangy, creamy, delicious cheese sauce. Make sure to use fresh grated cheese for the smoothest sauce.
  • Pasta Shells: You want to use shell pasta for this Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat recipe to keep it spot on. The pasta shape doesn’t change the taste though so feel free to use elbow macaroni or other small pasta you have on hand.

Can this be made ahead of time?

This mac and cheese can be whipped up in just about 15-20 minutes, making it a new favorite dinner recipe you will go back to dozens of times. As a bonus point, this mac and cheese can easily be prepared ahead of time in a slow cooker for busy weeknights. Prep it the night before and reheat in the crock pot for an easy, ready-to-go party side dish.

Pairing Suggestions

Because it is so creamy and rich, Mac and Cheese pairs great with a variety of savory, meat-based entrees like Oven Baked Rotisserie Chicken, Grilled Pork Chops, or Easy Pulled Pork. If you’re feeling indulgent, this glorious white cheddar macaroni can shine all on its own with a sprinkle of leftover cooked bacon and a side of Sautéed Green Beans.

How to Store

  • Serve: Mac and Cheese is best served immediately and you can keep it up to two hours at room temperature before it should be stored.
  • Store: Store leftovers in a covered dish or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
  • Freeze: It’s not recommended to freeze this dish since the dairy will separate and make the consistency of the sauce grainy if you reheat it.

Slow Cooker Method

  • Add the butter to a crockpot on high heat and allow it to melt.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Mix the salt, milk, and heavy cream.
  • Stir in the cheeses and uncooked pasta.
  • Cover and switch crockpot to low heat and cook for 3-4 hours or until pasta is tender.
  • Give a final stir, and serve warm.

Frequent Questions

What kind of cheese is best to make Mac and Cheese?

The best cheese for Mac and Cheese is one that melts well and is slightly creamy but also has a strong, sharp flavor so you can taste the cheese. It’s also good to use a blend of cheeses to add some depth. Cheddar cheese, smoked Gouda cheese, and white cheddar cheese are all good for making cheese sauce.

Why won’t my cheese melt evenly?

The biggest culprit of why your cheese isn’t melting is because you used bagged shredded cheese and the anti-caking agents on the shreds are stopping it from melting. Also, if your milk mixture isn’t hot enough, or on the other hand too hot, your cheese won’t melt properly.

Variations

  • Cheese: While Panera’s recipe uses a blend of cheddar cheeses, you can make this recipe your own by experimenting with cheese combinations like sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, or mozzarella.
  • Pasta: This recipe can easily be substituted with a different type of pasta shape or variety like elbow macaroni, rotini, or bowtie. You could also use whole-grain or gluten-free pasta to adjust to dietary needs.
  • Veggies: Mac and Cheese can be topped with a variety of vegetables. Try it with Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, or sautéed spinach.
  • Chicken: For an extra punch of protein, top this mac and cheese with grilled, rotisserie, or even fried chicken (for an extra crunch). Try it with Barbecue Chicken during the summer with some thinly sliced red onions, corn, and more shredded cheddar cheese!
  • Toppings: This recipe is delicious all on its own, but if you want to kick it up a notch, try finishing with some toasted bread crumbs, bacon bits, green onions, roasted garlic, balsamic glaze, or a Buffalo Wing Sauce.

More Delicious Mac and Cheese Recipes

Panera Mac and Cheese collage

Photos used in previous version of post:

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

Categories

Leave a comment & rating

Have you checked the FAQ section above to see if your question has already been answered? View previous questions.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Maximum file size: 10 MB.
Allowed formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF. Drop images here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. This is a dead ringer for the Panera version. The white cheddar sauce is so creamy and rich. My kids actually cheered when I put this on the table. It’s officially our new go-to mac and cheese recipe.

    Reply