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You are here: Home / Recipes / Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

Recipes Side Dishes
Published: July 10, 2019 | Last Updated: July 10, 2019 | Author: Lois

Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

This recipe for Panera Mac and Cheese tastes as creamy and delicious as you’ve come to love and enjoy…only it’s made in your very own kitchen!

Let me show you how fast this creamy, cheesy  Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe comes together. As a matter of fact, this recipe is one of my family’s favorite side dishes.  I know you’re going to love this recipe as much as my family does.

Closeup of Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe in white bowl

Panera Mac and Cheese

Raise your hand if you love mac and cheese as much as I do? Now, raise your hand if you love Panera Mac and Cheese as much as I do?

If you raised your hand for both questions, then you’re visiting my blog at the right time today. Today’s recipe is a copy cat version of the very famous Panera Bread Mac and Cheese recipe.

To make this recipe even better is that it’s ready to eat in 30 minutes. You really can’t beat that, right? 

Helpful Kitchen Tools

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  • Wire Whisk– you need a good wire whisk to make this recipe. Not some cheap version that you can purchase at a dollar store. 
  • Cheese Grater – I really do like the box kind which helps keep the cheese contained while grating a large quantity. 
  • Measuring Cups

How to Make Panera Mac and Cheese:

Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!

Ingredients: 

  • Butter
  • Flour
  • Half and Half – you could use whole milk, but you’ll miss out on some of the creaminess. 
  • Milk 
  • White Cheddar Cheese
  • Monterrey Jack Cheese
  • Mustard – just a teaspoon, but it adds so much flavor! Choose your favorite kind. For this recipe I like to use a brown mustard. I’ve never tried Dijon mustard though.  However,  yellow mustard works great too. 
  • 1 Knorr Chicken Bouillon cube – again, this adds flavor! 
  • Pasta shells – or your favorite shape. 
  • Salt and Pepper to taste. 

How to Prepare the Cheese Sauce

To begin with, you need to melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Then add the flour and quickly whisk to incorporate the flour into the melted butter being careful not to let the butter burn.

Next, cook the flour and butter together for about a minute. Add the milk and half and half. Whisk until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken.

Finally, reduce the heat to low and add the salt, pepper, mustard and chicken bouillon cube followed by the cheese. 

Step by Step photos for Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

How to Prepare the Pasta

Keep the cheese sauce warm. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil, cook and drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Then serve immediately. 

Add pasta shells to cheese sauce for Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe

Tips for Preparing and Serving Panera Mac and Cheese

  • It’s best to serve this mac and cheese recipe immediately after mixing the pasta with the cheese sauce. 
  • You can prepare the cheese sauce earlier in the day and then warm it up while the pasta is cooking. 
  • Before you’re ready to use the sauce, it may thicken and you may need to thin it out.  Just add a little more milk. 
  • For instance, I made this recipe to serve for my mother’s 80th birthday party years ago. I quadrupled the recipe and made the cheese sauce the day before.  The next day, all I had to do was warm the sauce up on the stove and toss with the pasta right before serving the dinner to 50 people! 
  • By the way, this cheese sauce freezes well. Sometimes I’ll make a double recipe of the sauce just to freeze and have on hand for busy nights. 

Copy Cat Panera Mac and Cheese served in bowls

Panera Bread may have this mac and cheese recipe on their kid menu, however, I think it's the perfect side dish for the entire family! 

Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe in dutch oven pan cooked

Serve Panera Mac and Cheese with these Main Dish Recipes: 

These are a few of my family’s favorite recipes to serve alongside mac and cheese. 

  • When my kids were younger, I served Chicken Cutlets Italian Style with this copycat recipe for mac and cheese at least once a week. If we had any leftovers of the mac and cheese, I would heat it up the next day to serve my daughter as an after school snack. 
  • Hasselback Chicken Stuffed with Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Basil 
  • Crock Pot Brisket Recipe – Beth’s Brisket Recipe is one of my son’s favorite recipes that I make for him. Mac and cheese always tastes great with this delicious brisket recipe. 

Closeup of Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe in white bowl

Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 ounces white cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 16 ounce package pasta shells or your favorite shaped pasta

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. Once the butter is melted add the flour and quickly whisk to incorporate the flour into the melted butter being careful not to let the butter burn.
  3. Cook the flour and butter together for about a minute.
  4. Add the milk and half and half.
  5. Whisk until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken.
  6. Reduce the heat to low and add the salt, pepper, mustard and chicken bouillon cube.
  7. Add the cheeses and stir until they are melted.
  8. Keep the cheese sauce warm while you cook and drain the pasta.
  9. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
  10. Serve immediately. 
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 492Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 819mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 20g

The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.

© Lois
Cuisine: American / Category: Side Dishes

Panera Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe in bowls with forks

Mac and Cheese Homemade Recipe with prep photos

Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe in skillet.

 

 

 


10 Comments

About Lois

Originally from Queens, NY, Lois now calls northeastern PA home. You can find her blogging over at Walking on Sunshine where she shares a little of her life, but more importantly what’s for dinner at her house tonight.

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Comments

  1. Donna @ Modern on Monticello says

    July 24, 2019 at 11:28 am

    I love Panera’s Mac and Cheese and I can’t wait to try out your recipe. Thanks for sharing it at #HomeMattersParty

    Reply
  2. Cathy says

    July 24, 2019 at 10:05 am

    I cannot wait to try this! It looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks Cathy!

      Reply
  3. Jasmine | Midsummer Life Dream says

    July 18, 2019 at 2:54 am

    OMG – I love love love Panera’s mac and cheese, and since moving to italy, can’t buy mac and cheese anymore. I’m going to have to pin this recipe so I can make it myself! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Lois says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:54 pm

      Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Marisa F. Stewart says

    July 13, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    WOW!! It does look delicious. I could eat mac and cheese three times a day every day. It is so good and your looks especially appetizing. That creamy cheese over the pasta is mouthwatering.

    Reply
  5. Jolina says

    July 11, 2019 at 11:46 am

    Oh my word this looks so good!! So cheesy and creamy. And I love how it freezes well. Mac and cheese any time!

    Reply
  6. Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says

    July 11, 2019 at 9:17 am

    This looks creamy and delicious. Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? I know this would be a hit in our family. They LOVE mac and cheese!!

    Reply
  7. Veena Azmanov says

    July 11, 2019 at 12:03 am

    My family favorite Dinner option. I love quick and easy cooking.

    Reply
  8. Denise says

    July 10, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    I think It looks better than Panera’s! So creamy and delicious!

    Reply

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