If you happen to’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 similar to the restaurant model.
If you happen to’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!
Simple To Make! Making this dish at dwelling is straightforward and fast. You management the components, get monetary savings, and skip the journey to the restaurant.
Accomplished In About 20 Minutes! All the things is completed proper on the range prime very simply. This can be a nice recipe for starting cooks.
Scrumptious Taste! This recipe will simply turn into a household favourite.
What You Will Want
The Panera Bread Mac and Cheese ingredient record is tremendous easy. You may even have all the things in your kitchen proper now! Ensure that to scroll all the way down to the recipe card on the backside for the total record of components 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 brief, minimize pasta will work! Simply cook dinner it al dente so it holds a bit chunk because it sits within the cheese sauce and continues to cook dinner a bit.
Butter. I specify utilizing salted butter on this recipe as a result of it’s what I choose. You should utilize 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 lots of black pepper, however be at liberty to make use of as a lot or as little as you favor.
Milk. You should utilize both 2% milk or entire milk on this recipe. I don’t suggest 1% milk, skim milk, or almond milk for the creamiest outcomes.
Cheddar Cheese. To make this an actual copycat Panera recipe I exploit a gentle white cheddar cheese. You possibly can definitely use yellow cheddar if that’s what you have got! The outcome would be the identical, 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 gentle 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!
Suggestions On How To Make Panera Mac and Cheese
Prep all of the components earlier than beginning. This recipe comes collectively in a short time, so that you wish to have all the things 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 additional scrumptious.
Cooking the pasta: I like to begin the water boiling for my pasta on the identical time I soften the butter for the sauce, that manner all the things is completed about the identical time. However you may simply make the pasta earlier than hand and simply drain and maintain it lined and heat so as to add on the finish. The pasta may stick collectively a bit, however will probably 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 achieved in minutes, it has nice taste, could be loved as a fast primary dish dinner or lunch, or perhaps a good dish dish at your cook dinner out or BBQ.
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 arduous 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 certain, however it’s fairly darn shut!
You possibly can definitely sub in yellow cheddar and yellow American for the white cheddar and it’ll work completely. It’s also possible to use a special mix of cheese for those who choose and use this recipe as a base to essentially make your personal!
Concepts To Add-In To Mac and Cheese
After all Panera Mac and Cheese is ideal as-is, there are tons of issues you may 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 do-it-yourself or from a field. He loves the warmth and tang that sizzling sauce provides.
Rooster. Actually any form of protein would work nicely in mac and cheese, however cooked hen combined in is a straightforward solution to make this a full meal. And for those who actually wish to take it there, strive hen nuggets combined in…SO GOOD!
Chili. If in case you have some leftover chili, including a scoop on prime of this mac and cheese creates essentially the most scrumptious Chili Mac!
How To Retailer Panera Mac and Cheese
I’ll be trustworthy, 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 best way it really works when you find yourself utilizing actual cheese. Whereas it would lose a little bit of the creamy texture you may 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 cook dinner it!
This can be 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
Deliver a big pot (5 – 6 quarts) of water to a boil. Add within the salt and stir. Add within the pasta and cook dinner in response to the bundle instructions. Drain and put aside.
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 cook dinner for 1 -2 minutes till clean. Add within the black pepper after which slowly add within the milk, whisking always.
Deliver the milk combination to a boil, stirring often so the milk doesn’t scald. As soon as it’s reached a boil, stir always for two minutes till thickened.
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.
Season with extra pepper if desired and serve instantly.
Notes
One of these mac and cheese is at all times finest when loved the identical day. You possibly can at all times retailer hermetic within the fridge and reheat within the microwave with a splash of milk!
