Panera Bread Macaroni and Cheese has to be one of my favorite side dishes at the Panera Bread Bakery. It is rich, creamy, and irresistible. You can make some yourself with this recipe.
If you are lucky, like me, you live near a Panera Bread. If you don’t live near one, you have to drive far, or you can recreate this recipe at home. I can help you make a bowl of their delicious macaroni and cheese. What makes this recipe unique is that is it so creamy. A lot of macaroni and cheese seems to barely have enough cheese. Here the pasta is enrobed in white cheddar cheese. You might wonder what makes this so creamy.
This recipe is made by using a combination of white American cheese, and sharp white Cheddar cheese. This combination works well. As there is no cheese like American cheese that melts into a rich creamy sauce, but the sharp American cheese is what makes this delicious.
You can buy white American cheese at the deli section of your local grocery store. Walk up to the deli counter and ask them for about a pound of the cheese. You can let them slice it any way you like. You are going to melt the cheese so sliced or not it doesn’t matter. I like to use about a pound of the American white cheddar and about 1 cup of sharp white Cheddar. That isn’t the real secret to the recipe; it is the Dijon mustard.
Mustard has a way of enhancing the flavor of the sharp cheese. Mustard gives it a little extra punch. I like to use a good two teaspoons for this recipe. I also thin the cheese sauce a bit with whole milk. So all of the ingredients are common and easy to find.
I cook up a whole box of pasta shells. If you can’t find pasta shells you can use any other type of pasta that you like. Macaroni tastes just like the shells. I hope you give this recipe a try. If you like Panera Bread recipes, be sure to check out these copycat favorite recipes.
More Panera Bread Copycat Recipes
Panera Black Bean Soup
Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup
Honey Walnut Cream Cheese Spread
Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup
Panera Bread Bistro French Onion Soup
Copycat Panera Bread Macaroni and Cheese
Enjoy Panera Bread Macaroni and Cheese anytime with this copycat recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shell pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 3/4 pound white American cheese
- 1/4 pound shredded white sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
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Prepare pasta according to the package directions. Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
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Make a basic white sauce by melting the 3 tablespoons of butter, add the flour, and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Then slowly add in the cold milk, and stir the sauce until it is thickened.
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Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking. If the white American cheese is not sliced, cut it into cubes. In a medium-sized pot add the American cheese and as it begins to melt, slowly stir in the milk. Once the American cheese has fully melted, begin to stir in the white sharp cheese. Stir in the Dijon mustard. The cheese sauce should be ready the same time the pasta is done. Combine the cheese and the pasta together. Serve immediately.
Is there mustard powder in this recipe? I thought the Dijon mustard was prepared.
My family loved this! Thank you for sharing!
I see twice where you use the milk. once added to the flower then later to the cheese. How much milk did you use in each?
We made it tonight it was fabulous!! I used heavy cream …& aged boars Head cheddar in 1/2 and cheaper cheddar!!! YUM!!!
I tried this as posted. I’m happy with the creaminess and the taste, mostly. I will still keep using it, for it’s a great dish. However, It’s a bit bland in comparison to Panera’s. Unsure of what else it needs. I added cumin, that’s not it. In different bowl, I tried paprika, not it. There is a smoky, saltier flavor in the real deal.
Any trials done that match it better?
I would go with a little more mustard powder. You may want to consider that your cheese is not the same brand that they use.
A dashor two of hot sauce really helps.
Please send me the Panara Mac and cheese recipe
I am confused it is on this web page.
I’m making this for Thanksgiving and I wanted to prepare ahead of time. How long can it stay refrigerated and what’s the best method for reheating?
I would reheat this on the stovetop by adding more milk to this. The white American cheese in this will make it a bit gummy. If the stove being used is an issue, you could try reheating this in a slow cooker (it will take a lot longer), again add some milk.
For two people, I’m going to divide the recipe in half to avoid over-eating and left overs … do you see an issue with that?
Dividing it in half should work just fine.
Thank you for providing these awesome recipes!! Have made 2 recipes so far and will continue looking!! My picky 11 yr old even LOVES them!!
Thank you again!!!
I am so glad to hear that! Making food your family loves is important.
I made this recipe. My daughter worked at Panera for a year and she brought it home often. So I know the taste well. It’s more tart than this recipe. Upon further research, I found another recipe that claimed to be pulled from the Panera website itself. It was just like yours, but the portions of the white American and sharp cheddar were reversed. This is what I will try next time.
How did the reversal go of the two kinds of cheese? Some of the variation could also be the cheeses used. I am sure they have a proprietary cheese.
The directions have make the white sauce and add milk then in next paragraph in separate pot melt cheese and pour in milk. It is in two places to add milk. Did you mean make white sauce then melt cheese after pour in milk in same pot. Its a little confusing that you pour milk in both paragraphs.
I was wondering the same thing.
I also wondered about the mlk. I know making a roue for the base you add the milk after butter and flour. I add the milk, thicken it up, add the cheeese and add a but more milk to thinnif needed
Any advice about cooking this recipe in a crock pot?
I am sorry, I haven’t tried cooking this in a crock pot. I have actually never cooked pasta in a crockpot so I can’t offer any suggestions at this time.
No worries! Thanks for the fast response. If I try it, I’ll let you know how it comes out!
What about reheating this? It made more than I thought and was thinking of taking leftovers to Father’s Day but didn’t want to risk taste. Any pointers?
The video uses way more milk than what is listed in the recipe. Which one should I go with?
Please go with the written recipe. Sometimes in the editing we miss when I call out specific amounts. I wished I did a better job at this. I am sorry for the confusion.
I have always added mustard to any cheese sauce that I make. It is the “secret ingredient ” !
I am sure this is a delicious recipe, based on ingredients alone!
I can’t wait to try this! I’ve just discovered your site and everything looks amazing! I’ll be following you for a long time! I’m just about to order the cookbook!
Good Morning…. This may be a dumb question. But, what is the best way to melt the cheese?
Thank you Stephanie – I am new here but I can tell that a lot of research, work and prepping is required to post successful how-to videos and recipes. AND the best part is no annoying pop up ads! Great site!
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the site!
I thought that Panera used Vermont Cheddar in their mac n cheese.
I followed the recipe – but this is waaaaay thicker than Panera – very sad 🙁
I am so sorry that the recipe created sadness for you. You could have added a bit more milk to the sauce if you thought it was too thick. Again, I am so sorry the recipe made you sad.
The first 3 times I pulled this up, no recipe, no print. This time, via a different link, success. All depends on how you get here.
https://www.copykat.com/2016/09/06/copycat-panera-bread-macaroni-and-cheese/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=copycat-panera-bread-macaroni-and-cheese
It’s there now. If you would like to shoot me an email, I don’t know why it isn’t working on your side, I will email you the recipe.
Where did the name Panera Bread come from for Mac and Cheese?
It is the name of the restaurant, I always include the name of the restaurant with the name of the recipe when it is a ‘Copycat’ recipe.
Why is everyone saying they don’t see a print button? It is there! Right under the recipe!
Can this mac & cheese be frozen & reheated or can I make half the re ipe. Love your recipes.
If you know you are going to have leftovers, I would store the pasta and the sauce separately.
I tend to think that pasta soaks up the sauce, and leftover pasta isn’t as good as it was the first time.
I don’t see the recipe or even a print recipe button 😟
The recipe is back. Sorry about that.
Hi stephanie love the recipes keep them coming
No print recipe button —
It is in two places, once at the bottom of the recipe, then after the blue box where the recipe is right next to the social media call outs.
I’m not even getting a “print recipe” button…
I would like to see the recipe…
press the print recipe button and the recipe will appeaar
There isn’t any recipe provided \_(ツ)_/¯
It’s there, it may just take a minute or two to come up. That’s what happened for me. But it’s there 🙂