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Copycat Mac and Cheese Recipes

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From the fanciest Michelin-starred restaurants to the most humble kitchen table, there’s one dish that can fit in almost anywhere with almost any diner: macaroni and cheese. Creamy, savory, and filling, it’s perfect as both a main course or a side to a wide variety of food. Perhaps that’s why it’s such a mainstay on the menus of so many familiar restaurants.

But if you can’t make it to your favorite spot or want to save some money dining at home, it’s still possible to enjoy the mac and cheese you’re craving. Read on to explore some of the best copycat mac and cheese recipes that are simple to make in your home kitchen.

Four restaurant mac and cheese dishes.


Quick meal spots

Mac and cheese is a standby at many spots known for grabbing a quick bite. Here’s how to make some of the most popular.

Chick Fil A Mac and Cheese
Though the chain may specialize in chicken, real fans know that mac and cheese is among the best options on the menu. Four types of cheese combine to create this incredible mixture of flavors, while evaporated milk provides an ideally creamy texture.
Check out this recipe
Copycat Chick Fil A Mac and Cheese in three bowls.
KFC Mac and Cheese
Another chicken joint known for its delicious, down-home sides, KFC mac and cheese is an excellent pairing for any bucket of fried chicken. Simplicity is the key here, with just five ingredients required. Plus, a touch of dried mustard brings an extra flavor boost to the mix.
Check out this recipe
Copycat KFC mac and cheese in bowls.
Boston Market Mac and Cheese
Boston Market’s flavorful rotisserie chickens, hearty meatloaf and ham entrees, and other homestyle favorites are enhanced with this silky, cheesy side. This roux-based recipe also integrates minced onion for a more complex flavor and additional texture.
Check out this recipe
Copycat Boston Market mac and cheese in a baking dish and on a plate.
Panera Mac and Cheese
Panera’s mac and cheese recipe stands out from other grab-and-go options in a few key ways. First, mini shell pasta replaces traditional elbows, allowing the pasta to grab even more cheesy sauce. Meanwhile, white American and cheddar cheese provide a more sophisticated but equally delicious look compared to the sometimes neon-orange boxed variety.
Check out this recipe
Homemade Panera Bread Macaroni and Cheese in a bowl.
Horn and Hardart Mac and Cheese
Though Horn and Hardart may have shut the doors on the last of its innovative Automat restaurants decades ago, those craving a serving of their unique mac and cheese aren’t out of luck. This recipe is set apart by the addition of canned tomatoes and a bit of cayenne for extra heat and sugar for sweetness.
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Overhead view of copycat Horn and Hardart mac and cheese in a baking dish.
Costco Mac and Cheese
Costco’s prepared foods are a sometimes underrated part of the warehouse chain’s incredible offerings, and the mac and cheese recipe is among the best. It uses spiral cavatappi pasta paired with a combination of cheddar, romano, and parmesan cheeses. Don’t forget the heavy whipping cream for a super-sized flavor and luscious texture.
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Copycat Costco mac and cheese in a bowl and baking dish.
Stouffers Mac and Cheese
The frozen comfort food classic that many people have enjoyed for decades is simple to replicate if your supply has run out. Colby and mild cheddar provide the cheesiness, while dry mustard and paprika add a subtle but critical flavor boost. Don’t forget to broil for that classic browned topping!
Check out this recipe
homemade mac and cheese in a blue bowl

Sit down favorites

When you’re out for a casual meal, you’ll often find macaroni and cheese among the sides filling your plate. Fortunately, it’s simple to recreate them at home, too. 

Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese
Few restaurants can match the authentic experience of home-cooked specialties like Cracker Barrel, and that no doubt includes the chain’s mac and cheese. It’s incredibly simple, with just three ingredients and 20 minutes of total prep time. However, you’d never know from the unbelievable taste!
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Two bowls of copycat Cracker Barrel mac and cheese.
Longhorn Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
Steakhouses and mac and cheese are a classic combination. Make it at home just like at Longhorn using this recipe, which amps up the flavor with crumbled bacon and a sauce of gruyere, fontina, parmesan, and cheddar cheeses. A panko topping provides the perfect texture contrast to the smooth sauce and noodles beneath.
Check out this recipe
Copycat Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese on a spoon.
Luby’s Mac and Cheese
At cafeteria-style restaurants like Luby’s, one dish you can almost certainly count on is a tray of delicious mac and cheese. To achieve a similar flavor and texture in your home kitchen, this recipe uses dry milk and butter to create the distinctive sauce.
Check out this recipe
homemade Luby's macaroni and cheese in a serving dish and small bowl
Outback Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
This steakhouse side gets its incredibly texture through the use of Velveeta for the sauce. It also uses penne pasta, which can trap more of the cheesiness inside, ensuring every bite is as delicious as the last. With only three ingredients, this “Down Under” pairing is perfect for busy home cooks.
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overhead view of copycat Outback mac and cheese in a bowl.
Sweetie Pie’s Mac and Cheese
This isn’t any old tray of mac and cheese. Sweetie Pie’s uses four types of cheese (including ultra-creamy Velveeta) and sour cream to create the craveable sauce, while the distinctive shredded cheese layer on top adds extra flavor and bits of crispiness to each bite.
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Overhead view of copycat Sweetie Pie's mac and cheese in a baking dish.

Upscale options

While mac and cheese may have humble origins, it can also fit in just as well in more sophisticated settings and meals. If that’s your goal, try out these two ideas.

Grand Lux Cafe Mac and Cheese Skillet
The Grand Lux Cafe proves that upscale surroundings don’t mean that mac and cheese can’t be a part of quality meals. Heavy cream and whole milk ensure the best possible texture for the cheese sauce, while a buttery breadcrumb topping provides texture and flavor. After a brief broiling, it’s a dish that looks as good as it tastes!
Check out this recipe
closeup of macaroni and cheese in a cast iron skillet.
Martha Stewart Mac and Cheese
Leave it to Martha to come up with a mac and cheese recipe that’s simple to make, sophisticated, and delicious all at the same time. Small additions like a bit of nutmeg and cayenne complement a cheese sauce made from gruyere, pecorino, and two types of cheddar.
Check out this recipe
Four individual ramekins of baked macaroni and cheese

As you can see, it’s easy to make your favorite restaurant mac and cheese recipe at home, whether you’re craving a popular drive-thru joint or an upscale eatery. Keep this list handy, and you’ll always be just a few minutes away from creamy, delicious mac and cheese.

Three copycat mac and cheese dishes.

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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