Outback Steakhouse Mac-A-Roo from the kids’ menu is so popular because it’s creamy, comforting, and a wonderful choice for children dining at the restaurant. This copycat Mac-A-Roo recipe is often requested by parents who want to recreate this kid favorite at home. It only takes about 30 minutes to make at home
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What makes the Outback Macaroni and Cheese so good?
Outback Steakhouse serves many fantastic menu items, so who would order the Mac-A-Roo from the kids’ menu? Plenty of families with children. And why not, when it tastes this amazingly rich and creamy, yet perfectly mild for young palates?
But if you don’t want to skip your tried and true favorites on the next visit to the restaurant, try making this Outback Mac-A-Roo recipe at home.
Outback Mac A Roo Ingredients
To make steakhouse mac and cheese Outback style, you’ll need:
- Penne pasta or macaroni – Provides the perfect base that holds the creamy cheese sauce in every bite
- Velveeta cheese – Creates the signature smooth, creamy texture without any graininess or separation issues
- Heavy cream – Adds luxurious creaminess and helps achieve the perfect sauce consistency
That’s it! You will love this recipe as much as your kids do.
Ingredient Notes
Penne, shells, elbow macaroni noodles, and rigatoni pasta are popular choices, but you can use any short pasta you prefer.
You may want to substitute the heavy cream for half-and-half or even milk to reduce fat and calories.
How to Make Outback Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
To make Outback Steakhouse mac and cheese:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Cook the pasta according to the package’s instructions. You may want to add 30 or 60 seconds to the cooking time, as this recipe works best when the pasta is slightly softer than al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the Velveeta into small cubes.
- Set a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop to warm.
- Add the Velveeta cheese cubes to the saucepan.
- Pour in the heavy cream.
- Stir or whisk continuously until the cheese fully melts.
- Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and return it to the large pot.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine.
- Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to cut the Velveeta into small pieces to make it easier to melt in the saucepan.
- While melting the cheese and heavy cream together, keep the heat on low to prevent it from boiling or burning.
- Make a big batch of the Mac and Cheese because it reheats nicely for other meals.
What to serve with Mac and Cheese
This Outback mac and cheese recipe can serve as both a side dish and a main course. Pair with fried chicken or grilled meat for a hearty meal, or enjoy with a side salad or steamed vegetables for something a little lighter
Storage & reheating instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: You can keep Outback Mac-A-Roo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days
- Reheating Method: Add a splash of milk to the thawed Mac-A-Roo and stir. Cover with a paper towel and heat on HIGH for 60 seconds. Stir and check the temperature. If the Mac-A-Roo isn’t warm enough, heat for another 30 seconds, and repeat as necessary
- Freezing: If you want to save it for longer, try freezing leftovers for up to three months. A good hint is putting the Mac-A-Roo in a single-serving microwavable container and then wrapping well in plastic and aluminum foil
Do you love Outback Steakhouse? Make your favorites at home!
Be sure to check out these copycat Outback Steakhouse recipes that taste just like they do at the restaurant.
- How to Make a Bloomin’ Onion
- Onion Ring Dip for Bloomin’ Onion
- Copycat Chicken Quesadilla
- Alice Chicken Outback Recipe
- Dill Sauce for Steak
- Salt Baked Potatoes
- Outback Cinnamon Butter and Sweet Potato
More Cheesy Side Dish Recipes
Because everyone loves cheese!
- Cheesy Creamed Corn
- Cheese Broccoli
- Cheesy Cauliflower
- Crockpot Bacon Cheese Potatoes
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Instant Potatoes
- Swiss Cheese Asparagus Casserole
Take a look at more of my copycat Outback Steakhouse recipes and easy side dish recipes too.
Outback Mac and Cheese – Mac A Roo
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry penne pasta
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the cheese sauce: Combine the cubed Velveeta cheese and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce at a low simmer until you are ready to combine it with the pasta.
- When the pasta is ready, drain it and the return it to the pot. Pour the cheese sauce over the drained pasta and mix well.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you cut the Velveeta into small pieces to make it easier to melt in the saucepan.
- While melting the cheese and heavy cream together, keep the heat on low. You will not want this to boil or burn.
- Make a big batch of the mac and cheese – it will never go to waste and it re-heats nicely for other meals.
I just tried this recipe and it totally tastes extremely close to the actual meal at the restaurant. c: Even great value brand like-velveeta cheese works just as well!
I am glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Thank you for the tip on the Great Value brand cheese.
Just a little update… I currently work at outback and have for several years. Their Mac
A Roo is simply penne, name brand velveeta and milk. They used to use heavy cream but switched to milk in an effort to reduce calories for when they will become listed on the menu. The pasta is precooked in the morning and when some one orders it the pasta, milk and velveeta are put in the microwave until the ingredients can be combined. The milk and velveeta ae just eyeballed which is why there can be a big difference in the thickness of the sauce.
Hope this clears some stuff up.
Enjoy 🙂
Outback Kid Mac Cheese sauce
Portions changed over the years, but
Equal portions(by weight)of heavy whipping cream and velveeta cheese + penne
Delicious. My daughter can not get enough. Thanks for the recipe!
So now you can save some money by making it at home.
This recipe is way off, the only correct item is penne pasta. A) They don’t use Velvetta B) They dont use HEAVY CREAM or any cream for that matter and B) you forgot the spices they use? Your recipe is bland
actually i used to work for outback and they DEFINITELY go by this exact recipe. the only thing they add is a sprinkling of parsley. you dont need to be so rude jessica cohen, didnt see you shedding any light on what you thought the real recipe was.
You need to add salt to the water when you boil your penne. This will help if it seems bland. And SOME Outback restaurants will sprinkle parsley over top before serving. Outback also puts the cheese, cream, and precooked pasta into a plastic baggie, knots the top, microwaves till melted, pours onto a platter, and stirs to mix and coat evenly.
Thank you for your suggestion of adding the salt to the water for when you boil the pasta.
Actually YES it is. My husband was a proprietor at an outback. This is the KIDS MAC RECIPE, This is NOT the steakhouse Mac and cheese recipe for adults… So research before you get on a high horse and act rude, it’s a long drop off that pedestal you put yourself on Jessica Cohen
I used to work at Outback and used to always get the Mac a Roo and Cheese! It’s amazing!!!! Fun little hint, you can possibly substitute this for a side when you order from the adult entree if you have a helpful server!!! 🙂
Great tip! Thanks.
Check out my blog. Just did a write up with pictures. I have been enjoying this recipe for about 8 months now. No more boxed mac and cheese for this family. I add more heavy cream. http://sahdwhateverthatmeans.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-mac.html
this was awesome! I used half and half and regular american cheese from the deli and it turned out so good!
i don’t understand why so many “dupe” recipes of the Outback mac n’ cheese call for rigatoni pasta instead of penne. I prefer penne.
The above recipe… just three items are all goes it this yummy dish! Still love it after several years working there!
tell me your secrets…how is the blooming onion so large….its a regular onion right? or is it a gigantic mutant onion only indigenous to austrailia?
I believe it is the type of onion they are using. For example the 1015’s and vadallia come fairly large.
Just to let you know you forgot to put in Alferado cheese in it.I know this cuz the waitress told me.
I so agree with you about Alfredo. Just had their mac n too for the first time and there’s got to be more than Velvet cheese in there. There’s a flavor I’m unable to pin point. Hmmm…
Thanks so much! My son gets this every time we go to Outback, and wishes I could make it at home. He will be so happy! : )
If you eat at Outback, you can order the mac n cheese as a side for the adult meals. I do that every time I go there. Some locations charge an extra $1.00, but more times than not, they don’t charge anything extra. Just thought I’d share. I will be trying this recipe soon.
Not even as a side.. i’ve ordered it as a main meal multiple times. Whether or not they charge $1 more for it is up to the server at the time, so if they do you can just take it out of their tip.
Take it out of their tip? Just because they are doing their job and charging u what they are supposed to, u want them to pay for it? Ridiculous
That is horrible. You should never take money out of a waiters tip because of a restaurant policy. I worked at Outback and we were required to charge the extra $1 for kids meals ordered by adults. Yes, a lot of times I would not charge the $1, but if I got caught, it was my a$$. I hope you understand that so next time you decide to take money from a waiter’s tip because of a policy set by the restaurant, you will think twice.
P.S. You don’t happen to dine at Outback on Sunday’s do you?
You are ridiculous! Take it out of their tip? It isn’t our fault that our manager charges extra. If you can’t afford it, don’t order it or just stay at home!
I think we should always tip our waitstaff well. Many of them earn non standard wages. Good servers make a meal better.
Dear god relax. It’s ridiculous that you’re getting worked up over the fact that a guy may leave four dollars for a tip instead of five.
I would like to shed some light on your comment…..since I do work at an Outback Steakhouse.
First of all, it is not up to your server’s discretion… most of the restaurants are modern and the computer calculates the cost due to management set up.
Second, why would you take out of anyone’s tip…. you want it… you order it… because we are accommodating the server should be rewarded not punished! That is just wrong!
Mekkie,
You can’t take it out of their tip!!! It’s only a dollar to us, but waiters and waitresses work mostly for tips. If they give good service you shouldn’t penalize them.
haha every time i go to outback i get the mac-a-roo-n-cheese and i am 19 years old :/
I wished I was 19 years old too!
OMGosh! This was awesome! Thank you so much!
WHAT IS HEAVY CREAM? I WANT TO TRY THIS RECIPE. IT SOUNDS GOOD AND WE LOVE MAC AND CHE.
THANKS.
It is whipping cream, look for it in the dairy section of the grocery store, note this whipping cream is not sweetened. Stephanie
this has become my family’s favorite side dish now. My VERY picky son actually requested this after having it at the restaurant, and I was glad to have found this site. THANK YOU
i love that ideah
This is how my mom used to make macaroni and cheese. I use real cheeses now, but every once in a while I crave some Velveeta!
Love this! Anything with Velveeta is alright by me!!!