Enjoy the creamy comfort of our Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese recipe right in the comfort of your own kitchen. With its velvety cheese sauce paired with perfectly cooked pasta, it's no wonder people keep coming back for more.
Please let us know if you try our Copycat Panera Mac & Cheese in the comments and ratings below!
Try some of our other side dishes: Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole, Broccoli and Cheese Casserole, Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese, or Jiffy Corn Bread Casserole (Spoon Bread)
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Ingredients for Panera Bread Mac and Cheese
- shell noodles
- unsalted butter
- all purpose flour
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- salt
- black pepper
- Dijon mustard or dry mustard powder
- sharp white cheddar cheese
- white American cheese
- hot sauce
FAQs
To make this exactly like Panera's, you will need Lumaconi pasta. The only place I have ever found this is at Costco. Instead of Lumaconi, you can use elbows, shells, or Cavatappi noodles.
To keep the recipe most authentic, you will need to use White Sharp Cheddar Cheese and White American Cheese.
If you have any leftovers, store into an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Top Tips
- When making roux, cook the butter and flour for about a minute, to avoid raw flour flavor. It usually smells a bit nutty while cooking.
- Boil the pasta in salted water, so it absorbs salt for enhanced flavor. This is optional, based on any sodium health issues you may have.
- The best cheese is when you shred your own, which will not have the anti-caking agent from pre-shredded cheese. Bagged cheese may make the cheese sauce grainy, and could prevent it from melting well.
- I have tried this recipe with different types of milk and found whole milk and skim milk both work well, plus taste great. Use whatever you have on hand.
How to make Copycat Panera Mac at Home
- Cook the pasta shells on stove top, according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Cook the mixture until it begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add black pepper, salt, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce (if using).
- Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar and American cheese until melted and smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta shells to the cheese sauce and stir until evenly coated. Serve hot and enjoy!
Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter
- 16 oz pasta (Lumaconi, shells, elbows)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or ground mustard
- 8 oz white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 slices white American cheese, cut into pieces
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Cook the mixture until it begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add black pepper, salt, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce (if using).
- Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar and American cheese until melted and smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta shells to the cheese sauce and stir until evenly coated. Serve hot and enjoy!
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