Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe • Food Folks and Fun (2024)

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This is THE recipe for Panera Mac and Cheese. I got it from their website a while back when they posted it for a short time! You MUST try this easy stovetop recipe.

It costs just $1.09 per serving to make this recipe at home. The recipe makes 6 servings for a total of about $6.55. That’s less than it costs to buy one bowl at Panera!

Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe • Food Folks and Fun (1)

Table of Contents

Why you will love Panera Bread Mac and CheeseWhen I was pregnant with my son, there were only two foods that I could stomach: bagels and Panera’s Mac & Cheese. I would have their mac & cheese weekly.

I’d get their half and half with an order of mac and cheese and an order of Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup. Okay, okay, if I’m goingto be honest, maybe it was more than once a week.

For me, this is the pinnacle of mac & cheese dishes; it’s rich, smooth, creamy, and chock-full of calcium from all that yummy cheese and milk.

Not only is this recipe amazingly delicious, but it’s also quick and easy to make and on the table in 30 minutes or less. This mac and cheese recipe is thick and smooth and so easy to make on the stovetop.

Panera Copycat Mac and Cheese ingredients

Per Serving Cost: $1.09

Recipe Cost: $6.55

  • 1 pound Lumaconi pasta (I found it at Target) – $1.38
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $0.40
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour – $0.05
  • 2 ½ cups milk – $0.40
  • 4 ounces white American cheese – $1.52
  • 8 ounces extra-sharp white Vermont cheddar – $2.76
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt –$0.02
  • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce – $0.01

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.

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Cook’s tools for Panera Mac n Cheese

  • cheese grater
  • pasta pot
  • medium saucepan
  • whisk

Panera Mac n Cheese variations

  • You can use any type of pasta that you’d like. To make this recipe just like Panera’s, you need to use Lumaconi pasta. In its place, you can use medium shells, elbow macaroni, and Cavatappi.
  • If you’re serving this as a main dish, it serves 4-6. If you’re making this as a side dish, it serves 8-10.
  • I find that to get optimal results; you *must* use extra-sharp white cheddar and sliced white American cheese from the deli, not the fake stuff you find in the box.
  • Add 1 cup of chopped and steamed broccoli florets for broccoli mac and cheese.

How to make Panera Mac and Cheese

  1. Gather all of the ingredients, and shred the cheese.
  2. Cook the pasta as per the package instructions.
  3. Melt butter.
  4. Add flour and milk, and cook until thickened.
  5. Whisk in cheese until melted.
  6. Stir in pasta.
  7. Serve immediately!

***Make sure you watch the recipe video in the recipe card below!

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How to serve this Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe

Here are some tips for serving this mac and cheese:

  • As a main course:This mac and cheese is hearty and filling enough to be served as a main course. You could serve it with a side salad or some roasted vegetables.
  • As a side dish:This recipe would also make a great side dish for a holiday meal or barbecue. You could serve it with grilled chicken, fish, or pot roast.
  • In a grilled cheese sandwich:This mac and cheese would be delicious in a grilled cheese sandwich. Spread some of the mac and cheese on two slices of bread and grill until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • In a baked potato:Top a baked potato with some of the mac and cheese and then bake for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

How to store Panera Bread Mac and Cheese

SERVE: This is best served immediately after it’s made. With that said, you can keep it out for about an hour before it will need to be refrigerated.

STORE: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

FREEZE: Because of all of the dairy products in this recipe, I do not recommend freezing it. The cheese sauce will be grainy once it’s defrosted.

REHEAT: Place the Panera Mac and Cheese in a saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add 3-4 tablespoons of milk and heat and stir the mixture until heated through about 3-6 minutes.

Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe • Food Folks and Fun (4)

Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese FAQs

What type of cheese is best for Mac and Cheese?

As with all mac and cheese recipes, it’s best to use cheese that is NOT pre-shredded because of the extra additives that prevents the cheese from clumping.
For this recipe it’s best to use extra-sharp white cheddar and white American cheese from the deli.

Is hot sauce needed in this recipe?

I think so, it’s strictly used to enhance the flavor of the dish. It’s such a tiny amount that it will not make the dish spicy.

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More Copycat recipes:

  • Honeybaked Ham
  • Copycat Pizzeria Pizza Sauce
  • Bang Bang Shrimp
  • Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
  • Movie Theater Popcorn
  • Hawaiian Food Truck Garlic Shrimp
  • BBQ Chicken Pizza
  • Fried Apples
  • Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade
  • Chicken Chow Mein
  • Spinach Salad
  • Healthier General Tso’s Chicken
  • Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe • Food Folks and Fun (6)

4.28 from 94 votes

Panera Copycat Mac and Cheese

Recipe Cost $ $6.55

Serving Cost $ $1.09

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

6 people

Copycat Panera’s Mac and Cheese Recipe: this is their recipe for their famous rich and creamy Mac and Cheese. So good, you’ll love it.

Equipment

  • Cheese grater

  • pasta pot

  • medium saucepan

  • whisk

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Lumaconi pasta or medium shells
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ cups milk anything but skim milk
  • 4 ounces (about 6 slices) sliced white American cheese from the deli counter, cut into thin strips
  • 8 ozs extra-sharp white cheddar shredded
  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce optional

Instructions

  • Prepare pasta according to package directions.

  • In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.

  • Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.

  • Add cheeses, mustard, salt, and hot sauce, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.

  • Stir in pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Some people find the Dijon mustard in the recipe to be a bit overwhelming, so feel free to cut back on it or omit it altogether.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1060mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 859IU | Calcium: 612mg | Iron: 2mg

did you love this recipe?

Share it with me on Facebook and find more recipes on foodfolksandfun for more!

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This post first appeared on FFF in 2014. I recently updated the recipe photos and video.

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Jillian

I’m Jillian, the creator behind Food Folks and Fun. I have over 30 years of experience cooking for others. There’s nothing I love more than cooking for my family. Food is love, and cooking isn’t just putting a meal on a plate: It’s putting a little part of myself into that meal.

Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe • Food Folks and Fun (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Panera mac and cheese? ›

Cooked Pasta (Semolina Wheat Flour, Egg Whites, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Whey Protein Concentrate, Milkfat, Skim Milk, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Salt), ...

Where does Panera get their mac and cheese? ›

Panera Bread defended their product to The Washington Post and said the mac and cheese is, "made offsite with our proprietary recipe developed by our chefs." "It is shipped frozen to our bakery cafes - this allows us to avoid using preservatives which do not meet our clean standards," the company said.

How does Gordon Ramsay make mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

Does Panera use artificial ingredients? ›

Our Food Beliefs serve as a compass, helping us provide meals that are delicious, and made with high-quality, select ingredients. Clean Foods - Clean simply means we don't fill our pantry with the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources that are listed on our No No List.

Does Panera mac and cheese come in a bag? ›

Panera's mac and cheese is made offsite, in a centralized kitchen, then shipped frozen to locations. Employees reheat bags of the mac and cheese individually when customers order the dish.

What brand of apple chips does Panera use? ›

The brand that Panera uses is called Seneca Apple Chips. Thinly Sliced Tomatoes – You can also use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes.

What company did Panera merge with? ›

JAB Holding, the investment arm of the Reimann family, bought Panera Bread in 2017 for $7.5 billion, taking it private. The firm combined the sandwich chain with Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee to form Panera Brands.

What franchise owns Panera Bread? ›

Newsom's office calls allegations about Panera Bread franchisee 'absurd,' says company is not exempt from law. Gregory G. Flynn, chief executive of Flynn Restaurant Group, which owns hundreds of Applebee's, Panera, Pizza Hut, Arbys and Taco Bell eateries in California.

Can you microwave a Panera mac and cheese bowl? ›

Do not boil. Microwave: Remove lid & film. Place cup on microwave-safe plate, cover loosely. Heat on high 2-3 minutes (times may vary) until hot (165 degrees F), stir halfway through, let stand 1 minute in microwave.

How do you reheat mac and cheese and make it creamier? ›

The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

What are the best cheeses for homemade macaroni and cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.

Why do you add flour to homemade mac and cheese? ›

In our stovetop mac and cheese recipe, a bit of flour is add to the milk mixture to thicken the final dish.
  1. Learn how to make the best stovetop mac and cheese without a roux: How To Make the Best Macaroni and Cheese on the Stove.
  2. A great reason for grating cheese: How To Make Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese.

What is mac and cheese made of? ›

Macaroni and cheese can be made by simply layering slices of cheese and pasta (often with butter or evaporated milk) then baking in a casserole, rather than preparing as a cheese sauce.

Is Panera mac and cheese vegan? ›

If you've ever been to Panera, I am sure you have had their signature white cheddar mac and cheese. It's creamy, decadent, and total comfort food. Before I went plant-based, I used to love Panera's mac and cheese, however, since it has dairy, I don't eat it anymore. I knew everyone would love a vegan version.

Does Panera mac and cheese have animal rennet? ›

Nutrition (per serving)

Dairy and egg products, and enzymes or rennet from animal sources are allowed.

How is Panera mac n cheese rated? ›

4.5
  • 5 star. 66%
  • 20%
  • 3 star. 10%
  • 2 star. 1%
  • 1 star. 0%

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