For all you fans of Panera Mac and Cheese, I’m about to blow your mind. This is the actual Panera Mac and Cheese recipe that the company had posted on their website some time ago. Thank goodness my neighbor saved it for all of us to enjoy!
I thought my favorite was my stove top macaroni and cheese recipe, but boy this sure makes it hard to decide!
How to Make Panera Mac and Cheese at Home
This creamy, delicious copycat Panera mac and cheese tastes just like the restaurant. Aside from the pasta, please adhere to the ingredients listed below. As with all copycat recipes, if you want it to taste like you bought it there, you have to make it like they do. If you change any ingredients, you will change the recipe.
We even sought out the same pasta Panera uses, just to make it authentic. We found ours at Trader Joes, but there’s a little Italian grocery store by me that sells it too. They are called pipette rigate and have a unique shape that the Panera chefs say hold the sauce the best. If you can’t find pipette rigate, you can use regular elbow macaroni instead.
What you need to make this recipe:
- Pipette rigate (or elbow macaroni)
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Sliced white American cheese, cut into strips
- Vermont extra-sharp white cheddar, shredded
- Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Hot sauce
Helpful kitchen tools:
Making this amazing Panera macaroni and cheese
- Follow the directions on the package of pasta to cook al dente.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the 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 cheese sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve immediately.
Panera Mac and Cheese
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 16 ounce pipette rigate or elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cup milk
- 6 Slices white American cheese sliced into thin strips
- 8 oz Vermont extra-sharp white cheddar shredded
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
- Follow the directions on the package of pasta to cook al dente.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the 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 cheese sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve immediately.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It's important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Amanda Davis
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Melissa Brouillette says
what brand of Dijon do you use?
Amanda Davis says
We have used Grey Poupon, french’s and the generic store brand before!
Elaine Hoppe says
can you freeze the Mac and cheese?
Amanda Davis says
While we haven’t tested this particular recipe in the freezer, we have successfully frozen many pasta dishes. Be sure to freeze it in airtight containers, a freezer bag is better so you can squeeze out all the air to prevent freezer burn.
Ren M. says
What type of hot sauce do y’all use for this recipe, please?
Amanda Davis says
We use Franks!
Stacy Martin says
Suuper good recipe. Followed it exactly. Family loved it! thank you Amanda!
Marisa D. says
My husband and I have been using this recipe for three years. We have tried several others, but this one is superior. It tastes just like the panera mac and cheese. It is also extremely yummy as just an every day mac and cheese as well. Super easy to make. The deli sliced American cheese is crucial and the dijon with the hot sauce makes it perfect. Great job, Amanda, and thank you!
Maria Malaveci says
I’m planning on making this soon. Can anyone tell me how many cups 16 oz elbow macaroni is?
Amanda Davis says
It’s about 4 cups
Maria Malaveci says
Thanks so much ♥
Celeste Thompson says
Made this for my family tonight, it was fabulous! I followed the recipe to the letter. The flavor was exactly like Panera which we love. The pictures of each step were very helpful and appreciated! I will definitely make this again! Thank you Amanda!
Stephanie Taylor says
Can you do this in a crockpot? I want to cook this for my granny’s birthday but I’m preparing a day ahead of time.
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that with this recipe. However, should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!
Elaine says
My family loved this! We used Walmart brand individually wrapped white American slices and cabot seriously sharp cheddar. I did a half recipe, and my kids loved it. We didn’t finish it all, but it reheated beautifully with a bit of half and half the next day. Thank you for sharing!
Sandy says
Do you have the approximate weight for the white American cheese? The deli has so many choices for thickness which can change to weight. Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
1 slice is approximately 1 ounce
Nancy says
I used a 1/2 pound and it’s great I saved some to put on top after grating it, about a 1/2 cup and grated some sharp cheddar also, but I baked mine because my family was running late for 20 minutes.
Jake S. says
Thought the flavor was good if not bland, but the ratio of cheese sauce to pasta was way too high for my family. Maybe we’re outliers, but I would cook 50-100% more pasta with this amount of sauce next time. Thanks for posting the recipe though!
Melanie Hicks says
Jake, I cut the flour in the roux to 3 T f, increase to 3cups of milk,, use 6oz of sharp cheddar instead of 8 and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce!
Sadia says
Turned out great. The white American was a nice surprise. Thanks!