Living in the country has its occasional downfalls. Such as when you get a craving for one of your favorite chain restaurant’s food. You do one of two things, get in the car and drive an hour to the city or make your own version at home. Recently, I picked option number two and created this copycat Panera Mac & Cheese Recipe.
When traveling for work, one of my go-to places to eat lunch is Panera. I love doing their two-for-one combo meals and pairing my favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup with a delicious sandwich. Occasionally, to switch things up, I swap in a cup of of their delicious white cheddar mac and cheese.
This homemade version is as simple as hitting the “add to cart” button on those little Panera kiosks.
Start by cooking your favorite small pasta shape.
I usually choose the small shell, but feel free to go with the classic elbows, orecchiette, or etc.
Melt the butter to sauté the diced onion. Add in the flour, cook, and slowly whisk in the milk to start forming the sauce.
After the sauce thickens, stir in the cheese until melted.
Add in the cooked pasta, and ta-dah…
You have made your own Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe at home!
Serve this on it’s own or as a side dish with meatloaf, BBQ Chicken, or Instant Pot Beer Brats for a complete and delicious meal.
Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe
The Best Copycat White Cheddar Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe around. It is simple, easy, and homemade delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Diced Onion
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Flour
- 1 1/4 cup Milk
- 1 cup White Velveeta
- 6 oz Mini Shell Pasta, cooked al dente or any other small pasta shape
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
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In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the diced onion until softened.
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Add in the flour to the butter and onion. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes. Make sure not to burn.
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Whisk in the milk and stir until all of the clumps of flour have dissolved.
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Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
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When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn the burner to low and add in the Velveeta cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted.
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Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the cooked pasta. The sauce will thicken slightly more as it sits.
Recipe Notes
- I’ve also used a good quality white cheddar cheese like Cracker Barrel Vermont White Cheddar instead of the Velveeta- I personally prefer the way that Velveeta melts for my mac and cheese
- I prefer 6 oz of pasta so there is plenty of sauce, but you can use up to 8 oz in this recipe as well.
Did you make this recipe?
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