Copycat Our take on the Panera Bread Mac & Cheese
Copycat Panera mac and cheese
Tender pasta shells in a silky, tangy white cheddar sauce that's smooth, not grainy. Our 18-minute take on Panera Bread's mac and cheese.
- Prep
- 4 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Serves
- 3
- Per serve
- 690 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Boil a kettle and pour it into a pot over high heat with a big pinch of salt. Add the shells and cook until just tender, stirring now and then.
While the pasta cooks, grate the cheddar. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until it smells nutty but hasn't browned.
Whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth, then simmer, whisking, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the cheddar and American cheese a handful at a time until melted and silky. Stir in the mustard and hot sauce and season with salt.
Drain the pasta, saving a mug of the water. Stir the shells into the sauce, loosening with a splash of pasta water until creamy and saucy. Serve straight away.
Tips
- A good sharp white cheddar is what makes it taste like the original, and the American cheese keeps the sauce glossy and smooth. Take the pan off the heat before adding cheese so it doesn't split.
- Grate the cheese yourself: pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking powder that makes the sauce grainy.
- Many aged cheddars and some American cheese use animal rennet, so look for ones labeled vegetarian or made with microbial rennet.
Flash Recipe is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of the restaurants or brands mentioned. Their names are used only to describe the dishes that inspired our home versions, which are our own recipes.
