Name: Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups uncooked pipette pasta, such as Barilla Pipette, or medium pasta shells; 1/4 cup butter, cubed; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2-1/2 cups 2% milk; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese; 4 slices white American cheese, chopped; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; Bread bowls, optional

This copycat Panera mac and cheese recipe comes pretty close to the real deal. Serve it in a bread bowl to get the full cafe experience!

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups uncooked pipette pasta, such as Barilla Pipette, or medium pasta shells

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

4 slices white American cheese, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bread bowls, optional

Instructions

1 Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When the noodles are al dente, drain and set them aside. Editor's Tip: Don't rinse the noodles—leaving the starchy residue will help the creamy cheese sauce adhere to them later.

2 Melt the butter

3 In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Cut it into cubes beforehand to help it melt evenly.

4 Make the roux

5 A roux—which is a combination of flour and fat that thickens sauces and soups—does wonders for your Panera mac and cheese. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until it's smooth.

6 Whisk in the milk and thicken

7 After the flour and butter are combined, add in the milk and pepper. Bring it to a boil, and then cook and stir it continuously for 2 minutes or until it's thickened.

8 Melt the cheese

9 Next, add the shredded white cheddar, white American cheese and the Parmesan to the saucepan. Stir until the cheese is fully melted and has melded with the cream sauce.

10 Stir in the pasta

11 Finally, stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Make sure that all of the noodles are coated.

12 If you want a full Panera experience, consider serving your mac and cheese in bread bowls, which you can also make at home. Otherwise, scoop your pasta into your bowl of choice and dig in!