This Copy-Cat Version of Panera's Mac and Cheese is made in one pot! That's right--no pre-boiling noodles necessary. This one-pot mac and cheese is cheesy, gooey, rich and comforting, and ready in less than 30 minutes.
If you love Panera Bread, you may also love my other Copycat Panera Bread Recipes like Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Copycat Panera Roasted Turkey Sandwich, Cranberry Walnut Bread, and Easy Puff Pastry Egg Souffles.
My daughter's all-time favorite meal is Panera Mac and Cheese.
In my quest to please my little girl and feed her wholesome meals and keep money in my wallet, I have developed a fail-proof homemade copy-cat version of Panera's Mac and Cheese.
The verdict?
She loves this meal just as much, if not MORE than Panera's version!
This creamy mac and cheese is EASIER than boxed Mac and Cheese--no draining pasta or orange powdered mixes. And tastes a heck of a lot better.
Incredibly creamy, incredibly cheesy, made in less than 30 minutes all with one pan, plus this recipe is made with significantly less butter and cheese than most recipes, while still being just as delicious.
I am telling you this mac and cheese dinner is a dream come true for cheese lovers, pasta lovers, and people who just want a quick bowl of comfort food.
Key Ingredients
- Noodles: Use whole wheat or regular elbow noodles. Unfortunately, I have not had success making this mac and cheese with gluten-free pasta, as gluten-free pasta tends to release a lot of starchy liquid that leaves a film in the sauce. If you have success making this mac and cheese gluten-free, please share which brand of pasta you used in the comments.
- Stock: You can use chicken stock or vegetable broth in this recipe. Water can be used in place of stock, but the dish will not be as flavorful.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, and work to add flavor to this one-pot dish. I also love adding freshly grated nutmeg, as it adds a hint of depth to the cream sauce--but do not use ground nutmeg. Skip it altogether if you aren't grating the nutmeg fresh.
- Butter: Just one tablespoon of butter is all that is needed for this mac and cheese. It will add just enough richness to the pasta as it cooks.
- Milk: Use any fat percentage you like. If you want this mac and cheese to taste just like Panera's Macaroni and cheese, use half and half in place of milk and follow the rest of the recipe as stated.
- Cheese: Because this mac and cheese uses less cheese than most recipes, you want to make sure you use cheese that is really flavorful. I recommend sharp white cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses for their assertive flavors and their melting ability. However, Colby, cheddar, or gruyere, fontina, and provolone all make great choices as well. I would avoid mozzarella, because of it's mild flavor. Also avoid cheeses made with goat's milk, as they do not melt well. One very important thing to remember when making homemade mac and cheese is to freshly grate your cheese. If you use pre-shredded bagged cheese, it is coated in anti-caking powder, therefore decreasing the cheese's ability to melt smoothly.
How to Make Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
- Place uncooked elbow noodles, vegetable broth, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and butter.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a medium simmer.
- Once the pasta has absorbed about half of the stock and is just al dente (still has a chew to it), stir in the milk, freshly grated nutmeg, and cheese.
- After you stir in the cheese and milk, it is as simple as cooking on low until the milk is absorbed and the cheese is melted.
More Cozy Pasta Recipes
Whether for a quick dinner or quick lunch, this easy Mac and Cheese recipe is sure to be loved by the entire family!
One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow pasta
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups milk any variety, even half and half will work
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg optional
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar
- ¾ cup Swiss cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring pasta, stock, seasonings and butter to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pasta has absorbed most of the stock and is very al dente--about 7 minutes.
- Add in milk, nutmeg, and cheese and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until pasta has absorbed milk and cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
Notes
- Leftover Macaroni and Cheese can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of stock or milk to keep it nice and creamy.
Nutrition
Janet
I rarely leave comments, but,..this is truly tasty and easy!!
Didn’t have Swiss, so used a little velveeta type cheese, made half recipe and really glad I tried it!
Kristen Chidsey
Well, I am so glad you made an exception and left a comment here Janet! And more importantly, I am so glad you enjoyed this Mac and Cheese!
Brandy
My 16 yo son says this is his fave mac and cheese! Easy one pot recipe with the perfect amount of cheesy goodness, and super yummy! I add in a few shakes of minced onion and instead of the nutmeg (I ran out), I used pumpkin pie spice. I like the addition of the veg stock, I made the recipe with water the first time, and prefer the stock.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad to hear that your family enjoys so much! What a creative ide to use pumpkin pie spice.😊
Snegolenka
A full dinner for the whole family, which can be cooked in 20 minutes - yes this is the dream recipe! I hope my men (husband and sons) will like this dish, I'll cook it today!
Thank you for the clear and step-by-step recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I hope your boys love it too! Mine do here 🙂
Cindy Brown
Ooops ! This feed back was for your Easy Five Ingredient Baked Rotina ! I do plan on trying this recipe as well as you never disappoint ! 😃
Kristen Chidsey
Well thank you my dear!!! We just had this for my daughter's birthday and she requested that I use white sharp cheddar--it was so good 🙂 Enjoy!
Cindy Brown
Wow ! What a tasty recipe ! An easy way to take pasta to the next level...wish l could give it more than 5 stars ! I used grated marble cheese and the combination of the ingredients made it so creamy . It filled up the small oval roast pan l baked it in . It fed 4 hungry adults...2 of which went back for seconds with leftovers for another sitting...very economical !! I served it with a salad as a side . Everyone raved about it...will definitely be making it again ! Thank you , thank you , thank you !! 😃
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Looks creamy and easy. Kids will love this.
Kristen Chidsey
Kid winner for sure!
Lane and Holly (With Two Spoons)
Yum! I'm with your daughter, which makes it harder to have a no cheese kid (my daughter).
Kristen Chidsey
Wow!! That is hard! You will have so sneak and make this for yourself 😉
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen
Homemade mac and cheese is the best! Your recipe looks so good!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks!!
Nicole Taggart
looks so good. this has my name all over it
Kristen Chidsey
Grab a fork and dig in!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Love the nutmeg and Colby in this recipe Kristen, great dish. I can't believe you don't have to drain! What a huge plus. Now that I wear glasses, getting hit with steam when draining pasta is a real drag!!! Gotta try this great new recipe my friend.
Kristen Chidsey
This will be a live saver for you 🙂