This Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese recipe is of their new dish which is a delicious melding of their classic mac and cheese with their broccoli cheddar soup. It's so creamy, cheesy, and absolutely addicting.
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Ingredient notes
Below are all the key ingredients in making the Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese as absolutely close to the real thing as possible - and it's vegetarian!
- Dry pasta: The traditional Panera recipe uses Pipe Rigate, if you can find that great – I used Pipette which is more or less the same thing, just a bit smaller. You could also use shells or elbows.
- All purpose flour: This is a crucial part of the roux.
- Unsalted butter: This is the other crucial part of the roux.
- Whole milk: The majority of the base of the cream sauce. Whole milk has the creamiest result, but you could also use 2% if needed.
- Heavy cream: The other portion of the cream sauce base and ensures it is the most dreamy it can be.
- Sharp cheddar: Sharp cheddar just has delicious flavor. Try to get it from a block and grate it yourself if you can, makes sure the sauce will be extra creamy!
- Onion Powder: Great added flavor to the cheese sauce.
- Dijon Mustard: I love adding mustard to mac and cheese, and when I saw that it was in the Panera ingredients I was pumped. It's so good.
Kitchen tools you'll need
- Large pot
- Pasta pot
- Thick grater
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Whisk
- Mixing spoon
How to make Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Step 1: Cook the pasta and broccoli. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook for 4 minutes, then add the chopped broccoli in as well. Cook for another 4 minutes and drain, then set aside.
- Step 2: Make your roux. In your heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until all the dry flour is absorbed and the mixture is a light golden color (your roux).
- Step 3: Add the milk and cream. To the roux, whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Bring this to a simmer and cook for about 3-5 minutes until thickened. You want it to be able to coat the back of a spoon – drag a spoon lightly through the mixture and then run your finger across the spoon; if it leaves a streak that stays put and doesn't meld back together quickly, it's ready.
- Step 4: Add the spices and mustard. Turn your heat down to low and whisk I the salt, pepper, onion powder, and dijon mustard.
- Step 5: Mix in the cheese. Switch to a mixing spoon and add in your shredded cheese, mixing slowly until all combined.
- Step 6: Combine it all. Add your pasta, broccoli, and grated carrots to the cheese mixture and mix together until all the pasta/broccoli/carrots are coated in creamy cheese.
What is a roux and why is it important?
A roux is a mixture of equal parts starch and fat combined and used as a thickener for soups, sauces, and stews. You can read more about it here.
FAQs
Absolutely! Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can! Cook the dish through completion, let it cool to room temp, then freeze in your preferred serving size. There are a few different ways you could heat it up - one being in the oven, and the other in the microwave. If you want to go the oven route, it's best if you freeze in an oven-safe container, and same goes for microwave with microwave-safe.
To reheat in the oven, set the temperature to 350℉, and bake (covered with aluminum foil) for about 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes.
To reheat in the microwave, use 30-second intervals, mixing in between. You might want to add a splash of milk as well.
The possibilities are endless! Here are a few recipes that would be great: simple arugula salad, buttermilk fried chicken tenders, and easy roasted vegetables.
More cheesy pasta recipes
- Roasted butternut squash mac and cheese
- Spinach, ricotta, and pesto stuffed shells
- One pot lemon ricotta pasta
Recipe
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb pipe rigate pasta
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 cups (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 2 cups broccoli in small pieces
- 1 cup carrot grated
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook for 4 minutes, then add the chopped broccoli in as well. Cook for another 4 minutes and drain, then set aside.
- In your heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until all the dry flour is absorbed and the mixture is a light golden color (your roux).
- To the roux, whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Bring this to a simmer and cook for about 3-5 minutes until thickened. You want it to be able to coat the back of a spoon – drag a spoon lightly through the mixture and then run your finger across the spoon; if it leaves a streak that stays put and doesn't meld back together quickly, it's ready.
- Add the spices and mustard. Turn your heat down to low and whisk I the salt, pepper, onion powder, and dijon mustard.
- Switch to a mixing spoon and add in your shredded cheese, mixing slowly until all combined.
- Add your pasta, broccoli, and grated carrots to the cheese mixture and mix together until all the pasta/broccoli/carrots are coated in creamy cheese.
Love this recipe for tricking my kids into loving broccoli!
It's perfect for that! Thank you 🙂