I try not to eat a lot of fast food but sometimes when I want a quick meal I will run to Panera Bread and pick something up. One of my favorites is their mac and cheese! It’s incredibly creamy and totally worth the trip. I have found a way to get this wonderful dish at home with this easy recipe. One ingredient that you really need is some really good sharp white cheddar. I love the Cracker Barrel brand, you can find it here. Having it freshly grated also really helps it melt and become super creamy. This comes out so good and reheats well the next day too!
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2.5 cups whole milk
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 cup grated white cheddar
Instructions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, cook shells to al dente according to package instructions.
2) In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium high heat. Whisk in the flour until a roux forms. Reduce heat to medium and add milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Let it bubble and simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Whisk in the cheddar until melted.
3) Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes to thicken.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked shell pasta
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2.5 cups whole milk
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 cups grated white cheddar
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, cook shells to al dente according to package instructions.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium high heat. Whisk in the flour until a roux forms. Reduce heat to medium and add milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Let it bubble and simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Whisk in the cheddar until melted.
- Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes to thicken.