This Panera broccoli mac and cheese copycat is so delicious, creamy, and addictive. I just had to try and replicate this recipe at home.
As you may already know, pasta is my main weakness. I could eat pasta every day. Adding cheese only makes it better. If you add bacon - even better.
This recipe doesn't have bacon, but many of my other recipes do (take a look around and you'll see).
So ... creamy, cheesy goodness along with cooked-to-perfection broccoli - not too soft, yet not crunchy - and you have a wonderful comfort food that's actually halfway good for you!
Pairs well with my London Broil Crock Pot recipe.
What You'll Need
3 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth or stock
paprika
garlic powder
3 cups uncooked macaroni
2 cups fresh broccoli
1 carrot, shredded
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup whole milk or cream
How to Make
Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of the butter and let melt.
Add onion, stir, and cook 5 minutes or until translucent and softened but not browned.
Turn down heat to low-medium (about 2). Add broth, paprika, garlic powder, broccoli, carrot, and macaroni. Stir and cover. Cook 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Check for doneness. Add cheeses and the rest of the butter (1 Tablespoon). Stir together. Turn heat off. Cover and let sit until cheeses melt (about 5 minutes).
Once cheese is melted, stir in milk and cover about 5 minutes to warm. Stir again before serving.
Tips
Don't overcook the broccoli unless you want it mushy. If you add it to the pot when the instructions say to, your broccoli should turn out perfect.
Also for the broccoli, I wouldn't use frozen. Fresh is definitely better. If you absolutely must use frozen, make sure to thaw it out for about 10 minutes before adding.
If using frozen, make sure to add it a bit later in the cooking process than directed (perhaps 10 minutes later), as it's more likely to get mushy than fresh broccoli.
Make sure to let the cheeses melt before adding the milk, as the milk may hinder the cheese melting all the way.
You can use any type of cheddar you wish, but I prefer sharper cheddar cheese in recipes due to the more intense flavor it provides to the recipe.
Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions. Also, feel free to share and pin for later!
Let me know how your Panera broccoli mac and cheese turns out!
More Pasta Recipes to Love
Tortellini Al Forno (with a spicy kick)
Spinach Ravioli with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
📋 Recipe
Panera Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup onion chopped (about ½ of large onion)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups macaroni uncooked
- 2 cups broccoli fresh, small pieces
- ½ cup carrot shredded
- 1 cup whole milk or cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese sharp, shredded
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to medium heat.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of the butter and let melt.
- Add onion, stir, and cook 5 minutes or until translucent and softened but not browned.
- Turn down heat to low-medium (about 2).
- Add broth, paprika, garlic powder, broccoli, carrot, and macaroni. Stir and cover.
- Cook 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Check for doneness. Add cheeses and the rest of the butter (1 Tablespoon). Stir together.
- Turn heat off. Cover and let sit until cheeses melt (about 5 minutes).
- Once cheese is melted, stir in milk and cover about 5 minutes to warm. Stir again before serving.
Nutrition
Don't Forget to Pin for Later!
Mrs C says
Yum this was delicious!
Sally says
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!