White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

A decadent White Cheddar Mac and Cheese recipe. Excellent side dish!! Creamy Mac and Cheese just like they serve at Panera. Give this copycat version a try. Mac and Cheese is my comfort food of choice. And luckily, there is no shortage of variations on this classic, so it just never gets old.

This White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is incredibly simple, fast, easy, and a little more well rounded than plain mac and cheese, so it’s totally meal-worthy and perfect for busy weeknights. mac and cheese is my comfort food of choice. This Mac and Cheese is incredibly simple, fast, easy, and a little more well rounded than plain mac and cheese, so it’s totally meal-worthy and perfect for busy weeknights.

Macaroni and cheese—also called mac and cheese in the United States, and macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom—is a dish of cooked macaroni pasta and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar. It can also incorporate other ingredients, such as breadcrumbs or meat. The cheeses – use your favorites! Our personal favorites are the cheddar and gruyere used in this recipe, but you can be very creative with the cheese selection.

Serve this recipe for simple mac and cheese with Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers, Chicken Tenders or some spicy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.

White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

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Creamy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese just like they serve at Panera.

• Author: The Vintage Mixer
• Prep Time: :15
• Cook Time: :45
• Total Time: :60
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Baked

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x4x

• 1 lbs. macaroni pasta
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 quart half and half
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3oz cream cheese
• 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar
• 1/2 cup smoked cheddar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook macaroni in salted water until al dente (slightly firm) drain and cool.
2. For cheese sauce, melt butter in large sauce pot add flour mix and cook for 3 minutes on low heat to make blonde roux. Slowly add cold half and half whisking in between additions to prevent lumps.
3. Cook sauce for 5 minutes, add heavy cream, cream cheese, smoked cheddar, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, onion powder, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix gruyere and 1 cup of white cheddar with cold pasta add cheese sauce mix well. Pour into greased baking dish top with rest of white cheddar.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• This recipe freezes very well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4