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a wooden spoon in a casserole dish of creamy broccoli cheddar mac and cheese
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Broccoli Cheddar Mac And Cheese (Panera Bread Copycat)

Broccoli cheddar mac and cheese is a delicious Panera copycat you can make at home. You can feed your entire family this comforting meal for a fraction of the price you'd spend taking everyone out to eat the Panera original.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 386kcal
Author: Meaghan - The Quicker Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pasta I used celletini
  • 1 32 oz container Panera Bread broccoli cheddar soup
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup half & half
  • 10 slices white American cheese
  • 1 16 oz bag (steamable) frozen broccoli florets cooked according to package directions
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar divided
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in salted water, according to the package directions.
  • While the pasta cooks, heat the soup, broth, and half & half in a large pot over medium heat until bubbling. Stir often.
  • Once the soup's bubbling, add the slices of American cheese plus one cup of shredded cheddar. Stir until the cheeses have melted & the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat & set aside.
  • Drain the cooked pasta and transfer half of it to a lightly greased 9x13" baking dish. Add half the steamed broccoli to on top of the pasta. Sprinkle one cup of shredded cheddar evenly out over top.
  • Pour the sauce evenly out over the pasta. Repeat the layers of pasta & broccoli, then gently stir just until everything's evenly combined.
  • Sprinkle the remaining half cup of shredded cheddar evenly out overtop of the casserole.
  • Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted and the casserole is hot & bubbly.
  • Let rest for 2-3 minutes, then serve.

Notes

  • If you want to add some seasonings to the sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika all work well.
  • You can use yellow American in place of white American. You could also use Velveeta, but your sauce might need to be thinned some.
  • The mac and cheese sauce will thicken and firm up while the casserole rests. Don't skip the rest time!

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1588mg | Potassium: 943mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1711IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 611mg | Iron: 1mg