Copycat Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese
The best recipe for Copycat Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese! Tender elbow pasta smothered in a homemade extra cheesy sauce (with 5 cheeses!), topped with more cheese, and baked until bubbly and browned.
Servings 15
Ingredients
- 1 box (16 oz) elbow pasta
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese (mild, medium, or sharp)
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 8 slices processed American cheese (cut into smaller chunks)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup grated romano cheese
Shredded Cheese Topping
- 1/2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9x13 baking pan or casserole pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions to al dente.When done cooking, drain the pasta in a colander (do not rinse it!). * The pasta does continue cooking slightly in the oven which is why you want to cook it to al dente. If you prefer softer pasta, then cook for 1-2 minutes past al dente.1 box (16 oz) elbow pasta
- In a medium pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, while whisking constantly.4 tablespoons salted butter, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour in the milk, salt, and pepper while whisking constantly. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it has thickened.2½ cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in 1 cup of the shredded yellow cheddar cheese, 1 cup of the shredded white cheddar cheese, American cheese slices, parmesan cheese, and Romano cheese. Cook and stir until all the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, 8 slices processed American cheese, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated romano cheese
- Add in the cooked elbow macaroni and gently stir together. Pour it into the prepared casserole baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.1/2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese, 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the mac & cheese is bubbly. * For a crisp top try broiling the Mac & cheese for a few minutes after the bake time. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.
Notes
Processed American Cheese : You can use either white american cheese or yellow american cheese. Either one works fine. Make sure you are buying the processed cheese that come individually wrapped in the plastic. Cut the slices into smaller squares so they melt quicker.
Cheese : I highly recommend shredding the cheddar cheeses from a block using a cheese grater. It melts much smoother in the cheese sauce and tastes much better than using packaged shredded cheese. For the parmesan cheese or Romano cheese, using the already shredded stuff is fine but I recommend trying to shred it yourself from a wedge (if you can find them) of parmesan cheese and Romano cheese.
Elbow Pasta : For a true copycat version use the Ronzoni's brand elbow pasta. It's bigger and shaped larger like the Chick-Fil-A version is. Otherwise, any elbow pasta will work just fine if you can't find that brand.