Ingredients (~4-5 servings)
- 2 cups pipette or pipe rigate pasta (dried)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/3 cup julienned carrots, cut in 3/4 inch lengths
- 1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup Boar’s Head white American cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
- 2 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- 2 pinches paprika for color
- 1 pinch turmeric for color
Cook the Pasta Just Under Done
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 1 minute less than the package directions call for.
Drain but don’t rinse – you want that starch to help bind the sauce.
The pasta will finish cooking when you fold it into the cheese sauce later.
Sauté the Vegetables Until Tender
In a large heavy bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the onions, carrots, and broccoli; reduce heat to medium and cook for ~5-6 minutes.
The carrots should have some bite still but the broccoli should be bright green and tender. Set aside.
Make a Light Roux with the Spices
Mix the salt, white pepper, and garlic powder into the flour in a small bowl.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat until foamy, then sprinkle in the seasoned flour mixture.
Reduce heat to medium and whisk constantly for 2 minutes – you want a light brown roux, not too dark.
Build the Cheese Sauce Base
Turn heat to medium-low and gradually add the heavy cream while whisking constantly to keep the mixture smooth.
Once the cream is incorporated, repeat with the whole milk, then the vegetable broth.
Turn heat back to medium, sprinkle in the dry mustard and a few dashes of Tabasco.
Keep whisking for ~7 minutes until it thickens – don’t let it boil or it’ll break. If it starts bubbling, drop to medium-low.
Melt in the Cheese Off the Heat
Turn heat to lowest setting or pull the skillet off the burner completely.
Whisk in the cheese one handful at a time, starting with the American cheese first since it melts the smoothest.
The sauce should be completely smooth and thick when all the cheese is incorporated.
Taste and adjust seasonings – add the paprika and turmeric for that signature Panera color.
Let the sauce sit for ~5-7 minutes to thicken up.
Fold Everything Together and Serve
Gradually add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, gently folding it in with a spatula so you don’t break the pasta.
Mix in the sautéed vegetables last.
The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, so serve immediately while it’s still creamy.
Great with some crusty sourdough bread on the side.
Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4-5 servings)
- 2 cups pipette or pipe rigate pasta dried
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 1/3 cup julienned carrots cut in 3/4 inch lengths
- 1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup Boar’s Head white American cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup extra sharp white Vermont cheddar shredded
- 2 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- 2 pinches paprika for color
- 1 pinch turmeric for color
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 1 minute less than package directions. Drain without rinsing.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and broccoli. Cook 5-6 minutes over medium heat until carrots are tender-crisp and broccoli is bright green. Set aside.
- Mix salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and flour in a small bowl.
- Melt butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Add seasoned flour mixture and whisk constantly for 2 minutes until light brown.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually whisk in heavy cream, then whole milk, then vegetable broth.
- Increase heat to medium and whisk for 7 minutes until thickened. Do not boil. Add dry mustard and Tabasco to taste.
- Remove from heat or reduce to lowest setting. Whisk in American cheese first, then Vermont cheddar, then sharp cheddar, one handful at a time until smooth.
- Add paprika and turmeric for color. Let sauce sit 5-7 minutes to thicken.
- Gently fold cooked pasta into cheese sauce using a spatula. Mix in sautéed vegetables.
- Serve immediately while creamy.
