Name: Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 ounces of elbow macaroni; 2 cups of water or vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons of butter; ½ cup of milk; 16 ounces of Sharp Cheddar cheese; 8 ounces of American cheese slices; ¼ cup of hot sauce; 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot — What is your favorite dish from Panera Bread? Do you love the macaroni and cheese there more than anything else on the menu?

Well, we have a great recipe to share with you today for Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In The Instant Pot. It tastes just like what you get at your local branch of this popular restaurant chain. This one-pot wonder will be ready in under 10 minutes. You won’t believe how easy it is to make!

A delicious copycat recipe for macaroni and cheese that is made in the Instant Pot! This will be a perfect dish to make during the winter season. It takes just minutes to prepare, so it’s quick enough for weeknight dinners too!

This is so good! My kids went crazy for it, and what’s better, it takes less than the time at the drive-thru to make this delicious recipe!

If you are new to Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi Cooking, some of my favorite recipes are INSTANT POT SCRAMBLED EGGS, INSTANT POT STUFFING, INSTANT POT BBQ PULLED PORK, and INSTANT POT HOMEMADE HAMBURGER HELPER.

What Is So Great About Panera Mac N Cheese?

Panera Mac & Cheese is so good! It has both Sharp and American cheese, but it’s also served with a bit of spice with both Dijon Mustard and Hot Sauce!

It is a crave-worthy dish!

Ingredients Needed For Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot

Elbow Macaroni
Water or Vegetable Broth
Butter
Milk
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
American Cheese
Hot Sauce
Dijon Mustard

How To Make Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot

Start by making the pasta, add the macaroni and water (or vegetable broth) to the Instant Pot. Set the manual high pressure for 4 minutes. Make sure that the vent is sealed.

When the timer beeps and the four minutes are up, do a quick release. If you let it naturally release, or it will overcook.

Then mix in the cheese, butter, milk, hot sauce, and mustard, stir until everything is melted. If you need more heat for the melting, press the keep warm or saute’ button. I didn’t need more heat; everything melted for me.

Pro Tips:

Make sure that your water or broth covers the pasta. Otherwise, you will end up with either uncooked or crunchy pasta.
Make sure that you do a quick release. Otherwise, your pasta will be gummy or sticky. For best results, do an immediate release as soon as the pressure has been released.

What kind of cheese is best for mac and cheese?

Since this was a copycat recipe, we used what Panera uses: American cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. But you can use any cheese that you want. Some great ones to try are white cheddar, Mexican Cheese, and even Colby Jack.

What can I use instead of Dijon Mustard?

Don’t have dijon mustard in your house, and you can easily switch it out for dry mustard powder (1 teaspoon) or omit it.

How To Store Leftover Mac & Cheese

For best results, store the leftover macaroni and cheese in an airtight container, and place them into the refrigerator. It will last for about 2 to 4 days.

Freezing: Due to the dairy in the recipe, it is not recommended for freezing, as it does not thaw well.

Reheat: Add the leftover macaroni and cheese into a microwave-safe bowl, and reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES:

Yield: 8 Servings

Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot

Copy Cat Panera Mac N Cheese In the Instant Pot -- What is your favorite dish from Panera Bread? Do you love the macaroni and cheese there more than anything else on the menu?

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes

Additional Time 8 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

16 ounces of elbow macaroni
2 cups of water or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons of butter
½ cup of milk
16 ounces of Sharp Cheddar cheese
8 ounces of American cheese slices
¼ cup of hot sauce
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Instructions

Start by making the pasta, add the macaroni and water (or vegetable broth) to the Instant Pot.
Set the manual high pressure for 4 minutes.
Make sure that the vent is sealed.
When the timer beeps and the four minutes are up, do a quick release. If you let it naturally release, or it will overcook.
Then mix in the cheese, butter, milk, hot sauce, and mustard, stir until everything is melted. If you need more heat for the melting, press the keep warm or saute' button. I didn't need more heat; everything melted for me.
Plate, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 447Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 871mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 23g

ForkToSpoon.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although we try to attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.