Longhorn Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
Learn how to make creamy, delicious Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese at home. It’s the perfect comfort food for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cavatappi pasta or macaroni
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2/3 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup Gouda cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup Cheddar cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices applewood smoked bacon cooked crisp and chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to make a roux. Slowly whisk in milk. Keep whisking and cooking until the mixture bubbles and thickens. It should be the consistency of pancake batter, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Stir in cheeses and spices. Mix until the cheeses are completely melted.
- Fold pasta into cheese sauce. Toss to coat.
- Evenly spread the pasta and cheese mixture into the buttered baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix melted butter into breadcrumbs.
- Top the pasta and cheesse with buttered breadcrumbs and bacon bits.
- Bake 20 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Notes
Cook the pasta al dente.
Gently heat the milk to make sure it doesn't boil. It can burn easily so whisk it continuously as it heats up.
Use freshly grated cheese as it melts better than pre-shredded from the store which contains starch.
Add the grated cheese in stages. Let each batch of cheese melt before adding in the next one.
Top the casserole with additional cheese. There's no need to be light on the cheese. Make the top extra gooey by sprinkling your favorite grated cheese on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 22gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 516mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 809IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 429mgIron: 1mg
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2 large pots
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- whisk
- Wooden spoon
- knife
- Cutting board
- Cheese grater
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