Cracker Barrel Mac And Cheese

This copycat Cracker Barrel mac and cheese is so easy that it will be your go-to recipe for mac and cheese. It's buttery, super creamy, & ooey-gooey cheesy!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword copycat recipes, mac and cheese recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 785kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups Colby Jack, shredded
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional Topping

1 cup Colby Jack or Cheddar, shredded
2-3 tablespoons toasted Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a rapid boil. Add elbow pasta (2 1/2 cups) and cook the pasta following package instructions. Drain.
In a high-sided, oven-proof, 12-inch skillet, melt the butter (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Whisk in flour (2 tablespoons) until it forms a thick paste. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to get a little color, about 1-2 minutes.
Slowly whisk chicken broth (1 cup) in, whisking constantly.
Whisk in cream (1 1/2 cups), whisking constantly until the mixture begins to bubble and the sauce thickens (It won't be super thick at this point but will thicken more when cheese is added).
Stir in cheese (2 1/2 cups), continuing to stir until the cheese melts.
Stir in the cooked pasta, mixing until it's evenly coated. Remove from heat and sprinkle 1 cup of Colby Jack evenly over top.
Place in preheated oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese on top melts and edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow mac and cheese to cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Panko (2-3 tablespoons) and parsley (1 tablespoon) and serve.

Nutrition