The Secret To Longhorn Steakhouse Copycat Mac And Cheese Is A 4-Blend
Mac and cheese is synonymous with comfort food, and Longhorn Steakhouse's version outdoes almost everyone. Listed on the menu next to other classic side dishes like corn on the cob, loaded baked potatoes, and seasoned fries, it's the perfect companion to a cut of meat.
It's not difficult to recreate Longhorn's luscious mac and cheese at home when you decide to have a date night in, or if you simply want to indulge in something warm and soothing. There's no doubt you'll impress yourself and all of your guests with this copycat Longhorn mac and cheese recipe.
The success of this dish hinges on using the correct varieties and the right amount of cheeses. The last thing you need is a bland, dry mac and cheese to ruin the party. Roll up your sleeves and prep your biceps for some quality time with the cheese grater, because this mac and cheese is truly loaded.
Almost 2.5 cups of cheese makes this dish
"Stop, that's too much cheese," said no one ever. For a copycat of Longhorn Steakhouse's mac and cheese recipe, registered dietician and Mashed recipe developer Kristen Carli recommended using four different cheese varieties. To achieve a complex, multidimensional, cheesy flavor, they used ⅔ cup of Gruyere, ½ cup of fontina, 1 cup of sharp cheddar, and 2 tablespoons of parmesan. All of those need to be grated. Then, you can get on with adding them to a cream sauce with a base of flour, butter, and half and half.
The pasta shape also makes a difference. Carli said to use a corkscrew-shaped pasta — either cavatappi or cellentani. Once you've combined the cheese sauce and cooked pasta, the whole mixture goes into a casserole dish and gets baked with bread crumbs on top for a crispy finish that makes the dish even more indulgent.