Outback Mac And Cheese

About Outback Mac And Cheese

Make this Outback Steakhouse-style Mac And Cheese recipe at home using a few simple ingredients.

This dish, called Mac A Roo And Cheese at the Steakhouse, is rich, creamy, and comforting. This homemade version tastes like the one you get at the Outback.

Serve it as a main course with a side of salad or roasted veggies or as a side dish with fried or grilled chicken or steak.

Ingredients

Pasta – I prefer penne pasta, but you can use elbow macaroni, shells, rigatoni, or any other short pasta you like.

Cheese – This outback steakhouse mac and cheese recipe uses Velveeta cheese instead of cheddar cheese. Its velvety, creamy texture makes this mac and cheese super rich and creamy and tastes so good.

Cut the cheese into small pieces so that it is easy to melt.

You can replace Velveeta with any processed cheese.

Heavy Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream adds to the richness of mac n cheese and adjusts the sauce’s consistency.

You can replace cream with half-and-half if you want to save on some calories.

Outback Seasoning – This special seasoning is a flavorful blend of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, turmeric powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and black pepper powder.

Add pre-cooked meat, like roasted or grilled chicken, shrimp, crispy bacon, beef, etc., to this pasta dish to make it more filling.

Add veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, green beans, bell peppers, etc., to it.

You can add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to the pasta for a spicy kick. Dried herbs can make it even more flavorful.

How To Make Outback Copycat Mac And Cheese

Make The Outback Seasoning

Mix the following ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

• ½ teaspoon brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

Cook The Pasta

Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once the water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoon salt and 8 oz (250 g) of dried penne pasta and stir gently.

Cook until the pasta is al dente (just cooked).

Drain water (reserve 1 cup) and set the pasta aside. 

Make The Outback Pasta

Combine 8 oz (250 g) shredded Velveeta cheese and ½ cup heavy cream in a medium saucepan.

Cook heat on low until all the cheese is melted, stirring frequently.

Add seasoning mix and mix thoroughly.   

Now add the cooked pasta to the pan and coat it with the sauce.

Add some pasta water if the pasta looks dry and mix well.

Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed.

Garnish with chopped parsley and red pepper flakes, and serve hot.

Storage Suggestions

You can make this copycat Outback mac and cheese in bulk. It stores well and is great for weekday meal preps.

Once it cools down completely, store it in an airtight container for about five days in the refrigerator.

To increase the shelf life, freeze it in freezer-safe containers or zip-lock bags. They will last for about three months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.

To reheat, add a splash of milk and microwave it for about a minute. Toss well and microwave for another minute or until heated through.

You can also reheat it in a pan over low heat. Stir a few times gently while reheating.