Referred to as Mac A Roo And Cheese at the Outback Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse Copycat Mac And Cheese is rich, cheesy, creamy, and comforting. Make it at home using my easy recipe (vegetarian).
Here are some more pasta recipes that you may like – Bob Evans Copycat Mac and Cheese, White Sauce Pasta, Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta, and Creamy Chicken Penne Alla Vodka.
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About Outback Mac And Cheese
Make this Outback Steakhouse Copycat Mac And Cheese recipe at home using a few simple ingredients.
This dish, called Mac A Roo And Cheese at a steakhouse, is rich, creamy, and comforting and tastes like just the one you get at the Outback.
Serve it for a quick dinner on its own, or on the side with steak or chicken.
Double or triple the recipe if making for a bigger crowd or to store it for later use.
Ingredients
Pasta – I prefer penne pasta, but you can also go for elbow macaroni, shells, rigatoni, or any other short pasta you like.
Cheese – This outback mac and cheese recipe uses Velveeta cheese instead of cheddar cheese, as 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 and 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 some hot sauce or red pepper flakes to the pasta for a spicy kick. Add dried herbs to make it even more flavorful.
How To Make Outback Mac And Cheese
Make The Outback Seasoning
Mix
- 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
in a bowl and set it aside.
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.
Serving Suggestions
This Outback Mac and Cheese can be served as a main course or side dish, whichever you prefer.
You can serve it as a main course, with some salad or roasted veggies on the side.
Or, serve it as a side dish with fried or grilled chicken or steak.
Storage Suggestions
You can make this Outback mac and cheese in bulk, as it stores well and is great for those weekday meal preps.
Once it cools down completely, store it in an air-tight container for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
To increase the shelf life, freeze it in freezer-safe containers or zip-lock bags and they will last for about 3 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
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Recipe Card
Outback Steakhouse Copycat Mac And Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
For The Outback Seasoning
- 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
For The Pasta
- 8 ounce dried penne pasta (250 g)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 8 ounce Velveeta cheese (250 g, shredded or cut into small cubes)
- ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream
- chopped parsley and red pepper flakes for garnishing
Instructions
Make The Seasoning
- Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until combined.
Cook The Pasta
- Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add salt and 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
- In a medium saucepan, combine Velveeta cheese and heavy cream.
- 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.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!