My first encounter with Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese got here after a very grueling day of Christmas purchasing. Exhausted and craving consolation, I wandered into the closest Applebee’s and ordered what appeared like the last word stress aid. That first forkful of creamy, multi-cheese sauce clinging to completely cooked pasta with smoky bacon crumbles was transformative. The wealthy mix of sharp, delicate, and nutty cheeses created a complexity I had by no means skilled in macaroni and cheese earlier than. For years afterward, it turned my celebration meal, my comfort meal, and my “simply because” deal with. After shifting to a city with out an Applebee’s, I spent months perfecting this copycat recipe, testing completely different cheese combos till I recreated that acquainted first-bite magic in my kitchen.
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What makes Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese so good?
If you’re an individual who judges the standard of a Mac ‘n Cheese by what number of sorts of cheeses are in it, you already know this Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese recipe is a winner. With Parmesan, Asiago, Monterey Jack, and two sorts of Cheddar, you’d be hard-pressed to seek out something cheesier.
The cheeses are fastidiously chosen to convey their distinctive textures and flavors to this dish, from wealthy and buttery to sharp and tangy. Issue within the smokiness from the bacon and the brightness of the herbs, and you find yourself with one addictively scrumptious Mac and Cheese meal.
Why you’ll wish to do that recipe
The 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese Applebee’s serves is all concerning the sauce. The wealthy, velvety sauce has a posh taste that’s surprisingly straightforward to drag off at dwelling, even if you’re not an important cook dinner.
You already know that Mac ‘n Cheese makes an important foremost course, however additionally it is a beautiful facet to only about some other entree. Which means you may, and will, be making this recipe a few instances every week or extra—nobody can be complaining, belief me.
Substances and their position
- Penne pasta – the majority of the dish. The tube form of penne is good as a result of it may maintain the sauce.
- Unsalted butter – provides richness and helps to kind the roux with flour.
- Garlic – imparts a depth of taste to the sauce.
- All-purpose flour – it thickens the sauce.
- Heavy cream – offers richness to the sauce.
- Complete milk – will increase the quantity of sauce with out making it overly wealthy like heavy cream.
- Parmesan cheese – contributes a pointy and nutty taste to the sauce.
- Asiago cheese – brings a tangy aspect to the dish.
- Monterey Jack cheese – melts effectively and provides delicate creaminess to the cheese sauce.
- White Cheddar cheese – enlivens the sauce with a barely sharp taste with out altering the colour.
- Salt (non-obligatory) – brings out the flavour of the sauce
- Floor black pepper (non-obligatory) – lends a gentle spiciness to the recipe.
- Bacon, cooked – provides a savory, meaty style to the dish.
- Orange Cheddar cheese, shredded – tops every serving with much more tempting cheese.
- Recent parsley, chopped -garnishes the dish with freshness and a pop of colour.
The best way to make 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese like Applebee’s
To organize 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese Applebee’s type:
- Prepare dinner the pasta in well-salted water in keeping with the instructions on the package deal.
- Whereas the pasta is cooking, begin making the sauce by melting the butter in a big saucepan (you’ll add the cooked pasta to the saucepan later) over medium warmth.
- Mince the garlic and add it to the melted butter. Give it a number of stirs, however don’t brown it.
- Sprinkle within the flour and whisk effectively till you kind a lightweight blonde roux, 1–2 minutes.
- Whereas nonetheless whisking, pour within the heavy cream and complete milk. Proceed to whisk till the liquid begins to thicken barely, about 3–5 minutes.
- Decrease the warmth, and whereas gently stirring, add the finely shredded cheeses, half a handful at a time. Proceed to stir till the cheese sauce is clean.
- Style the cheese sauce and alter the style with salt and floor black pepper as wanted.
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the cheese sauce.
- Serve Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese sizzling with chopped bacon and orange Cheddar cheese as garnishes.
What to serve with Applebee’s 4-Cheese Mac
Carry greens to the desk with these sides to assist spherical out the meal:
Steamed Inexperienced Beans. Simple to make, wholesome, and engaging, you may’t go fallacious with Steamed Inexperienced Beans. This model of steamed inexperienced beans impressed by Outback Steakhouse has an important taste that may stand as much as Applebee’s Mac ‘n Cheese.
Panda Specific Tremendous Greens. Pairing Chinese language meals with American Mac ‘n Cheese? Why not? Panda Specific Tremendous Greens are a mixture of broccoli, kale, and cabbage in a lightweight sauce. It’s easy to make, tasty, and wholesome besides!
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts. Don’t flip up your nostril! Air-frying Brussels sprouts brings out a little bit of sweetness, which works nice with the slight bitterness of the charred edges. Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are extremely versatile. Bought a little bit further bacon bits and Parmesan? Toss them with the recent Brussels sprouts for a tremendous variation.
Copycat Applebee’s 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese with Bacon
Recreate Applebee’s well-known 4 Cheese Mac and Cheese at dwelling with this spot-on copycat recipe that includes a mix of 5 cheeses, smoky bacon, and recent herbs for restaurant-quality consolation meals.
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Servings: 8
Energy: 630kcal
Substances
- 1 pound dry penne pasta
- 1 to 2 tablespoons salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups complete milk
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup Asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup white Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded orange Cheddar cheese for garnish
- 4 strips bacon cooked till crisp and crumbled, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon recent parsley for garnish
Directions
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Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and penne pasta. Prepare dinner till al dente in keeping with the package deal instructions (often 8 to 10 minutes). Drain and put aside.
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Whereas the pasta is cooking, put together the cheese sauce. In a big saucepan or Dutch oven, soften the butter over medium warmth. Add the minced garlic and sauté till aromatic, about 30 to 60 seconds, being cautious to not brown it. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and garlic and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes till clean and flippantly golden.
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Steadily add the heavy cream and milk to the saucepan, whisking always to stop lumps. Proceed to cook dinner and whisk till the combination begins to simmer and thicken, about 3 to five minutes.
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Scale back the warmth to low and add the Parmesan, Asiago, Monterey Jack, and white Cheddar cheeses. Stir till the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is clean and creamy.
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Add the ready pasta to the cheese sauce and stir till effectively coated. Style the sauce and alter with salt if desired. Cheeses comprise various ranges of salt, so including salt too early could make your sauce too salty.
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Switch the mac and cheese to a serving dish and high with the shredded Cheddar, crispy bacon, and parsley.
Diet
Energy: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 21g | Fats: 39g | Saturated Fats: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1245IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 403mg | Iron: 1mg
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge storage – Preserve in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days
- Freezer choice – Freeze for as much as 1 month in a freezer-safe container with greased plastic wrap pressed onto the floor
- Thawing methodology – Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating
- Stovetop reheating – Heat over medium-low warmth, including 1-2 tablespoons milk per cup of mac and cheese to revive creaminess
- Microwave methodology – Cowl with a humid paper towel and warmth in 30-second intervals, stirring between every
- Texture restoration – Add a small quantity of shredded cheese throughout reheating to refresh the sauce
Extra copycat mac and cheese recipes
Take a look at my straightforward facet dish recipes and the most effective copycat Applebee’s recipes on CopyKat!
