Longhorn Steakhouse Mac and Cheese Recipe

This copycat Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese recipe is every bit as cheesy and delicious as the original. It combines four types of cheese to make the ultimate cheese sauce, then it's topped with crispy bacon and panko bread crumbs. It's just irresistible, and the best part is it takes just 30 minutes to make!

The Best Lonhorn Mac and Cheese

If you've ever been to the Longhorn Steakhouse before, you probably know all too well how delicious their mac and cheese is. Honestly, it might be my favorite thing on their menu!

And since I can never say no to trying to recreate a good copycat recipe, I knew that as delicious as the real deal is, I could make it even better.

Well, I may be biased, but I think I succeeded!

Each bite of this incredible homemade macaroni and cheese is loaded with such a unique cheesy flavor from the balanced cheese mixture. Then it's finished off with a little crunch and even more flavor from the toasted bread crumbs and crispy bacon.

That sounds like the best mac and cheese ever, right?! 

Plus, in addition to tasting incredible, this mac and cheese recipe is a breeze to make. All you have to do is cook the pasta, whip up the cheese sauce, then combine everything together in a baking dish and let the oven do the rest.

It's about as easy as making boxed mac and cheese, but it tastes 1000x better!

Oh, and since this copycat Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese recipe is so easy to make, you'll have plenty of time to work on the main course. If you're looking for what to serve with mac and cheese, my go-to's to pair with it are this Longhorn bread and this Longhorn parmesan crusted chicken for the ultimate Lonhorn Steakhouse meal at home. 

INGREDIENTS

The ingredient list to make this macaroni and cheese is pretty simple. In fact, there's a good chance you'll have everything you need to make it on hand already!

Anyway, here are the Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese ingredients:

• 0.75lb. cavatappi pasta or desired pasta
• 1 ½ tbsp butter
• 1 ½ tbsp flour
• 1 ½ cups half cream
• 1.5oz. Gruyere cheese
• 6oz. mild white cheddar cheese
• 1 ½ tbsp parmesan cheese
• 2.5oz. Fontina cheese
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs

Not bad, right?

By the way, you can basically use every single one of these ingredients to make this Outback mac and cheese as well. So if you love mac and cheese as much as I do, definitely give this recipe a try next!

HOW TO MAKE LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE MAC AND CHEESE

Now let's get down to business and go over the steps you'll want to follow to make this baked macaroni and cheese.

Again, making this recipe is so, so easy. Everything comes together in a few simple steps, and you can have it ready and on the table in as fast as 30 minutes!

So with all that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

STEP 1: COOK THE PASTA

First, you'll want to preheat the oven to 350°F and boil a large pot of water.

Then, when the water begins to boil, you can add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. If you like your pasta al dente, then you'll want to remove it from the heat when the noodles are slightly soft but still chewy.

Anyway, once your pasta is done cooking, you can drain it and set it aside.

STEP 2: MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE

Up next, you're going to make the cheese sauce. To do this, take out a saucepot and melt the butter in it over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, you'll want to add the flour and let it cook until the flour becomes fragrant.

Next, you can stir in half of the cream and cook everything until the sauce thickens. As soon as it does, you'll want to add the Gruyere, fontina, white cheddar, and parmesan cheeses to the sauce, slowly stirring until the cheese is completely melted and blended together.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE THE MAC AND CHEESE

Now you're going to assemble the mac and cheese and get it ready to go in the oven. 

First, you can place the cooked pasta into the baking dish, then pour the warm cheese on top. Follow that by gently stirring the pasta to fully coat it in the sauce.

Lastly, you can sprinkle the crumbled bacon and panko bread crumbs on top.

STEP 4: BAKE THE MAC AND CHEESE

Once you've fully assembled your mac and cheese, you can pop it in the oven and bake it for 15-20 minutes. You'll know the mac and cheese is done cooking when the bread crumbs are slightly golden and it's completely warmed through.

Finally, when the mac and cheese is done, you can remove it from the oven and serve it warm with anything you want.

Enjoy!

HOW TO STORE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

This recipe for Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese makes about 6 servings, so so it should be the perfect amount for a big family dinner. And don't worry if you end up with leftovers because they taste even better the next day!

Speaking of leftovers, you can store any leftover mac and cheese in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. I recommend storing it in an airtight container, or if your baking dish has a lid, you can store it in that too.

Alternatively, if you want your mac and cheese to last even longer, you can freeze it. You'll want to store it in an airtight container - or a freezer-safe bag - and it should last for up to 2 months.

HOW TO REHEAT MAC AND CHEESE

When you're ready to enjoy your Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese again, it's definitely best reheated.

So, to reheat mac and cheese, I suggest putting it back in a baking dish and reheating it at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and it reaches your desired temperature.

Alternatively, if you want to reheat a single serving, you can microwave it in 20-second intervals, stopping to stir between each, until it's warmed through.

FAQS ABOUT THIS LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE

WHAT CHEESE IS BEST FOR MAC N CHEESE?

There are no wrong answers when it comes to what cheese to use for mac and cheese. With that said, Gruyere cheese and cheddar cheese are two of the best choices. Other good ones are parmesan cheese, gouda, and Havarti.

HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN LONGHORN MAC AND CHEESE STEAKHOUSE?

According to Longhorn's website, one serving of mac and cheese has about 610 calories.  

HOW TO JAZZ UP MAC AND CHEESE?

The best way to jazz up mac and cheese is to use a mix of different cheeses, then add bacon and breadcrumbs on top like in this recipe. Some other great ways include adding buffalo sauce, broccoli, spinach, or some fresh herbs.

HOW DOES GORDON RAMSEY MAKE MAC AND CHEESE?

Gordon Ramsey's mac and cheese recipe involves mixing penne noodles with milk, then combining butter, shredded cheese, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper. Once fully mixed together, he puts it in the oven with bread crumbs and cooks it at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.  

WRAPPING IT UP

Well, that's how to make Longhorn Steakhouse mac and cheese!

This honestly might be the best macaroni and cheese recipe ever. My family and I are obsessed with it right now. Between the balance of flavors and textures, each bite is so addictive.

After you make this recipe once, you'll see why we can't get enough! 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I/we did.

As always, if you give it a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for Longhorn's mac and cheese, we have a ton of other copycat recipes on the blog you can try out next! 

Check all of these out:

• Longhorn bourbon salmon
• Longhorn brussels sprouts
• Texas Roadhouse herb crusted chicken
• Alice Springs chicken
• Texas Roadhouse seasoned rice
  

Oh, and for even more deliciousness, be sure to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new recipes every day!