Elbow macaroni is smothered in a creamy blend of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese in this Noodles and Co. copycat recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We’re pretty picky about our macaroni and cheese at my house, and when it comes to fast-food versions, this Noodles and Co. Copycat Wisconsin Mac and Cheese is our favorite!
There’s nothing fancy about this recipe–no weird secret ingredients–just milk, butter, seasonings, classic elbow macaroni, and plenty of cheese. Proving that sometimes the simplest dishes are the best.
One of my favorite things about Noodles Mac and cheese is how the macaroni is perfectly al dente and still a little bit firm.
So one of the most important parts of getting this copycat recipe just right is not to overcook your pasta. If it’s mushy, it’s not going to taste like Noodles mac and cheese at all.
When in doubt, err on the side of leaving your macaroni a little bit chewy.
This recipe does make a whole lot of macaroni. Not that leftovers are a bad thing. But if you’re not feeding a crowd, you may want to cut the recipe in half.
Another trick to making this mac and cheese authentic is to finish off each serving with a generous handful of additional shredded cheese, just like they do at Noodles.
Since Noodles mac and cheese is a family favorite, it makes sense that this is our favorite macaroni and cheese to make at home. I don’t usually have the good fortune of ending up with leftovers.
And even though they’re mostly grown, my boys still love this stuff. I mean, do you ever really outgrow macaroni and cheese?
Even if you’ve never had Noodles mac and cheese, you’ve got to try this copycat version of their Wisconsin Mac and Cheese. You’re going to love it!
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Cooking Pasta
Use a big pot: Cook pasta in a large pot–big enough to hold 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.
Salt: Generously season your cooking water with salt. A few teaspoons per quart of water is a good place to start. Although a little more or less is fine, depending on your preference.
Don’t overcook: Boil your pasta to until it is al dente, which means it’s cooked, but still a bit chewy. You’ll want to test your pasta for flavor and texture every 20 seconds or so during the last few minutes of cooking.
If you’ll continue cooking the pasta in a sauce, or baking it in the oven, remove the pot from the heat a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking.
Ingredients
- Macaroni noodles
- Butter
- Flour
- Half and Half or milk
- Spices: paprika, salt and pepper
- Cheddar cheese
- Monterrey jack cheese
Wisconsin Mac and Cheese (Noodles Copycat)
Ingredients
- 16 oz. elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups Half and Half or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Do not overcook. Rinse with cold water and drain.
- In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook and stir another minute.
- Slowly whisk in the Half and Half or milk. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
- Add the paprika, salt and pepper, and both cheeses. Cook and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta and mix well.
- Spoon mac and cheese into bowls and top with additional shredded cheddar, if desired.
Video
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Nutrition
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10 comments
Holly
On noodles & co website they state the use of cream in the sauce indicating it’s a cream based, not a roux
Lindsey
This is super yummy! I wouldn’t say it’s a dupe for Noodles, but we’re also Noodles psychos. We used to go weekly, and then moved and there aren’t any in the entire state lol.
This is incredibly good regardless.
Ciara
This is one of my favorite recipes. I used Tilomak cheese to make it rich. I also substituted gluten free flour and gluten free noodles and it was amazing.
Kate
Please tell me how to prevent the cheddar from getting gritty. I’ve tried everything and it doesn’t seem to matter. So sad.
KP
You need to shred the cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti caring agents, and it will make it gritty.
KP
You need to shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti caring agents in it, and will make it gritty.
Anne
Agree. My sauce broke apart also. I probably should have used an immersion blender on it before I add it to the macaroni. But I would take any advice given.
Jessica
I love this Mac n cheese. And I’m very picky about my cheese being from Wisconsin and having roots in Vermont. I’ve made it multiple times now at this point. The one thing I don’t like about this recipe is it doesn’t reheat well. Is there a trick to this?
Alicia
Heat it slowly on the stove, add a little cream and top it with some freshly grated cheese.
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