Popeyes Mac and Cheese Recipe (Copycat)

Popeyes has always been my go-to favorite fast-food chain. I mean, who doesn’t love their crunchy and juicy chicken right? But what I love the most is pairing my chicken with a side of POPEYES MAC AND CHEESE!

This has been my all-time favorite comfort dish and it made me sad when it left their menus for a brief moment. Luckily, it was reintroduced last year as the new Popeyes homestyle mac and cheese. And I swear, this new version just might steal your heart in an instant! I absolutely love the golden-brown crust from being oven-baked. So I tried recreating the popeyes mac and cheese recipe at home in the comfort of my own kitchen.

Here are the ingredients I used to make my Popeyes mac and cheese a comforting and scrumptious dish:

• Unsalted butter – Butter is among the core ingredients to achieve this homestyle popeyes mac and cheese. Adding butter prevents the mac and cheese from drying out and makes the dish creamier and thicker. If you don’t have butter, try substituting it with sour cream, cream cheese, or mayonnaise.
• All-purpose flour – Flour is used to make a roux alongside butter. It also helps thicken the sauce of your mac and cheese. The best roux for this popeyes mac and cheese is a white roux that’s made over low or medium heat for 2 to 5 minutes.
• Whole milk – Choosing the right milk is important in perfecting your cheese sauce. I used whole milk in my recipe. Using low-fat, skim, or any reduced-fat type of milk will only result in a greasy output.
• Heavy cream – Apart from whole milk, I also added heavy cream in my recipe because who doesn’t love an extra creamy and rich sauce, right? You may skip the heavy cream if you don’t like it or if you don’t have any on hand.
• Mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper – You wouldn’t want your mac and cheese to be plain, so sprinkle some spices in there! I used mustard powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in my recipe to add some kick of spice. Feel free to select other spices which will suit best to your taste.
• Sharp cheddar, parmesan, gouda, and mozzarella cheese. Popeyes mac and cheese only use cheddar cheese for their dish. But you can also add other varieties of cheeses such as gouda and parmesan cheese for added nuttiness. Mozzarella for a satisfying cheese pull. And for a classic mac n cheese flavor, try sharp cheddar cheese for a more cheddar-y flavor.
• Macaroni – Of course, what’s a mac and cheese without some macaroni? Popeyes uses elbow macaroni and so did I. But you can switch it with either straight macaroni or other fun pasta types. Try shell, cavatappi, penne, fusilli, or even farfalle.

It may look like a lot just to recreate that Popeyes homestyle mac and cheese. But I promise that the end result will be worth it. After all, who can resist a comforting bowl of mac and cheese like Popeyes? Serve it to your friends and family at your next dinner party, and enjoy!