Panera Mac & Cheese Recipe. It’s an interesting time in history right now, on this April day in 2020. Marsedit 4 3 6. Like many of us, I’ve been missing trips to my favorite restaurants and have been relying heavily on all of my restaurant copycat recipes. Panera is known most prominently for two things. Panera Bread Hours. Since it is a cafe style restaurant, Panera Bread does not remain open for long hours. The Panera Bread Breakfast Hours starts from 7.00 AM and served until 10.30 AM.The Panera Bread Lunch Hours starts from 10.30 AM and continues till 5.00 PM. Here we have provided you with the working hour schedule of Panera Bread for the whole week. Heat Carla’s Six Cheese Sacchettini according to package instructions. Heat Carla’s Basil Pesto in saute pan over medium-high heat until warm. Be careful to not burn the pesto. Add Ravioli to Pesto and toss together, serve. Catering Service of Panera Bread offers high-quality food. The menu consists of breakfast items, sandwich assortments, salads, boxed lunches, soups, beverages, sweets, and sides. Their breakfast dishes consist mostly of sandwiches and egg recipes. You can get any regular menu item catered, Panera Catering prices are similar to a regular Panera. Mushroom, macaroni, peeled tomatoes, garlic cloves, parsley, ground black pepper and 3 more Beef Ribs with Vegetables and Macaroni O Meu Tempero parsley, paprika, pumpkin, spinach, tomato paste, macaroni, beef ribs and 10 more.
Bartender mac alternative. Main Dish, Side Dish, Crowd Pleasers, American, Classic Comfort, Italian, Vegetarian
While fabulous in its own right, dress up our Mac & Cheese with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil pesto for an Italian-inspired crowd pleaser.
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 2-16 ozPanera® Mac & Cheese
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, diced 1/4-inch
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 4 tsp basil pesto
Nutrition (per serving)
Serving Size | 1 |
Calories | 600 |
Total Fat | 37g |
Saturated Fats | 20g |
Trans Fat | 1.5g |
Cholesterol | 105mg |
Sodium | 1300mg |
Total Carb. | 41g |
Dietary Fiber | 1g |
Total Sugars | 10g |
Protein | 25g |
Calcium | 50%DV |
Iron | 8%DV |
Vegetarian | Panera at Home vegetarian products are free of meat sources, including meat, fish and shellfish. Dairy and egg products, and enzymes or rennet from animal sources are allowed.
Steps
- In a bowl, combine mac & cheese with mozzarella cheese. Divide evenly into two ramekins and top with tomatoes.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until mac & cheese is heated through and edges are golden brown.
- Drizzle basil pesto over the top of each mac & cheese before serving.
Or, Try This
- Enjoy this recipe as a main dish or side. If serving a crowd, it’s easily multiplied. You can bake it in individual ramekins or in a larger casserole dish.
- For a delicious main dish, try grilled chicken or shrimp on top.
More Meal Ideas
This Panera-Inspired Tomato Mozzarella Panini recipe is my homage to the discontinued menu item beloved by me and so many other vegetarians throughout the country. (I mean, seriously, people loved this thing: there’s even a petition to bring it back.)
When Panera stopped offering the Portobello and Mozzarella Panini, I was bummed because it was totally my go-to menu option. But then they replaced it with the Tomato Mozzarella Panini and I quickly got over my sadness because the new vegetarian sandwich was so good. You can get a TBM just about anywhere, but this one was different! It had a magical combination of fresh and roasted tomatoes, along with a sun-dried tomato spread.
Triple tomatoes, y’all.
After taking the Tomato Mozzarella Panini off the menu, Panera replaced it with a totally inferior flatbread sandwich that was finished with a squeeze of lemon juice which would leak all over your hands whenever you picked it up. Unacceptable! It was so subpar that my husband and I just stopped going to Panera altogether and we had no choice but to get our Tomato Mozzarella Panini fix at home.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, this recipe is more of an homage than a copycat. It’s not an exact duplicate, but it scratches that itch for the perfect combination of tomatoes (three ways!), melty cheese, and crusty bread. (My husband claims it’s even better than Panera’s because they’d often skimp on the roasted tomatoes and cheese, but when you DIY it, you can load up on the good stuff.)
To get the full restaurant experience, make your own You Pick Two by pairing the sandwich with Summer Vegetable Minestrone or a refreshing Cucumber, Basil and Watermelon Salad. Yes!
Photos by Lindsey Johnson
Panera-Inspired Tomato Mozzarella Panini
Missing Panera's Tomato Mozzarella Panini now that it's off the menu? Here's how to make it at home.
Cook Time25minutes
Calories486kcal
Sacchettini Pasta
Ingredients
For the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes:
- 2Roma tomatoessliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1tablespoonolive oil
- 1tablespoonhigh-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1/4teaspoonItalian seasoning
- Salt and pepperto taste
For the Sun-Dried Tomato Spread:
- 1/2cupoil-packed sun-dried tomatoes + 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar
- 2tablespoonsgrated Parmesan cheese
- 5large basil leaves
For the Panini:
- 1large loaf ciabatta bread
- Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
- Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes
- 1large tomatothinly sliced
- 1/2cupbasil leavesloosely packed
- 6ouncesfresh mozzarella cheesecut into 8 slices
- Olive oil to brush grill or panini press
Instructions
To make the Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the tomato slices on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, and seasoning.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with the vinegar mixture and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bake the tomato slices for 15-20 minutes, or until they're softened and beginning to brown. Set aside.
To make the Sun-Dried Tomato Spread:
- While the tomatoes are roasting, combine all of the spread ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
To assemble the panini:
- Preheat a panini press or countertop grill to medium-high.
- Cut the ciabatta bread into 4 equal sections and then cut each section in half lengthwise. Spread the sun-dried tomato mixture onto the bottom of each ciabatta section. Top with the roasted tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella slices.
- Brush the grill with oil. Place the sandwiches onto the grill, close the top, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bread is nicely toasted.
Panera-Inspired Tomato Mozzarella Panini
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Fat 25.8g40%
Carbohydrates 51.7g17%
Sugar 2g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.