Replicating one of Outback Steakhouse’s bestselling kid’s menu items—Mac A Roo and Cheese—creamy Velveeta cheese sauce coats tender penne pasta for a simple, kid-friendly classic.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1lbpenne pasta
8ozdiced American cheeseVelveeta or Kraft
1/2tspdried mustard powder
4Tbspunsalted butter
3/4cuplow-fat milk
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook penne pasta noodles according to the package's instructions. Usually around 10 minutes.Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add dried mustard powder and 1/4 cup of the milk. Stir to combine and let warm until steaming. Begin to slowly add in the diced American cheese stirring each addition until almost melted. If sauce begins to get too thick, add a bit more of the milk to thin the sauce before adding more cheese.Once all the cheese has been added add is melted, add in any remaining milk, if needed/desired, to your desired consistency. I like my sauce not too thick so it easily runs off a spoon.Once your pasta is al dente, drain and return to the pot. Pour the cheese sauce over the penne pasta and carefully stir to combine so every noodle is well-coated with cheesy goodness.Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
If you want a thicker, creamier sauce, you can substitute low-fat milk for whole milk or half-and-half. I find using 1% Milk gets the sauce closest to Outback's consistency though.