LongHorn’s Steakhouse Mac & Cheese is the side dish people talk about almost as much as the steaks — a four-cheese baked mac topped with bacon and crispy panko. The restaurant doesn’t publish the official recipe, but copycat versions based on the dish’s known ingredients get remarkably close. Here is a tested copycat recipe built from the most consistent versions online, plus what we know about the real thing.
What Is in LongHorn’s Mac and Cheese?
The restaurant version is a baked mac and cheese made with cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with crumbled bacon and toasted panko breadcrumbs. The cheese blend is the key: copycat developers consistently land on four cheeses — Gruyère, white cheddar, fontina, and parmesan — with smoked paprika in the sauce. That combination is what gives it the rich, steakhouse-level depth rather than a plain cheddar mac.
This is a copycat inspired by the restaurant dish, not the official recipe — LongHorn has never published theirs.
LongHorn Mac and Cheese Copycat Recipe
Prep: 10 min | Cook: 30 min | Serves: 8 | Oven: 350°F
Ingredients
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta (cellantani works too)
- 6 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2/3 cup shredded Gruyère
- 2/3 cup shredded white cheddar
- 1/2 cup shredded fontina
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Cook the cavatappi in well-salted water until just al dente — it will finish in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Make the roux. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce base. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and cook, stirring, until it thickens to a pancake-batter consistency, about 5 minutes.
- Melt the cheeses. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Gruyère, white cheddar, fontina, and parmesan with the smoked paprika and black pepper until completely smooth.
- Combine and top. Fold the pasta into the sauce, spread in a buttered 9×13 baking dish, and sprinkle with bacon and panko tossed in the remaining melted butter.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the topping is golden and the edges bubble. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Tips for Getting It Right
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Al dente is essential since it bakes for 20 more minutes.
- Off the heat for the cheese. Adding cheese over direct high heat can make the sauce split — stir it in off the burner.
- Smoked paprika is non-negotiable. It is the background note that makes it taste like the steakhouse version.
Variations
- Vegetarian: skip the bacon — the four-cheese sauce carries the dish on its own.
- Gluten-free: swap in gluten-free pasta, a GF flour blend for the roux, and gluten-free panko.
- Lobster mac: fold in cooked lobster meat before baking for a LongHorn-style upgrade.
- Spicy: add diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
How the Copycat Compares to the Restaurant Version
The restaurant dish leans on the same four-cheese structure and the bacon-panko crunch, and this version nails that profile. The main difference is the bake: LongHorn’s comes out with an deeply browned, almost crust-like top from commercial ovens, while home ovens give a lighter golden crust — still delicious. Serve it next to a Flo’s Filet and you have the full steakhouse plate at home. For the real thing’s nutrition numbers, check our LongHorn nutrition guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cheese does LongHorn use in their mac and cheese?
LongHorn doesn’t publish the recipe, but copycat versions consistently use Gruyère, white cheddar, fontina, and parmesan with smoked paprika.
What pasta does LongHorn use for mac and cheese?
Cavatappi (corkscrew pasta) — its twists hold the cheese sauce better than elbow macaroni.
Can I make it without bacon?
Yes. Leave out the bacon for a vegetarian version; the four-cheese sauce is rich enough on its own.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce, about 15–20 minutes.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes — assemble through step 5, refrigerate overnight, then bake (add 5–10 minutes to the bake time).
Is this the official LongHorn recipe?
No. This is a copycat inspired by the restaurant dish, built from the most consistent published versions. LongHorn has never released the official recipe.
