Bacon Mac and Cheese

This simple, hearty bacon mac and cheese is loaded with extra cheese, tender noodles -- and plenty of bacon.

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Bacon mac and cheese is a great way to upgrade dinner with plenty of extra flavors. Making mac and cheese is usually on the menu for most homes, especially if you have kids, and all that creamy, cheesy goodness plus bacon will be a guaranteed winner.

Bacon Mac and Cheese Ingredients 

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You’ll need: 

For The Roux:

• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour 
• 2 cups of milk 
• ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder 
• ¼ teaspoon of salt 
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper 

Substitutions And Additions

PASTA: You can use classic elbow macaroni, or if you like something a little thicker and more substantial, swap it for corkscrew pasta, known as cavatappi or cellentani. 

BACON: Pre-cooked bacon works just fine if you like, or just cook the bacon yourself. You could even swap it for something like pancetta if you love the smoky flavor.  

JALAPEÑO: If you like things spicy, transform this into a bacon jalapeño mac and cheese by adding thin slices of jalapeño pepper to the dish once you are ready to serve. You can add even more spice by adding a dash of cayenne pepper to your roux.

How To Make This Bacon Mac And Cheese Recipe 

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

STEP TWO: Grate the blocks of parmesan, mild cheddar, and mozzarella cheese and place in a medium bowl. Mix to combine and set aside. Reserve 1½ cups of the cheese mixture for the roux. 

STEP THREE: In a medium saucepan, melt butter (3 tablespoons) over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour.

STEP FOUR: Slowly add 2 cups of milk to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and continue stirring until smooth. 

STEP FIVE: Reduce the heat to low and whisk periodically until the sauce has thickened. 

STEP SIX: Add the reserved 1½ cups of the grated cheese mixture. Stir until melted and smooth. 

STEP SEVEN: Remove from the heat. Fold in the cooked macaroni pasta until well coated in the cheese sauce. 

STEP EIGHT: Next, coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the cheese sauce and macaroni mixture into the pan.

STEP NINE: Spread the remaining grated cheese mixture over the macaroni. Reserve and set aside ¼ cup of bacon crumbles. Spread the remaining bacon evenly over the cheese.

STEP TEN: In a small bowl, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add ½ cup of panko bread crumbs and ¼ cup of the reserved bacon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the macaroni and cheese.

STEP ELEVEN: Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

How To Serve Mac & Cheese With Bacon

This is the ultimate comfort food and can be served on its own or on the side of an entree. If you are serving this as the main course, add pull-apart garlic bread and Caesar salad on the side.

If this has you wanting to try more upgraded ideas for your favorite pasta dish, why not try chili mac? Or, for an even spicier version, you could try buffalo chicken mac and cheese.

MORE MAC AND CHEESE RECIPES

Side Dishes

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe with Evaporated Milk

Side Dishes

Pumpkin Spice Mac and Cheese

Storing Bacon Macaroni Cheese 

IN THE FRIDGE: Pop the cooled creamy bacon mac and cheese in the fridge in an airtight container, and it will keep for up to three days. To reheat, just add it to a baking dish in the oven and cook until bubbling.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze homemade mac and cheese and keep it there for up to three months. Wait until it is fully cooled, then store it in an airtight container.

Make sure you defrost it thoroughly, then pop it in a baking dish in the oven and reheat.

Adding crispy bacon flavor to mac and cheese is a simple and delicious way to upgrade the classic pasta dish. You can make a gourmet version of this bacon mac and cheese using something like pancetta or a quick option with pre-cooked bacon – it will always taste perfect.

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Bacon Mac and Cheese

5 from 4 votes

This simple, hearty bacon mac and cheese is loaded with extra cheese, tender noodles — and plenty of bacon.

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 7

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Ingredients

  

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Roux

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Casserole

• 8 ounces parmesan cheese, divided into 1½ cups and the remainder
• 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, divided into 1½ cups and the remainder
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, divided into 1½ cups and the remainder
• 16 ounces elbow macaroni pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 16 ounces bacon cooked, crumbled, and divided into ¼ cup and the remainder

Topping

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Grate the blocks of parmesan, mild cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses and place in a large bowl. Mix to combine and set aside. Reserve 1½ cups of the cheese mixture for the roux.
• In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour.
• Slowly add 2 cups of milk to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until smooth.
• Reduce the heat to low and and whisk periodically until sauce has thickened.
• Add the reserved 1½ cups of the grated cheese mixture. Stir until melted and smooth.
• Remove from heat. Fold in the cooked macaroni pasta until well coated in the cheese sauce.
• Next, coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture into the pan.
• Spread the remaining grated cheese mixture over the macaroni. Reserve and set aside ¼ cup of bacon crumbles. Spread the remaining bacon evenly over the cheese.
• In a small bowl, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add ½ cup of panko bread crumbs and ¼ cup of the reserved bacon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Video

Notes

• Al dente is the ideal consistency for pasta. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.
• It’s best to grate your own cheese rather than use the pre-grated version in the bag. That’s because it usually has a preservative on it, which means it doesn’t melt as well.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your macaroni as the suggested baking time approaches.

Nutrition

Calories: 979kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1591mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1134IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 876mg | Iron: 2mg

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