Bacon loaded mac n cheese is a delicious and comforting dish that combines the classic flavors of macaroni and cheese with the smoky, salty goodness of bacon. With its rich and creamy texture, gooey cheese pull, and crispy bacon bits, this dish is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a show-stopping dish for your next party, bacon loaded mac n cheese is always a winner.
Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE WITH BACON
There are few dishes more comforting and indulgent than mac and cheese, and this version will become your new go-to. Mac and cheese may seem straightforward, but in an all-star mac, each component is carefully considered and intentionally chosen to build a creamy, melty pasta bake. Master each element of the dish with this winning recipe.It all starts with the noodles, and in this recipe, we use large elbow macaroni noodles. They're a bit thicker than your average elbows, so they catch more of that creamy cheese sauce (and the exposed ends crisp up beautifully when baked).At the core of any good mac and cheese is a winning blend of cheeses; this recipe calls for three different types of cheese, each one serving a distinct purpose. Extra-sharp Cheddar brings that punch of sharp cheesy flavor and coveted orange color; Parmesan makes an appearance in the breadcrumb topping, bringing a natural bite of salt and crisping up beautifully. Then, for the third cheese, have your pick of Monterey Jack, provolone, or mozzarella, all white cheeses that bring creaminess and that stretchy, cheese-pull texture we look for in any high-quality mac.At the base of the cheese sauce is a roux-a mixture of butter and flour-and we incorporate mustard powder to bring salty, earthy tang. Then, to kick this mac and cheese up a notch, we add crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb crust and mixed directly into the pasta bake.From Skillet Cauliflower Mac to Macaroni Pie, there are countless ways to reinvent this comforting dish. But before you get really creative, it's important to master the basics. This Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon is an excellent, extra-indulgent recipe to keep in your rotation-it's sure to please a family or a crowd.
Provided by Nancie McDermott
Categories Macaroni
Time 1h10m
Yield Serves 10
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil over high in a large stock-pot. Stir in pasta and 1 tablespoon of the salt, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender but still firm, about 6 minutes. Reserve and set aside 2 cups cooking water, and then drain the pasta. Return pasta to pot, and remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
- Generously butter a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, and set aside. Toss together breadcrumbs; Parmesan cheese; and half of the cooked, crumbled bacon in a bowl, and set aside. Stir together flour, pepper, mustard, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Heat milk and buttermilk in a medium saucepan over medium, undisturbed, until barely steaming but not boiling, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high. Add flour mixture. Cook, whisking often, until mixture is smooth and thick and has a delicate golden color and toasted aroma, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in warm milk mixture. Bring to a boil over high. Cook, stirring often, until thickened to the texture of cream, about 3 minutes.
- Stir shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses into milk mixture, and remove from heat. Stir in beaten eggs until mixture forms a smooth sauce.
- Uncover cooked pasta, and stir. (If pasta sticks together, stir in reserved warm cooking water, and drain again.) Stir cheese mixture and remaining bacon into drained pasta in stockpot.
- Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake in preheated oven until firm, puffed up, and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
BACON MAC & CHEESE
Jalapeno pepper adds an extra kick to this bacon mac and cheese, giving it great grown-up taste. I serve this comforting dish throughout the year.-Shelly Boehm, South Bend, Indiana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 1h15m
Yield 16 servings (3/4 cup each).
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Saute jalapeno in reserved drippings. Add milk and cheeses to pan; cook and stir until blended. Stir in the onion powder, chili powder, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. , Drain macaroni; add to pan with the onions and cooked bacon. Mix well. , Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 438 calories, Fat 26g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 75mg cholesterol, Sodium 1106mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
LOADED BACON MAC 'N' CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: mac 'n' cheese, bacon, grated monterey jack cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, pepper
Provided by Julie Klink
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Prepare 1 box of Mac 'N' Cheese according to instructions on box.
- Add cooked bacon, monterey jack cheese, mozzarella cheese and pepper, stir until fully incorporated.
- Top with desired garnish. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 878 calories, Carbohydrate 64 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 50 grams, Sugar 8 grams
BACON LOADED MAC N ' CHEESE
I was tired of my usual Mac N' Cheese, so this is what I came up with.The prep times include the frying of the bacon, and also includes the cooking time of the pasta.If you don't have the pasta that this recipe calls for, please use whatever you have on hand. And the amount of salt and pepper is strictly up to your own personal tastes.And if you are a cheese addict like me, :) you can add more cheese to the top before baking.Submitted to " ZAAR " on November 18th, 2009
Provided by Chef shapeweaver
Categories Cheese
Time 50m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Fry bacon till lightly crisp, crumble and set aside.
- Cook macaroni according to directions on pasta box, and drain.
- In the same pan as you cooked the pasta, melt margarine and add flour.
- Cook for about 3 minutes,until flour taste is cooked away.
- Add milk a little at a time, stir until flour is well blended.
- Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup of cheese, stirring until melted ( at this point, you may add a bit more milk if it's too thick ).
- Add pasta, crumbled bacon, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into a greased a 1 1/2 quart baking dish, sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or longer if you like a more golden cheesy top.
KILLER MAC AND CHEESE WITH BACON
Provided by Anne Burrell
Time 45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and set the pan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Do not discard the bacon fat: Reserve that deliciousness!
- Add the butter and onion to the pan with the bacon fat; season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 3 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thicker than heavy cream, 6 to 8 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the instructions on the package suggest. Taste it: It should be toothsome, with just a little nugget of hard pasta still in the center-this is al dente. Drain the pasta.
- Add the Cheddar, fontina and Parmesan to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed, adding a little more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in the cooked bacon and pasta. The mixture should be very creamy and flavorful. Serve immediately. (If making ahead, transfer to a baking dish or ramekins, then reheat in a 375 degree oven.)
MAC 'N CHEESE WITH BACON AND CHEESE
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.
POTLUCK BACON MAC & CHEESE
This wholesome mac & cheese is slow-cooker easy. Make it during the week or take it to your next potluck!-Kelly Silvers, Edmond, Oklahoma
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 2h30m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Fold two 18-in.-long pieces of foil into two 18x4-in. strips. Line perimeter of a 4-qt. slow cooker with foil strips; spray with cooking spray., In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels, reserving drippings. In same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons bacon drippings over medium heat; cook pasta in drippings 2 minutes or until edges turn translucent. Transfer to slow cooker., In same skillet, heat 1/4 cup bacon drippings over medium heat. Add flour, garlic powder, onion powder and, if desired, paprika. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until flour begins to turn pale golden brown. Gradually whisk in milk and broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheeses; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in pasta. Cook, covered, on low 2-3 hours or until pasta is tender. Top with bacon.
Nutrition Facts :
BACON CHEESEBURGER MAC AND CHEESE
If the family can't agree on what to eat for dinner, why not combine these two family meal classics in one hearty and satisfying dish?
Provided by Cheri Liefeld
Categories Entree
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. In Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan, cook and drain pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time; return to Dutch oven.
- Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and beef is thoroughly cooked. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Remove from heat; stir in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Cover to keep warm.
- In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour with whisk. Gradually add milk. Heat to simmering; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in Cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour cheese sauce over pasta in Dutch oven; stir to coat.
- Spoon pasta mixture into casserole. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with bacon. Arrange tomatoes and potato nuggets on top.
- Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until potatoes are crisp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 Serving
CHEDDAR-BACON MAC AND CHEESE
Creamy, cheesy, and quick . . . it's everything you need.
Provided by Kraft
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese
Time 40m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook on medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; cook and stir 5 min. or until melted.
- Drain macaroni. Add to sauce with bacon; mix lightly. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole; top with remaining cheese.
- Bake 20 min. or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385.1 calories, Carbohydrate 30 g, Cholesterol 59.9 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 16.5 g, SaturatedFat 13.5 g, Sodium 411.3 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
BACON MACARONI AND CHEESE
Crisp bacon and Gouda instantly infuse the classic comfort-food dish with rich, smoky flavor. The best part? Everything is made in one pot. Try our four delicious variations next: Classic Mac, Mushroom-Fontina Mac, Jalapeno Mac, and Primavera Mac.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and crumble (discard bacon fat).
- Heat broiler. In a large straight-sided, oven-safe skillet, melt butter. Remove 1 tablespoon butter and combine with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
- Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Very gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Add macaroni and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining cheese and the bacon and mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 673 g, Fat 36 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 34 g, SaturatedFat 20 g
BAKED BACON MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
This extra creamy mac & cheese with chopped broccoli is topped with bacon crumbles and panko--quick and delicious comfort food!
Provided by Horizon Organic
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Horizon® Organic
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 8x8-inch casserole dish with cooking oil.
- Prepare Macaroni & Cheese according to package directions. Stir in cream cheese and Cheddar cheese. Add broccoli. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Combine panko and bacon crumbles; sprinkle over the mac & cheese.
- Bake until topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 481.4 calories, Carbohydrate 53.4 g, Cholesterol 65.2 mg, Fat 25 g, Fiber 1.8 g, Protein 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 13.8 g, Sodium 850.9 mg, Sugar 0.5 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh, high-quality ingredients will make a big difference in the flavor of your bacon loaded mac and cheese. Use a good quality cheese, such as cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan, and thick-cut bacon.
- Cook the bacon until it's crispy: Crispy bacon adds a delicious smoky flavor to the mac and cheese. Cook it until it's browned and crispy, but not burnt.
- Use a creamy cheese sauce: The cheese sauce is the key to a great mac and cheese. Make sure it's creamy and flavorful. You can use a béchamel sauce, a velouté sauce, or a simple cheese sauce made with milk and cheese.
- Add some extra flavorings: You can add a variety of flavorings to your mac and cheese, such as garlic, onion, jalapeño, or smoked paprika. Be creative and experiment with different flavors.
- Don't overcook the pasta: The pasta should be cooked al dente, or slightly firm to the bite. Overcooked pasta will make the mac and cheese mushy.
- Top with more cheese: Before baking the mac and cheese, top it with a layer of cheese. This will help it to brown and bubbly.
Conclusion:
Bacon loaded mac and cheese is a delicious and comforting dish that's perfect for any occasion. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. Follow these tips and you'll be sure to make a mac and cheese that everyone will love.
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