Are you looking for a delicious and comforting dish that's perfect for a family meal or a casual get-together with friends? Look no further than macaroni and cheese with bacon! This classic American dish is a combination of creamy, cheesy goodness and crispy, smoky bacon, making it an irresistible treat for people of all ages. With so many different variations and recipes available, finding the best one can be a challenge. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the top-rated macaroni and cheese with bacon recipes, providing you with all the information you need to create a flavorful and unforgettable dish that will surely delight your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
Here are our top 10 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.
BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BACON
Out of all the baked pasta dishes I make my family likes this one the best. It's also very filling, and fairly inexpensive to make.
Provided by Saj1337
Categories Cheese
Time 1h
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to box directions and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add flour and stir constantly until smooth.
- Turn heat to medium and add milk stirring constantly until thick. (About 10 minutes).
- Add hot sauce. Stir until mixed in evenly.
- Add pasta, bacon and cheese. Mix until cheese melts, bacon is mixed in, and pasta is evenly coated.
- Pour macaroni and cheese into a 9x13 baking dish and top according to taste.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. (If using parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs take it out when the top looks lightly browned. If using cheddar cheese topping take out when top becomes darkened, but not burnt.).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 921.1, Fat 61.3, SaturatedFat 30.7, Cholesterol 145.8, Sodium 1021, Carbohydrate 57.9, Fiber 2.1, Sugar 1.9, Protein 33.5
MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BACON
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4).
- Bake the macaroni and cheese casserole for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 502 kcal, Carbohydrate 36 g, Cholesterol 82 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 22 g, SaturatedFat 16 g, Sodium 747 mg, Sugar 7 g, Fat 30 g, ServingSize 6 servings, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
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.)
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 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.
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
MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND BACON
Very intense, rich dish due to the sharpness of the cheeses melded with spicy, creamy, and tangy flavors.
Provided by lalala71
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork
Time 1h20m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add macaroni and cook for 8 minutes (noodles will still be slightly hard). Drain noodles and transfer to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of butter and toss to coat. Whisk together the sour cream, egg, and cream cheese; add to the pasta and mix well. Stir in 3 cups of grated Asiago and 3 cups of grated Cheddar cheese, reserving the remaining 2 cups of cheese for the topping.
- Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate and chop into small pieces.
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Stir 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, and garlic into the bacon drippings in the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Mix the cooked bacon, parsley, and panko breadcrumbs into the onions, transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in the ground mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove sauce from heat and let cool for five minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring well. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Top cheese with the onion breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until bubbling, hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 941.8 calories, Carbohydrate 56.6 g, Cholesterol 197 mg, Fat 59.5 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 45.6 g, SaturatedFat 36.3 g, Sodium 1475.4 mg, Sugar 7.2 g
BACON AND MACARONI
I've prepared this dish on the stovetop and in the microwave...either way, it's a down-home dinner that my husband can't resist. The blend of bacon and cheese is unbeatable. - Stephanie Savage, Rushville, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large skillet, cook bacon; drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, sugar, garlic powder and pepper to drippings; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in macaroni; heat through, stirring occasionally. Combine cheese and remaining parsley; sprinkle over casserole. , Microwave Directions: In a 2-qt. microwave-safe baking dish, heat bacon on high for 2-1/2 minutes; discard fat. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes more or until bacon is crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings; stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, sugar, garlic powder and pepper. , Cover and cook on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in macaroni; cover and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Combine cheese and remaining parsley; sprinkle over casserole.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 307 calories, Fat 24g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 29mg cholesterol, Sodium 597mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 7g protein.
MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BACON AND TOMATO
Make and share this Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Tomato recipe from Food.com.
Provided by seahorse73
Categories Pork
Time 1h5m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Generously butter a 1/12 quart baking dish.
- Add 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs; shake to coat dish evenly.
- Heat large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes.
- Drain.
- Place in large bowl.
- Melt butter in large saucepan.
- Whisk inflour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Add nutmeg; cook 1 minute.
- Whisk in milk all at once.
- Heat to boil; simmer, stirring, 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until melted.
- Add sauce to pasta, mix well.
- Spoon 1/2 mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Add tomatoes and bacon in an even layer.
- Top with remaining macaroni mixture.
- Combine 1/2 cup of the remaining bread crumbs with olive oil in small bowl.
- Sprinkle over macaroni.
- Bake until golden and bubbly, about 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 898.4, Fat 58.4, SaturatedFat 25.5, Cholesterol 124.3, Sodium 1026.8, Carbohydrate 62.2, Fiber 7.1, Sugar 1.5, Protein 32.2
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. - Cook the pasta according to the package directions. - For a creamier sauce, use more milk or cream. - Add your favorite seasonings to taste. - Top with a crispy breadcrumb topping for an extra-special touch. - If you're using a pre-packaged macaroni and cheese mix, be sure to follow the instructions on the box. - For a healthier version, use whole wheat pasta and low-fat milk. - You can also add other ingredients to your macaroni and cheese, such as cooked chicken, broccoli, or diced tomatoes. - Macaroni and cheese is a versatile dish that can be served as a main course or a side dish.Conclusion:
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With so many different recipes to choose from, you're sure to find one that you'll love. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give macaroni and cheese a try!
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