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Bacon Macaroni and Cheese – super creamy stove top mac and cheese with plenty of smoky bacon. Pure comfort food that is ready in minutes!
Macaroni and cheese is just one of those comfort foods that everyone craves. It is just so cheesy, creamy, and brings back all those childhood memories! And once you add crumbled bacon, it takes it to a whole new level!
My son first had this recipe at a restaurant and absolutely loved it. He immediately came home and asked if it was something I could do at home. After some research I figured out the cheeses they used and here we go! Ultimate cheesy goodness.
Why This Recipe Works
- In the time it takes the pasta to cook, you are almost done with the sauce. So this is a great quick and easy stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe you can make any night of the week.
- Mix up the cheeses! I used Gruyere, White Cheddar and Parmesan, but you really can use your favorite to customize it to your family.
- Switch up the pasta. Not only can you use a different shape, but you could use a gluten free pasta, a chick-pea or other pasta with more protein, a veggie pasta….you name it!
What You’ll Need
- Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Whole Milk
- Salt
- Dried Mustard
- Black Pepper
- Gruyere Cheese
- White Cheddar Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Elbow Macaroni
- Bacon
How To Make Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
- The first thing is to bring a large pot of water to boil and cook your pasta. You want to cook it just 1-2 minutes shy of being done. It will continue to cook a little bit when you mix it with the hot cheese sauce.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 5-6 minutes until golden in color.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk until smooth and any lumps disappear.
- Then mix in the salt, pepper and dried mustard. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbling.
- Stir in the cheese a little bit at a time until it is smooth and completely melted.
- Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir until everything is completely coated.
- Serve immediately.
Today I am excited to partner with the American Dairy Association Mideast again this month. In June I made Yogurt Marinated Chicken for National Dairy Month. And today we are talking about back to school!
Milk is the number 1 food source for calcium and vitamin D in a childs diet. My son always drinks milk for lunch and dinner, especially during the school year, where he gets a carton of milk every day at school. Even if he picks chocolate milk, he is still getting the same 9 essential nutrients as white milk. And shockingly the flavored milks only contribute to 4% of the sugar in a kids diet. Less than 1 tsp compared to the over 7 tsp in soda and sports drinks.
Experts say you should get 3 servings of low fat or fat-free dairy a day, and most of us only get about 2. This bacon macaroni and cheese can help bridge the gap with all the cheese and milk in there.
This mac and cheese isn’t exactly health food. I did try to cut back on the fat some, and used whole milk instead of heavy cream. You could even swap it out for 2% if you wanted to make it a little better for you. It will not be quite as thick and creamy though. Another easy homemade Mac n’ cheese is my Copycat Panera Macaroni and Cheese.
More Cheesy Dinner Recipes
- Avocado Grilled Cheese
- Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Taco Spaghetti
- Beer Cheese Soup
- Ranch Cheddar Chicken
- Mexican Pizza
Creamy Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup good quality Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook macaroni according to the package directions
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 5-6 minutes until golden in color.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk until smooth and any lumps disappear.
- Mix in salt, pepper and dried mustard. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbling.
- Add cheese and stir until melted and completely smooth.
- Add cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post is sponsored by American Dairy Mideast. I was compensated for my time to create this recipe. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-MIlk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
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The addition of bacon makes this mac and cheese even better! It’s so creamy and flavorful!