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This Bacon Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food that you’ll never get tired of. A creamy, cheesy, dish that will be a family favorite.
Bacon Mac N Cheese
Homemade macaroni and cheese is one of the best comfort foods around, but it can be taken to the next level – by adding smoky bacon! This Creamy Bacon Mac & Cheese dinner is an easy recipe that everyone will love.
It takes a total time of about 50 minutes to make this yummy dish, but 45 of that is cook time, so it’s very easy. Creamy and cheesy, in the end, it’ll be one of the best mac and cheese recipes you’ve ever had!
This creamy baked macaroni casserole can be served as a main dish or one of your side dish recipes. It is all made in one baking dish and there’s not a large saucepan or stove burner to be seen except for cooking your bacon, which can be done ahead of time. It’s also a great option the next day as leftovers or something the kids can have for lunch.
Most macaroni noodles are elbow macaroni, but I enjoy the cavatappi pasta as a fun twist. These are longer, more spiral noodles and are a great option for changing up this recipe even further.
Want to keep this delicious Bacon Mac & Cheese vegetarian? Swap out the bacon for veggie bacon or veggie crumbles and you’ll still have the essence of this delicious dish.
With a smoky bacon flavor, this delicious casserole is the perfect comfort food for any occasion. We all love seeing regular mac and cheese on the dinner table, but the addition of bacon just takes it to a whole other level.
Ingredients: 8 oz Cavatappi pasta (uncooked) 1 can evaporated milk 12 oz 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup water 2 Tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water) 2 Tbsp butter 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 6-8 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled/chopped
Black pepper (to taste)
Bread crumbs (optional)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, dissolve your 2 tablespoons of corn starch in 2 tablespoons of cold water.
Take out a square baking dish and grease it with nonstick cooking spray. Add your dry pasta, corn starch mixture, 1 cup of evaporated milk, chicken broth, and water. Add black pepper if desired. Stir the milk mixture well to combine.
Cut your 2 tablespoons of butter into thin pieces and place them over the top of your macaroni mixture. Spread it out so that you can melt butter all over the pasta dish.
Cover the large casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
While your homemade mac and cheese is baking, cook your bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You can also choose to heat your sliced bacon strips in the microwave covered with a paper towel.
Chop up your salty bacon into small pieces. It can be soft or crispy bacon, your choice. Set it aside.
Remove your dish from the oven and stir with a slotted spoon after 15 minutes. Cover tightly again and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.
At that point, remove the dish from the oven and stir again. Cover tightly and return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until your baked macaroni is al dente and tender and you see a nice golden brown beginning.
When your pasta is done, remove the dish from the oven and stir in your shredded cheese and remaining evaporated milk.
It will take a minute for the shredded cheese to become a cheesy sauce, so stir until everything has melted and combined with the cooked noodles.
Stir your cooked and chopped bacon into your cooked macaroni and cheese mixture. Sprinkle some bread crumbs on top for texture if you’d like.
Serve your creamy mac and cheese with bacon hot for best results and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in the baking dish covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or in an airtight container for up to four days.
Can I Use My Own Cheese Choice In This Creamy Cheese Sauce?
Yes! I use a medium cheddar cheese for this easy mac and cheese bake, but you can create lots of versions of this dish with different types of cheeses. Use a sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, or American cheese easily, or even try parmesan cheese, which may take a little extra effort to melt. This is one of the easy recipes you can try with different kinds of cheese, so make the classic version the first time and something else next time.
Is There Anything I Can Add To This Baked Mac And Cheese?
Yes! There are countless ways to change up this great dish, but I do encourage you to try the original recipe the first time. In the future, you can easily add some garlic powder or onion powder when you add the black pepper if you want to add garlic or onion flavors to the smoky flavor of the bacon. You can also add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper for a little kick.
Another great option is to add some crunchy fried onions or caramelized onions to the cooked pasta. These will give you different textures and flavors as well. Or you can dice up some leftover chicken breasts and stir those in at the same time as your bacon.
Can I Add Some Bacon Fat To The Casserole?
Yes! If you’d like to add a little bacon grease to your mac and cheese mixture while it is baking in the oven, you can. Reserve some of the bacon drippings from when you cook bacon in the pan and stir them in while the pasta is cooking. The bacon drippings will enhance the smoky flavor even further.
Are You Looking For More Tasty Pasta Recipes? Here Are Some Of My Favorites:
This Bacon Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food that you'll never get tired of. A creamy, cheesy, dish that will be a family favorite.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Ingredients
8 oz Cavatappi pasta (uncooked)
1 can evaporated milk 12 oz
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
2 Tbsp corn starch (dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water)
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled/chopped
Black pepper (to taste)
Bread crumbs (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a square baking dish, add the dry pasta, 1 cup evaporated milk, chicken broth, water and corn starch mixture. Add some black pepper if desired. Stir well to combine.
Cut the butter into thin pieces and place them over the top (spread them out so that it will melt everywhere).
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and stir. Cover tightly again and return to the oven.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes and stir again. Cover tightly and return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
When your pasta is done, remove it from the oven and stir in your cheese and remaining evaporated milk.
Stir in the cooked bacon.
Sprinkle with some bread crumbs for texture if you'd like.
Serve hot and enjoy!
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This calculation is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a doctor or dietitian. This calculator is a guide, but makes no guarantee of being exact or fully accurate.
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Cut your 2 tablespoons of butter into thin pieces and place them over the top of your macaroni mixture. Spread it out so that you can melt butter all over the pasta dish.
Remove your dish from the oven and stir with a slotted spoon after 15 minutes. Cover tightly again and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.
When your pasta is done, remove the dish from the oven and stir in your shredded cheese and remaining evaporated milk.
Stir your cooked and chopped bacon into your cooked macaroni and cheese mixture. Sprinkle some bread crumbs on top for texture if you’d like.
STAUB Ceramics Rectangular Baking Dish Set, 2-piece, White
What is 8 ounces of pasta in cups?
It would be about 2 cups I believe.
Nice content and recipe, it looks delicious that everyone will surely love
Thanks!