Food and Recipes Side Dishes Pasta Side Dishes Baked Mac And Cheese With Bacon 5.0 (7) 6 Reviews A one-of-a-kind creamy, melty mac and cheese. By Nancie McDermott Nancie McDermott Nancie McDermott has been a cookbook author, food writer, and cooking teacher for twenty-five years. She has written for Southern Living, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Cooks Illustrated, and Fine Cooking. Nominated for a James Beard award in Journalism and an IACP Cookbook Award, she the author of thirteen cookbooks. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 10, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 10 There are few dishes more comforting and indulgent than our bacon mac and cheese, which uses large elbow macaroni. They're a bit thicker than your average elbow noodles, so they catch more of that creamy cheese sauce (and the exposed ends crisp up beautifully when baked). 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 into the pasta bake, and to the breadcrumb crust. Learn how to make bacon mac and cheese. This creamy baked mac and cheese is an excellent, extra-indulgent recipe to keep in your rotation. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Ingredients for Bacon Mac and Cheese To make this recipe, you'll need: Large elbow macaroni: The large elbows catch more sauce for more flavor in each bite.Kosher salt: Used to season the pasta water and the final dish.Breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and bacon: These three ingredients form the crispy topping for the bacon mac and cheese.All-purpose flour: This will be used to create the roux, the base of a thick, creamy sauce.Black pepper and dry mustard: Seasonings for the roux.Whole milk and buttermilk: Because you can never have too many ingredients working to make the sauce extra creamy, so instead of one milk, we use two. (But you can use all of one if you don't have the second.)Butter: To help cook the flour for the roux.Extra-sharp Cheddar cheese: The sharper flavor of this cheese really shines in the pasta, but you could use any type of Cheddar you like.Monterey Jack (or provolone or mozzarella) cheese: All good mac and cheese recipes have more than one cheese.Eggs: Adds creaminess to the sauce and helps hold the mac and cheese together. How To Make Bacon Mac and Cheese The full recipe for this bacon mac and cheese is below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Cook pasta: Bring water to a boil, and stir in pasta and salt; cook until pasta is tender but firm. Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain pasta; transfer back to pot and set aside.Step 2. Make cheese sauce: Stir to combine flour, pepper, mustard, and salt. Heat milk and buttermilk in a medium saucepan until steaming; remove from heat. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour mixture; cook, whisking, until thickened. Slowly whisk in warm milk. Boil, whisking, until thickened. Add cheddar and Monterey Jack, then eggs, and whisk until smooth.Step 3. Combine pasta and cheese sauce: Add cheese mixture to pasta along with half the bacon. Step 4. Bake mac and cheese: Transfer to a greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish, and cover with a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and bacon. Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F until lightly browned. What Kind of Cheese Is Best for Mac and Cheese? At the core of any good mac and cheese is a winning blend of cheeses. Is there a signature blend of cheeses you love? From gouda to gruyère, Brie to fontina, there's no right answer when it comes to making an exceptional mac and cheese. 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. 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. Can You Make Bacon Mac and Cheese In Advance? Want to make this dish ahead? The prepped mac and cheese can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to two days before baking (through Step 6). Set on the counter for 30 minutes before baking as directed. To freeze, either freeze the baked mac and cheese, defrost, and reheat until hot throughout, or freeze the unbaked version—defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then on the countertop for 30 minutes before baking as directed. Looking for a fool-proof make-ahead macaroni and cheese recipe? Look no further than our favorite make-ahead version. Ingredients 1 lb. uncooked large elbow macaroni 1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (about 1/2 cup) 6 thick-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled, divided 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. dry mustard 3 cups whole milk 1 cup whole buttermilk 1/3 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing dish 12 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups) 4 oz. Monterey Jack, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup) 2 large eggs, well beaten Directions Cook pasta: 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. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Prepare topping and heat milk: 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. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Prepare cheese sauce: 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. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle 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. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Finish sauce: Stir shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses into milk mixture, and remove from heat. Stir in beaten eggs until mixture forms a smooth sauce. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Stir together Macaroni and Cheese: 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. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Move pasta to baking dish: Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake mac and cheese: Bake in preheated oven until firm, puffed up, and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm. Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Frequently Asked Questions Why is my baked mac and cheese dry? When preparing the sauce, take care to cook it only until thickened to a creamy consistency. The sauce will continue to tighten up in the oven as the pasta cooks and soaks up some of the liquid, so you only need to thicken it lightly on the stovetop. Should I cover or uncover my mac and cheese while baking? This mac and cheese is cooked uncovered so the breadcrumb topping browns while the pasta cooks. Are the eggs in mac and cheese necessary? Adding eggs to mac and cheese is an easy way to achieve a sauce that's custardy, thick, velvety, and oh so delicious. Rate It Print