Smoky Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Preparing homemade Mac & Cheese has been a no-brainier for many years in our home. With all of the dilemma about branded foods using food coloring in their Mac & Cheese products, we have been sticking to a homemade version. But hey – I might still use food coloring here and there, although the more natural the better. The great thing is that making your own Mac & Cheese is as simple as preparing the “boxed” version.

To pamper it with a kick of flavor, I used smoked Gouda cheese and crispy pieces of bacon. With nicely baked crisp tops, this will become the best Mac & Cheese you have ever drooled over. And, say, if you’re preparing this for kids – you will truly become their hero!

Other Pasta Dishes to Try:

• Creamy Orzo Bacon Pasta Recipe
• Creamy One-Pot Pasta
• Broccoli Mushroom Alfredo Pasta

Recipe

Smoky Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

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Servings

12 servings

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Ingredients

• 16 oz Elbow Macaroni
• 12 oz Bacon
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
• 2 cup Whole Milk
• 2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1 cup Mozzarella
• 2 cup Colby Jack Cheese
• 1 cup Smoked Gouda (Sold at Costco)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
  
• Preheat the oven to 400F. Lay out each slice of bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the sheet covered with bacon into the oven; bake until golden and crispy. Lay out cooked bacon on a paper towel, to get rid of any excessive grease.
  
• Using a sauce pan, warm up butter, 1 cup of milk and whipping cream. Whisk the remaining 1 cup of milk together with flour, until there are no lumps. Add flour mixture to the sauce pan. Once the milk is hot, whisk in Dijon mustard; also add diced or shredded Colby Jack cheese and smoked Gouda cheese.
  
• Add macaroni into the sauce and stir to combine. To the the macaroni, add most of the bacon pieces, leave a bit behind for sprinkling.
  
• This step is optional, but that crust on top is such a drool! Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle it with shredded mozzarella cheese and the remaining bacon pieces. 
  
• Bake at 400F for 15 minutes or until the tops are crispy.
  

Nutrition Facts

Smoky Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 635 Calories from Fat 405

% Daily Value*

Fat 45g69%

Saturated Fat 24g120%

Cholesterol 133mg44%

Sodium 651mg27%

Potassium 290mg8%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 1111IU22%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 420mg42%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.