Bacon Mac and Cheese

Sharing my homemade bacon mac and cheese today! My Bacon Mac and Cheese has pesto and just the right seasonings that all of your guests will love!

Bacon Mac and Cheese

There’s something so comforting about a big bowl of homemade mac and cheese. This recipe I developed is simple to prepare, thick, cheesy and ultra flavorful. I have fond memories of cooking in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother. We would make homemade mac and cheese together and have fun with different ingredient add-ins. Crispy pieces of bacon throughout, and garnished on top, make this mac and cheese hard to resist. The surprise ingredient is prepared basil which gets stirred in after the cheese sauce has been added to the pasta. This gives the mac and cheese a nice flavor punch and pairs nicely with the bacon. Enjoy!

Try my Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

Mac and Cheese Roux

You start with a simple roux. Melt your butter, stir in your flour, salt and pepper then stir in your milk until nice and thick.

Stir in your cheeses until melted.

 Excuse me while I dive into the cheese sauce 🙂

Pour that sauce right into your cooked noodles then add your remaining ingredients.

How To Make Mac and Cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl pan until butter is melted then whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Whisk for 2 minutes, until bubbly and thick.
3. Slowly whisk in 3 cups milk until well combined. Continue whisking and stirring until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses until melted. Place cooked pasta into a large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour in cheese sauce, stirring to combine. Stir in pesto then add bacon pieces saving 1 cup for garnishing plates. Stir until combined. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve warm. Mac and cheese will set and get thick if not served immediately. To loosen sauce add splashes of additional milk to desired consistency.

Homemade Bacon Mac and Cheese

This Homemade Bacon Mac and Cheese is creamy and makes the perfect dinner or side dish.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 10

Calories: 800kcal

Author: Jenny

Cost: 10

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Ingredients

• 1 pound dry elbow pasta
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups whole milk plus 1 cup divided
• 1 cup mild shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 ounces prepared pesto
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked bacon crumbled

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl pan until butter is melted then whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Whisk for 2 minutes, until bubbly and thick.
• Slowly whisk in 3 cups milk until well combined. Continue whisking and stirring until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses until melted. Place cooked pasta into a large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour in cheese sauce, stirring to combine. Stir in pesto then add bacon pieces saving 1 cup for garnishing plates. Stir until combined. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve warm. Mac and cheese will set and get thick if not served immediately. To loosen sauce add splashes of additional milk to desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 800kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1672mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1052IU | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 2mg

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