This Homemade Bacon Mac and Cheese is creamy and makes the perfect dinner or side dish.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon mac and cheese, bacon mac and cheese recipe, easy mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, homemade macaroni and cheese, how to make mac and cheese, mac and cheese, mac and cheese recipe, mac and cheese roux
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 10
Calories 800kcal
Author Jenny
Cost 10
Ingredients
1pounddry elbow pasta
1/2cupunsalted butter
1/2cupall-purpose flour
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/4teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
3cupswhole milk plus 1 cupdivided
1cupmild shredded cheddar cheese
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
8ouncesprepared pesto
1 1/2poundscooked baconcrumbled
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.