The best bacon mac and cheese recipe has arrived, and it's so delicious that the whole family will fall in love with the smoky flavors and creamy cheese sauce. This heart-warming one-pot dish is packed with comforting ingredients like pasta, cheddar cheese, and bacon, and it's super easy to make.
1lbpastashort or tubular cooked about 2 mins less than package directions
salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Pre heat your oven to 350 F (175 C) and grease a medium baking dish. (I used a large pie pan)
Melt 2 tablespoon of the butter and in a small bowl toss it with the bread pieces then set aside.
Cook the bacon in a heavy bottomed pot. When cooked, remove it to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Remove most of the bacon grease from the pot, but leave any bits that are stuck to the bottom.
Add the 4 tablespoon butter and jalapeno and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, scraping up the bacon bits.
Whisk in the flour, and cook - whisking constantly - for about 3 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and just about to simmer - about 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Generously add salt and pepper and stir in the white cheddar and two cups of the sharp cheddar - stir until melted, then fold in the bacon and the pasta.
Pour the pasta into the prepared dish, toss the bread pieces with the remaining ½ cup of sharp cheddar and spread over the top.
Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes, until bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Recipe Notes
CheeseAvoid using mozzarella cheese as there is no distinct flavor and extra mature cheddar as it doesn't melt very well.The cheese sauceMake sure to whisk the sauce and shredded cheese off the heat to incorporate it well. Otherwise, if you whisk the cheese in while the pot is on the heat, it will become grainy rather than smooth.BaconYou want to choose quality thick-cut bacon for this recipe if you can. You want to cook bacon in small cubes rather than thin pieces for frying because it makes a difference to the overall texture and flavor.