Homemade Bacon Mac and Cheese

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Bacon Mac and Cheese combines the comforts of the classic creamy meal with the savory crunch of bacon and breadcrumbs. It is so easy to make this decadent dish using simple ingredients that tastes gourmet!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 684kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Roux:

3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Casserole:

16 oz Applewood Smoked Bacon (1 package) cooked and crumbled, divided
16 ounce box elbow macaroni pasta cooked according to package
8 ounce block parmesan cheese divided
8 ounce block mild cheddar cheese divided
8 ounce block mozzarella cheese divided

Topping:

½ cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Grate the blocks of parmesan, mild cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses and place in a large bowl. Mix to combine and set aside. Reserve 1½ cups of the cheese mixture for the roux.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 3 Tablespoons of flour.
Slowly add 2 cups of milk to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until smooth.
Reduce the heat to low and and whisk periodically until sauce has thickened.
Add the reserved 1½ cups of the grated cheese mixture. Stir until melted and smooth.
Remove from heat. Fold in the cooked macaroni pasta until well coated in the cheese sauce.
Next, coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture into the pan.
Spread the remaining grated cheese mixture over the macaroni. Reserve and set aside ¼ cup bacon crumbles. Spread the remaining bacon evenly over the cheese.
In a small bowl, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter. Add ½ cup of Panko bread crumbs and ¼ cup of the reserved bacon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the macaroni and cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
To Freeze: Bacon Mac and Cheese can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven.
To Reheat: To reheat from frozen, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake until warmed through and the cheese is bubbly on top.

Tips:

I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with starches or cellulose to help prevent clumping and they don’t melt as smoothly.
I find that whole milk works best for the creamiest sauce, but you can also use half and half or low fat milk.
Make sure the base of the roux sauce isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.

Nutrition