What could be better than your favorite macaroni and cheese? This ooey, gooey Bacon Macaroni and Cheese dinner. It’s cozy, comforting, and the perfect cheesy dinner idea.
Everyone has their own favorite mac and cheese recipe, but this bacon macaroni and cheese is the perfect recipe for when you want to take things up a notch. It’s made with 3 different types of cheese, filled with smoky bacon, and topped with bread crumbs to give a delicious crunchy topping.
You’ll love how the bacon adds so much flavor to the creaminess of the cheese sauce. And this cheesy recipe is great for dinner, lunch or as a side dish.
How to Make Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
This recipe is really straight forward and easy to make.
- Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions – I like them al dente.
- Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces (about 1 inch) and fry until crispy.
- Make the cheese sauce.
- Then stir together the noodles, cheese sauce and bacon – and pour into the casserole pan.
- Mix bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top.
- Then bake for about 25 minutes.
The casserole pan gets baked in the oven til the breadcrumb topping is golden brown, then you can top it with a little fresh parsley for garnish.
How to Make Cheese Sauce
If you’ve never made macaroni and cheese from scratch before, making the homemade cheese sauce is the part that’s the most tricky. Make sure to use sharp cheddar cheese for the most flavor, then we’re adding Swiss cheese and parmesan cheese to really take it up a notch.
- In heavy saucepan melt the butter and whisk in the flour. This is called the roux.
- Then whisk in the milk (I recommend using 2% or whole milk for more flavor) and bring the mixture to a gentle boil as you stir constantly and the mixture thickens. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheese adding a handful or so at a time. When you add in the cheese, go slowly – otherwise it can curdle instead of melt.
The cheese sauce is creamy, smooth and absolutely delicious. I love adding a little dried mustard powder for extra flavor, but that’s totally up to you.
So if you’re looking for a way to switch up your classic macaroni and cheese recipe – definitely go for this bacon macaroni and cheese. It’s such a delicious cheesy dinner recipe that your whole family will love.
If you’re looking for more cheesy dinner ideas, make sure to try these favorites:
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- 8 slices bacon
- 2 cups macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Swiss cheese grated
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
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Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and grease a 2 quart casserole pan.
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Cut the bacon into small bite-sized pieces and fry until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
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Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
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In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour for 2-3 minutes until no lumps remain.
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Add in the milk and while whisking bring to a gentle boil. Allow the mixture to gently boil while constantly stirring for 8-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula about 1/2 cup at a time
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Pour the noodles and bacon (except for a few pieces for sprinkling on top) into the bowl and stir everything together.
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Pour into the casserole pan.
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In a medium bowl stir together the bread crumbs and melted butter, then sprinkle on top of the casserole and add a few more pieces of bacon on top.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top looks golden.
Cheesy Dinner Ideas
Cheesy Appetizers and Sides
- Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits by What Smells So Good?
- Guinness and Caramelized Onion Cheese Ball by Palatable Pastime
- Irish Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Cheesy Main Courses
- Bacon Macaroni and Cheese by Sunday Supper Movement
- Cheddar Cheese Souffle by Pies and Plots
- Cheesy Cheeseburgers by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Cheesy Spaghetti Stuffed Meatloaf by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Easy Cheesy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes by My Fearless Kitchen
- Easy Chicken Parmesan Skillet by Jersey Girl Cooks
- Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Zucchini by Caroline’s Cooking
- Saucy Beef and Cheese Stuffed Jumbo Shells by Hot Eats and Cool Reads
- Vegan Stuffed Shells by From the Bookshelf
All I can say is … YES, PLEASE!