This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Packed with flavor from a creamy homemade cheese sauce, crispy bacon, and buttery breadcrumbs, my Southern Baked Mac and Cheese recipe will change the way you think about baked mac and cheese recipes. It’s easy, tasty, and best of all, cheesy, the ultimate comfort food! Ready in 1 hour to serve with your weeknight suppers or over the holidays.
Jump to:
Southern Mac and Cheese
If you have kids, I bet you can guess what meal mine always asked for when they were growing up! But, who could blame them? There is nothing quite like a filling bowl of mac and cheese, especially when it’s homemade.
The only thing that could make it better in my opinion, and definitely in the opinions of my kids, is crispy bacon and breadcrumbs. This Southern Baked Mac and Cheese is a labor of love, and I know it’s going to be a favorite of yours, too!
Bacon adds an irresistible layer of smoky flavor to Southern style mac. Combined with jalapenos, red bell peppers, and the creamiest cheese sauce for mac and cheese you will ever try, it is filling and oh-so delicious! Bake it until the breadcrumbs are nice and golden, and you have a gorgeous dinner your family will crave again and again. Make extra, you’ll want it!
Southern Style Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Bacon – you can make it ahead of time if you want! Try my air fryer bacon recipe for crispy, easy bacon.
- Cavatappi noodles, or elbow macaroni according to preference
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
- Garlic
- Dried thyme
- Bay leaf
- Onion
- Mustard powder
- Jalapeno pepper
- Red bell pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- White pepper
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Aged gouda cheese
- Cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Breadcrumbs
For this baked mac and cheese with bacon, I use a combination of sharp cheddar, aged gouda, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese. These cheeses pair so well with bell pepper and Jalapenos, and come together to create an incredibly creamy mac and cheese sauce.
But, you can use any kind of cheese you like as long as it melts well. Emmental, fontina, and gruyere work well as well in this southern baked macaroni, and I have also used monterey jack and colby jack when they’re what I have on hand. Even better if you top it with crumbled candied bacon!
You can shred cheese yourself, or use pre-shredded cheese. Grating it yourself will give it a better texture for melting, but either works well.
One of the best things about this mac and cheese recipe is that it doesn’t use any eggs or heavy cream, and is still so velvety and creamy without being overly rich!
Oven Baked Mac and Cheese Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large pot on the stove, bring water to a boil and salt it generously. Add pasta and cook for approximately 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is still warm, toss it with 4 Tablespoons butter in a large bowl, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, combine milk, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, onion, and dry mustard. Cook over medium-low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes.
- At this point, remove the pan from the heat. Let it sit for about 15 minutes while you complete the following steps, so the flavors infuse in the milk.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy on each side to your liking. Remove from the skillet and let the bacon drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Saute the jalapeño and bell pepper in the same skillet until soft. Once soft, remove to a small bowl and wipe the skillet clean.
- Strain the milk, and discard the solid infusers.
- Add the remaining butter to your clean skillet, and melt fully. Once melted, add flour and whisk over medium heat for 4-5 minutes to create a roux. Do not let it brown.
- Very slowly whisk the infused milk into the roux. Make sure to do this slowly to avoid any clumps. Continue to cook while whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat and season with kosher salt and white pepper.
- Add the cream cheese, cheddar, and gouda cheese to the mixture. Stir until all the cheese melts and reaches the consistency of a cheese sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta, peppers, and half of the bacon. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- You can bake this in the skillet (as long as it is oven-safe), or transfer your Southern style mac and cheese to an oven-proof casserole dish. This is up to your preference!
- In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the dish. Top with remaining bacon.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Let the baked mac and cheese rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe Tips
- You can use any types of cheese you prefer that melts well. Cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan make for a filling combination that pairs very well with smoky bacon.
- Make sure to slowly add the milk while stirring so it doesn’t curdle. Mix it in gradually while stirring and not all at once, or your sauce will break.
- Slowly add the cheese, too- only half a cup at a time, while mixing. Otherwise, it may also curdle.
- To save some time, make the bacon ahead of time using my air fryer bacon recipe or your preferred homemade bacon.
Southern Mac and Cheese Recipe FAQ
Absolutely. To make southern style mac and cheese in advance, prepare the mac and cheese as instructed, but do not top with breadcrumbs or bacon. Add the mac and cheese to a baking dish and allow to cool. Once cooled, wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to bake, add the breadcrumbs and bacon, and bake as instructed for about 30-35 minutes, or until browned and bubbly on top and heated through.
No ingredients need to be adjusted. For example, if you want to make double the servings, simply double the ingredients used and separate it into two baking dishes. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may not be able to prepare it all at once, however.
If you don’t want to use white pepper, or don’t have any on hand, feel free to use other spices, such as black pepper or a dash of cayenne pepper (though this will make your mac and cheese even hotter!).
Freezing Mac and Cheese
You can freeze mac and cheese right in the baking dish. First, allow it to cool completely. Then, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer. Label with the freezing date. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer and can be reheated in the oven at baking temperature after thawing.
Mac and Cheese Recipes
Best Pasta Recipes
- Pink Pasta Sauce with Sausage
- Creamy Penne Pasta with Prime Rib
- Baked Ziti with Sausage
- Spaghetti in One Pot
Pin it for later!
Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!Recipe
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
- Strainer
- Casserole dish optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound cavatappi noodles or elbow noodles
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf grated
- 1 small onion peeled
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- kosher salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
- 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 cups grated aged gouda cheese
- 8 oz block of cream cheese cut into small pieces
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large pot on the stove, bring water to a boil and salt it generously. Add pasta and cook for approximately 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drain the pasta.1 pound cavatappi noodles
- While the pasta is still warm, toss it with 4 Tablespoons butter in a large bowl, and set aside.8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- In a large skillet, combine milk, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, onion, and dry mustard. Cook over medium-low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes.4 cups whole milk, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 small onion, 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- At this point, remove the pan from the heat. Let it sit for about 15 minutes while you complete the following steps, so the flavors infuse in the milk.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy on each side to your liking. Remove from the skillet and let the bacon drain on a plate lined with paper towels.1 pound thick-cut bacon
- Saute the jalapeño and bell pepper in the same skillet until soft. Once soft, remove to a small bowl and wipe the skillet clean.1 medium jalapeño pepper, 1 medium red bell pepper
- Strain the milk, and discard the solid infusers.
- Add the remaining butter to your clean skillet, and melt fully. Once melted, add flour and whisk over medium heat for 4-5 minutes to create a roux. Do not let it brown.8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Very slowly whisk the infused milk into the roux. Make sure to do this slowly to avoid any clumps. Continue to cook while whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat and season with kosher salt and white pepper.kosher salt, white pepper
- Add the cream cheese, cheddar, and gouda cheese to the mixture. Stir until all the cheese melts and reaches the consistency of a cheese sauce.3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, 8 oz block of cream cheese, 3 cups grated aged gouda cheese
- Add the cooked pasta, peppers, and half of the bacon. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- You can bake this in the skillet (as long as it is oven-safe), or transfer your Southern style mac and cheese to an oven-proof casserole dish. This is up to your preference!
- In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the dish. Top with remaining bacon.½ cup parmesan cheese, ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Let the baked mac and cheese rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use any types of cheese you prefer that melts well. Cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan make for a filling combination that pairs very well with smoky bacon.
- Make sure to slowly add the milk while stirring so it doesn’t curdle. Mix it in gradually while stirring and not all at once, or your sauce will break.
- Slowly add the cheese, too- only half a cup at a time, while mixing. Otherwise, it may also curdle.
- To save some time, make the bacon ahead of time using my air fryer bacon recipe or your preferred homemade bacon.
Andrea says
All I can say is … YES, PLEASE!