Bacon Mac and Cheese

Wren’s Little Nest
by Wren’s Little Nest
6-8 Servings
45 min

Mac and cheese is one of those classic staple meals that you just can’t go wrong with. It’s perfect as a main dish or served up as a delicious side. As a kid this was probably my most requested meal, and it still holds true today for my family! Although my kids do enjoy the occasional boxed macaroni and “cheese” nothing quite compares to the rich, creamy, cheesy homemade variety. I like to add bacon to mine for some extra flavor and texture, as well as cutting some of the dairy with chicken broth. You could also easily substitute the cheddar cheese for any other kind of cheese, but sometimes nothing beats a good classic!

When you make the base for the cheese sauce it should be thick enough to coat a spoon without running off.

The finished cheese sauce. This also tastes wonderful over broccoli and cauliflower.

A bit of bacon for some extra colour and texture.

And there you have a beautiful homemade creamy, decadent macaroni and cheese that the whole family is sure to enjoy!

Recipe details
  • 6-8  Servings
  • Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 45 min
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Ingredients
For the cheese sauce
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups grated cheese
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • A tiny pinch of nutmeg
For the Macaroni
  • 1 box elbow macaroni
  • 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
Instructions
For the sauce
Melt the butter over medium heat.
Slowly add in the flower and whisk constantly until a thick and smooth.
Slowly add in the broth, cream and spices. Again constantly stirring. After a few minutes the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
Remove from heat and add in the shredded cheese. Continue to stir until all of the cheese has melted into a beautiful creamy and cheesy sauce!
Stir in the bacon, and the sauce is done!
For the noodles
While you are working on the sauce cook the noodles according to the package directions.
When the noodles are cooked, drain them and add to the cheese sauce. Give everything a good stir and enjoy!
Tips
  • This macaroni and cheese also tastes amazing baked in the oven. Simply follow the steps above, transfer to a greased casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs and melted butter. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
  • If you want to add even more flavor to this dish you can substitute the butter with some reserved bacon fat.
Comments
  • Mikefitz Mikefitz on Jan 15, 2023

    So how much cheese do I buy to make 3 cups of grated cheese?

    • Nanfree Nanfree on Apr 08, 2023

      I would look at the already grated cheese packages to see the weight. They usually show how many cups in a bag of grated cheese. Then buy the block of cheese accordingly.

  • Nanfree Nanfree on Apr 08, 2023

    The macaroni I purchase comes in a bag. Can you give the weight of a box of macaroni please?

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