Bacon Mac and Cheese
Macaroni in a thick cheddar sauce with crisp bacon, topped with breadcrumbs and cooked for 20 minutes.
Storing and Planning Ahead
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk.
How to Make Bacon Mac and Cheese
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. Boil the macaroni for 2 minutes less than the packet says and drain.
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Fry the bacon for 8 minutes until crisp, drain on paper and pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat.
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Melt the butter in the pan, stir in the flour for 1 minute, whisk in the milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 200 g of the cheddar, the mustard powder, pepper and nutmeg.
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Fold in the macaroni and bacon, tip into a dish and top with the breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar. Cook for 20 minutes until golden.
A Few Pointers
- Warm the milk before whisking it in.
- Take the sauce off the heat before the cheese.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 15 minutes.
- Undercook the macaroni.
Behind the Recipe
Bacon does for mac and cheese what salt does for chips: it sharpens everything. The fat in the pan can start the sauce, which is a good use of something you would otherwise discard.
Fry the bacon until crisp, then pour off all but a spoonful of the fat. Melt the butter into it, stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then whisk in warm milk a little at a time. Warm milk goes in smoothly; cold milk makes lumps.
Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until it coats a spoon, then take it off the heat and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time. Add mustard powder, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Fold in the macaroni, cooked 2 minutes short of tender, and the bacon. Tip into a dish and top with the breadcrumbs and a little more cheese. Cook at 200°C for 20 minutes until golden. If your oven runs hot, check at 15 minutes.
What to Put Next to It
Green salad · Steamed broccoli · Coleslaw · Pulled pork
Questions About Bacon Mac and Cheese
How long does Bacon Mac and Cheese take to make?
About 35 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Bacon Mac and Cheese?
Warm the milk before whisking it in. Take the sauce off the heat before the cheese. If your oven runs hot, check at 15 minutes. Undercook the macaroni.
What should I serve with Bacon Mac and Cheese?
Green salad; Steamed broccoli; Coleslaw; Pulled pork.
How should Bacon Mac and Cheese be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk.
Is Bacon Mac and Cheese suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Bacon Mac and Cheese?
About 576 kcal per serving, with 28 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate and 28 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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