Bacon Mac and Cheese

A savory mixture of crispy bacon and bread crumbs tops this decadent, 3-cheese mac and cheese casserole, making it an ideal choice when you're craving comfort food.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 404 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 ½ cups milk
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 5 tablespoons salted butter

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

At the same time, cook bacon in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat until it starts to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add panko and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 4

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add milk slowly, whisking continuously, until sauce is smooth. Bring to a simmer.

Step 5

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add Gruyere, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir and cook until cheeses have fully melted, about 3 minutes.

Step 6

Add drained pasta and stir until coated. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle bacon-panko mixture over top.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.