Indulge in a culinary delight with the irresistible Bacon Macaroni and Cheese, an exquisite dish that elevates comfort food to a new level. This tantalizing recipe starts with a luscious béchamel sauce, carefully crafted with butter, flour, and milk for a creamy and flavorful base. The addition of bacon adds a smoky and savory richness that perfectly complements the gooey cheese. Premium cheddar cheese is generously incorporated, melting into a golden, bubbly masterpiece. But the true star of the show is the crispy cheddar French fried onion crust, a crunchy topping that adds an irresistible textural contrast to each indulgent bite. Prepare to be captivated by the harmonious blend of flavors and textures in this exceptional dish, guaranteed to satisfy your cravings and leave you yearning for more.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CHEDDAR-BACON MAC AND CHEESE
Creamy, cheesy, and quick . . . it's everything you need.
Provided by Kraft
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese
Time 40m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook on medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; cook and stir 5 min. or until melted.
- Drain macaroni. Add to sauce with bacon; mix lightly. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole; top with remaining cheese.
- Bake 20 min. or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385.1 calories, Carbohydrate 30 g, Cholesterol 59.9 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 16.5 g, SaturatedFat 13.5 g, Sodium 411.3 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND BACON
Very intense, rich dish due to the sharpness of the cheeses melded with spicy, creamy, and tangy flavors.
Provided by lalala71
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork
Time 1h20m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add macaroni and cook for 8 minutes (noodles will still be slightly hard). Drain noodles and transfer to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of butter and toss to coat. Whisk together the sour cream, egg, and cream cheese; add to the pasta and mix well. Stir in 3 cups of grated Asiago and 3 cups of grated Cheddar cheese, reserving the remaining 2 cups of cheese for the topping.
- Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate and chop into small pieces.
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Stir 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, and garlic into the bacon drippings in the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Mix the cooked bacon, parsley, and panko breadcrumbs into the onions, transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in the ground mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove sauce from heat and let cool for five minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring well. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Top cheese with the onion breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until bubbling, hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 941.8 calories, Carbohydrate 56.6 g, Cholesterol 197 mg, Fat 59.5 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 45.6 g, SaturatedFat 36.3 g, Sodium 1475.4 mg, Sugar 7.2 g
CLASSIC BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Think Stouffer's without the freezer. While it can be enjoyed straight from the pot, this macaroni and cheese has a slightly looser sauce than the stovetop variety to allow for thickening in the oven. Bread crumbs, while optional, make it truly spectacular.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, lunch, casseroles, pastas, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
- Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
- Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1076, UnsaturatedFat 24 grams, Carbohydrate 85 grams, Fat 61 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 31 grams, Sodium 1027 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 1 gram
FRENCH ONION MACARONI AND CHEESE
This outrageously good macaroni and cheese fuses two classic comfort foods into one dish. Caramelizing onions can be a time-consuming affair, but here, the process is sped up by using high heat and and a little water to prevent scorching. The sauce is made with a combination of Gruyère, to remind you of French onion soup, and white Cheddar, to make it melty and smooth. Instead of topping the dish with a dusting of diminutive bread crumbs, it's dotted with Gruyère toasts that become melty and crisp after a few minutes under the broiler. (You'll want to slide a sheet pan underneath before baking, in case some of the sauce bubbles over.) This is over-the-top richness at its best.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, casseroles, pastas, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (If you're planning to bake the macaroni and cheese in a baking dish instead of a skillet, butter 9-by-13-inch baking dish or other 3-quart casserole.)
- Meanwhile, in a deep, large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, baking sheet or foil and cook, stirring once or twice, until the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. If the onions look dry, add a few tablespoons of water at a time to prevent them from burning, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the skillet. (You will need to do this several times.)
- While the onions are cooking, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain and set aside. Rub one side of each baguette slice with garlic.
- When the onions are a deep golden brown, discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and deglaze the skillet with the vinegar until evaporated, scraping up browned bits as you go, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour begins to stick to the bottom of the pan and has turned a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking often.
- Reserve 1 cup of the Gruyère. Carefully add the remaining Gruyère and all the Cheddar to the caramelized onion mixture and carefully stir until melted. If your pan is big enough, add the cooked pasta and stir to combine, or combine the sauce and pasta in the prepared dish.
- Spread the pasta mixture in an even layer in the prepared dish, then top with the baguette slices, garlic-side up. Sprinkle the toasts with the reserved 1 cup Gruyère and season with pepper. Place the skillet or dish on a sheet pan and bake until bubbly and brown in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. If you like a crispier top, broil for a few minutes. Let cool slightly, then garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
BACON AND MACARONI
I've prepared this dish on the stovetop and in the microwave...either way, it's a down-home dinner that my husband can't resist. The blend of bacon and cheese is unbeatable. - Stephanie Savage, Rushville, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large skillet, cook bacon; drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, sugar, garlic powder and pepper to drippings; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in macaroni; heat through, stirring occasionally. Combine cheese and remaining parsley; sprinkle over casserole. , Microwave Directions: In a 2-qt. microwave-safe baking dish, heat bacon on high for 2-1/2 minutes; discard fat. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes more or until bacon is crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings; stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, sugar, garlic powder and pepper. , Cover and cook on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in macaroni; cover and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Combine cheese and remaining parsley; sprinkle over casserole.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 307 calories, Fat 24g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 29mg cholesterol, Sodium 597mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 7g protein.
BACON MACARONI AND CHEESE
Crisp bacon and Gouda instantly infuse the classic comfort-food dish with rich, smoky flavor. The best part? Everything is made in one pot. Try our four delicious variations next: Classic Mac, Mushroom-Fontina Mac, Jalapeno Mac, and Primavera Mac.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and crumble (discard bacon fat).
- Heat broiler. In a large straight-sided, oven-safe skillet, melt butter. Remove 1 tablespoon butter and combine with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
- Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Very gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer. Add macaroni and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining cheese and the bacon and mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 673 g, Fat 36 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 34 g, SaturatedFat 20 g
Tips:
- Use a good quality bacon. The flavor of the bacon will shine through in the final dish, so don't skimp on quality.
- Cook the bacon until it's crispy. This will give the macaroni and cheese a nice smoky flavor and help to prevent the bacon from getting lost in the cheese sauce.
- Use a sharp cheddar cheese. This will give the macaroni and cheese a nice sharp flavor.
- Make sure the cheese sauce is thick and creamy. This will help to hold the macaroni and cheese together and prevent it from becoming too watery.
- Don't overcook the macaroni. You want the macaroni to be cooked through, but still have a little bit of a bite to it.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. You can add other vegetables to the macaroni and cheese, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or peas. You can also use different types of cheese, such as Gruyère or Parmesan.
- Serve the macaroni and cheese hot and bubbly. This is the best way to enjoy it!
Conclusion:
Bacon macaroni and cheese with béchamel sauce and cheddar French fried onion crust is a delicious and comforting dish that is perfect for any occasion. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give this recipe a try!
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