Indulge in a culinary delight with a unique twist on a classic comfort food – Bacon White Cheddar Pesto Mac and Cheese. This luscious dish seamlessly blends the richness of bacon, the sharpness of white cheddar, and the aromatic freshness of pesto to create a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. The creaminess of the cheese sauce, the smoky bacon bits, and the vibrant pesto come together in perfect harmony to elevate this classic dish to a new level of culinary excellence. Whether you're a fan of traditional mac and cheese or seeking an adventurous twist, this recipe is guaranteed to satisfy your cravings. Find the complete recipe with step-by-step instructions and additional variations, including a vegetarian option, inside this article. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will leave you craving more.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PESTO MAC AND CHEESE
A swirl of basil pesto brings so much flavor to this classic comfort food! This pesto mac and cheese features Havarti cheese for ultra creaminess.
Provided by Sonja Overhiser
Categories Main Dish
Time 20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook just until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour to create a paste. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheese and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Fold in the pesto.
- Add the pasta, stirring to combine, and cook just until the pasta is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 425 calories, Sugar 6.7 g, Sodium 370.3 mg, Fat 13.2 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, TransFat 0.1 g, Carbohydrate 52.6 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 23.5 g, Cholesterol 33.7 mg
MAC 'N CHEESE WITH BACON AND CHEESE
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.
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
SLOW-COOKER BACON MAC & CHEESE
I'm all about easy slow-cooker meals. Using more cheese than ever, I've developed an addictive spin on this casserole favorite. -Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 3h20m
Yield 18 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients until blended. Stir in pasta and cheeses; transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker., Cook, covered, on low until pasta is tender, 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Turn off slow cooker; remove insert. Let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes before serving. Top with bacon.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 272 calories, Fat 14g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 59mg cholesterol, Sodium 400mg sodium, Carbohydrate 24g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 13g protein.
MAC 'N CHEESE WITH BACON AND WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE
This is a recipe we have been making for awhile now. The original recipe was from Tyler Florence. My family loves the white cheddar and bacon in the dish; it gives this macaroni and cheese a very unique, but comforting, flavor. This is most definitely not a 'light' recipe as we use extra sharp white cheddar and whole milk and always add extra bacon. It comes out bubbly and creamy and no one can wait to dig in.
Provided by TheShields
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cook the elbow macaroni until al dente, 8 or 9 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat milk with 3 sprigs of thyme and 4 cloves of crushed garlic in a small pan, do not boil the milk.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves from the milk then whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture.
- Continue to cook until the mixture is smooth, whisking constantly. Once smooth, stir in 4-1/2 cups of the white cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in the cooked macaroni and the chopped parsley. Stir to coat the macaroni and incorporate all ingredients then pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook bacon until crispy. Then add the onion, the remaining two cloves of garlic (chopped) and the remaining thyme (leaves only this time). Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- When the macaroni and cheese comes out of the oven, spread the bacon and onion mixture over the top, serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1102.3, Fat 66.9, SaturatedFat 38.8, Cholesterol 192.1, Sodium 1095.6, Carbohydrate 72.7, Fiber 3, Sugar 3.2, Protein 51.7
Tips:
- For a creamier sauce, use half-and-half or heavy cream instead of milk.
- If you don't have white cheddar cheese on hand, you can use a combination of sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- To make the pesto ahead of time, simply combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can chop the basil, pine nuts, and garlic by hand.
- Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, then drain and set it aside.
- While the macaroni is cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until the sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the white cheddar cheese, pesto, cooked macaroni, and bacon until combined.
- Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until the macaroni and cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let the macaroni and cheese cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Conclusion:
Bacon White Cheddar Pesto Mac and Cheese is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. The combination of bacon, white cheddar cheese, and pesto gives this macaroni and cheese a unique and flavorful twist. This dish is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it!
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