Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe With Bacon

Servings: Server 4 to 6

When looking for inspiration for my macaroni and cheeses, I turned to stuffed potatoes and omelets, believing that what works well with eggs and potatoes would be delicious with pasta, too. Boy, was I right! Bacon, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions are classic additions to stuffed potatoes, and with pasta they're perfection.

This recipe is excerpted from Mother's Best.

Ingredients

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
1 lb.fusilli (corkscrew) or other pasta
3/4 lb. bacon, diced
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups firmly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 lb.)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, (white and green parts), for garnish

Preparation

Bring a medium (6- to 8-quart) pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea). Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (but don't rinse, or you'll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce) and return to the empty pot.
Meanwhile, place a large (12- to 14-inch) sauté pan over high heat for several minutes. When hot, add the bacon and sauté until browned and crispy (lower the heat to medium-high if necessary to prevent scorching), about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.
Pour off the fat from the pan (into a metal can or heatproof cup, not down the drain or you'll potentially clog your pipes) and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the cream is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes.
Add the Cheddar cheese and bacon. Stir well and cook over medium-high heat, stirring now and then, until the cheese has melted and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
Stir the sauce into the cooked and drained pasta in the pot. Place over medium heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow the pasta to absorb the flavors, stirring now and then.
Serve in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Lorraine Mac and Cheese: You can easily change up this recipe by using the classic flavors of a quiche Lorraine for inspiration. You just have to add caramelized onions and substitute Swiss cheese for the Cheddar. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. grease from the cooked bacon. Add 2 cups of finely sliced yellow onions and sauté over medium heat until soft, brown, and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Pour in the 3 cups of cream and continue with the recipe, substituting firmly packed shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese for the Cheddar. If you have cooked, crumbled bacon and caramelized onions on hand, the recipe is even easier. When stirring the cheese into the reduced cream, just add 1 cup bacon crumbles and 1/2 cup caramelized onions, too. Then proceed with the recipe.

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Reviews (8 reviews)

SikaB | 01/26/2020

Definitely the best macaroni and cheese recipe I've made. Super rich, and I could feel my arteries clog as I made it. That said, the flavor was worth the sacrifice. I substituted whole grain macaroni noodles to atone for my sins. It didn't help. Yummy comfort food, and the kids loved it too.
SocorroW | 01/03/2019

I followed the recipe to the T, it has good flavor but I thought it needed more ooomph. Next time, I'll add more cheese.

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Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe With Bacon

Source: https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/bacon-and-cheddar-macaroni-cheese

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