This bacon mac and cheese is luxuriously creamy and packed with cheese and bacon — my most decadent version yet. The smoky, crispy bacon brings texture and bold flavor to a silky, saucy macaroni that everyone will love. This is a true one-pot meal: the pasta cooks right in the pot with flavorful chicken broth, cutting out the need to drain and allowing the noodles to soak up more taste.
The method is simple: brown the bacon, keep a little of the bacon fat to sauté garlic, then cook the pasta in seasoned chicken broth. Finish by stirring in butter, cream cheese, sharp cheddar, parmesan and a splash of milk or cream for an irresistibly smooth finish. Crumble a few bacon pieces back in at the end for a final hit of savory crunch.
What You’ll Need
- 2 teaspoons garlic (about 2 cloves), minced
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, meaty
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2½ cups uncooked macaroni
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese (½ cup)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup milk or cream
Making Fabulous Bacon Mac and Cheese
Start by frying the bacon in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy pot until it is browned and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve about one tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan. That fat, along with the garlic cooked in it, creates a rich base of flavor that infuses the whole dish.
Next, turn the heat to low and gently sauté the minced garlic in the reserved bacon fat for about two minutes to release its aroma without burning. Then raise the heat and add the chicken broth, uncooked macaroni, paprika, salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low (a setting of about 3–4 on many stovetops), cover, and cook for five minutes.
Stir the pasta, cover again, and lower the heat to keep the pot at a gentle simmer. Cook an additional five minutes; by now most of the liquid should be absorbed and the macaroni tender. If the pasta seems dry or undercooked, add a little more broth and continue to cook briefly, watching carefully so the dish doesn’t become soupy.
Turn off the heat. Add the butter, shredded cheddar and cream cheese to the hot pasta, stir, and cover the pot for five minutes with the heat off. This resting time lets the cheeses melt evenly and creates a smooth, creamy texture without overheating the dairy.
Uncover and stir until the cheeses are fully incorporated. Add the parmesan, milk or cream, and the crumbled bacon, stirring until everything is evenly combined. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary, then serve immediately while the mac and cheese is warm, creamy, and saucy.
FAQs
What if my mac and cheese is too dry?
If the finished mac and cheese is dry, simply stir in a little extra chicken broth or a splash of milk or cream until you reach the desired creaminess. When cooking the pasta, keep a close eye so it doesn’t overcook or evaporate all the liquid. Don’t add extra milk or cream until you turn the heat off to avoid curdling; add dairy at the end and mix gently.
How do I keep it from becoming runny?
Add liquid gradually and stop when the texture is creamy and saucy — not soupy. The resting step with the lid on and the heat off helps the cheeses melt smoothly and thickens the sauce without separating.
Recipe
Bacon Mac and Cheese
Servings: 4 • Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 30 minutes • Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2½ cups uncooked macaroni
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt, more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup milk or cream
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon for 5–10 minutes until browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel and reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
- Reduce heat to low and add the minced garlic to the bacon fat. Cook about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Increase heat, add chicken broth, pasta, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Bring just short of a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 5 minutes.
- Stir, cover again, lower heat to low, and cook another 5 minutes. The pasta should be tender and most liquid absorbed.
- Turn off the heat. Add butter, cheddar and cream cheese, stir, and cover for 5 minutes with the heat off to melt the cheeses.
- Uncover and stir until smooth. Add parmesan, milk or cream, and crumbled bacon. Mix to combine, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 683 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Fat: 39 g (Saturated fat: 21 g)
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
- Sodium: 1433 mg
- Potassium: 452 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Vitamin A: 1063 IU
- Vitamin C: 13 mg
- Calcium: 469 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
If you make this bacon mac and cheese, please leave a comment to share what you loved or any tweaks you tried. Enjoy!
