Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
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Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese had a creamy and delicious flavor from four types of cheese plus a salty and smoky flavor from the bacon. It’s the perfect comfort food!
I will be the first to say that I am not a macaroni and cheese snob. I love a box of old Kraft mac n cheese as much as a batch of homemade.
I would say 90% of the time we just go for the boxed mac and cheese but every once in a while I like to make my own version. I’ve made several really good versions in the past.
One of my favorites is this easy Stove Top Mac n Cheese. I also make a delicious Pumpkin Mac n Cheese in the fall. For something with a little bit a spice I really like this Jalapeno Popper Mac n Cheese. I’ve even gone so far as to make a vegan Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese recipe.
Years ago I went to a food blogger conference and they had a mac n cheese recipe contest. I decided I had to enter and wanted to make something over the top.
What type of cheese is best for mac n cheese?
There are so many different types of cheese that work in mac n cheese depending on what flavor profile you are going for. Start with a good base cheese that is creamy. These include cheddar, Havarti, Monterrey Jack, or Gruyere. Then add a flavor enhancing cheese like Parmesan, Fontina, or Gouda. You can even add Blue cheese or Goat cheese to give your pasta a bit of a bite.
I decided I wanted a ton of cheese flavor. I used a base flavor of cheddar cheese because that’s my go to cheese in any macaroni dish. Then I used both Parmesan and fontina as my flavor enhancers.
I then added in cream cheese for additional creaminess. To add more flavor and a hint of saltiness I tossed in some crispy bacon.
I often find the use of cream to be too heavy in an already heavy pasta dish and instead opted for whole milk and some flour to thicken it up. Then I added a crunchy topping for some texture.
Do I have to add the crunchy topping?
No. If you just want a creamy mac n cheese don’t put the crunchy topping on the top. It’s totally optional but it really adds some good flavor to the pasta.
Ingredients:
- pasta (the classic pasta shape is elbow macaroni noodles but I like to use spiral rotini as well)
- bacon (If you want to make this a vegetarian macaroni and cheese you can skip the bacon)
- shallots (You can also use onion in place of the shallots)
- garlic cloves (Using fresh garlic cloves will add more flavor than already chopped garlic in a jar but you can use either one)
- all purpose flour (This is simply used to thicken up the cheese sauce)
- milk (I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe but you can use low fat milk or half and half. While you can use plant based milk be aware your sauce will be thinner)
- Fontina cheese (This adds a rich and creamy flavor with just a bit of tanginess. If you don’t have Fontina you can use Swiss or Gruyere cheese)
- Parmesan cheese (Use a block of parmesan you shred yourself or buy shredded parmesan. Do not use the powdered Parmesan cheese)
- Cheddar cheese (Cheddar is the base of the cheese sauce and there really is not a good substitute.)
- cream cheese (Cream cheese adds flavor and makes the sauce smooth and creamy. You can substitute ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, or even Greek yogurt for the cream cheese)
- salt and pepper
- nutmeg (Nutmeg adds a bit of depth and flavor to white sauces and can make them actually taste lighter.)
To make the macaroni and cheese preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and pour into the prepared pan. Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is browned on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Pour 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and saute. Add in the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add in the flour and stir for one minute.
Slowly add the milk to the pan, whisking after each addition, until the sauce is well blended. Keep adding milk and stirring until the sauce is well combined. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add in the cream cheese, Fontina, cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese and mix until combined. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix well.
Crumble the bacon into the sauce and pour over top of the macaroni in the baking dish. Mix and bake for 30 minutes.
The end result was delicious. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and flavorful. All the different cheeses have their own flavor but they came together in this dish and paired well with the bacon and crunchy topping.
How do you store macaroni and cheese?
Store the macaroni and cheese in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When ready to eat simply add a tablespoon of milk, stir, and heat in the microwave until warmed.
I was glad I made a huge batch of it and neither my husband nor I minded eating the leftovers for the next few days. It was perfect as lunch or as a side dish with a protein.
Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese:
- 12 oz. pasta
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 shallots peeled and minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup shredded fontina cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For the Topping:
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta noodles according to the package directions. Drain and pour into the baking dish.
- Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until it is browned on both sides. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of bacon grease into a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Add in the shallots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Pour the flour into the pan and mix well to blend.
- Slowly add in the milk a little at a time, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and immediately stir in the cream cheese, mixing until it is completely blended. Add in the other cheeses and stir until combined. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix well.
- Crumble the bacon and add to the cheese sauce.
- Pour the cheese sauce over top of the elbow macaroni and stir until combined. Set aside.
- Melt the butter for the topping for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir in the garlic cloves, salt, pepper, paprika, and breadcrumbs. The mixture should be crumbly.
- Sprinkle the topping over top of the macaroni and cheese. Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Notes