I love gourmet Mac & Cheese dishes. There are so many ways to modify your basic Mac & Cheese. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a good Velveeta Mac & Cheese in a pinch. But nothing compares to a homemade gourmet Mac & Cheese. And this Blue Cheese Bacon Mac & Cheese does not disappoint.
For this Mac & Cheese, I decided to use Blue Cheese as the main ingredient. I realize not everyone cares for the taste (or smell!) of Blue Cheese but this Mac & Cheese tastes awesome! Plus it has bacon and we all know everything tastes better with Bacon!
💭 What is Al Dente
When making Mac and Cheese, it's important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term "al dente", it means cooking the pasta so it's still chewy and form and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
If you've ever wondered what part of the pig Bacon comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?
🥓 How to Make Bacon
If you struggle to make bacon perfectly, I've put together a short tutorial on How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways. Check it out! My preferred method is baking it in the oven.
And don't throw away that bacon grease! Bacon is expensive and the grease is great for making Scrambled Eggs, Grilled Cheese, Popcorn and even hash browns. It can keep up to 3 months if properly stored in the refrigerator.
For more great recipes like this one, I suggest you check these recipes out:
📋 What Ingredients will I need
You will need the following ingredients to make this Blue Cheese Bacon Mac & Cheese recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Pasta, Milk, Heavy Cream, Unsalted Butter, All Purpose Flour, Salt, Blue Cheese, Bacon, Ground Black Pepper and Soda Crackers.
🥣 How to Make Blue Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9 x 13 dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
In another pot, bring milk and cream to a boil then reduce to low heat.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, metal butter, whisk in the flour for 5 minutes. Add milk mixture and mix well.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in ¾ of the Blue Cheese and mix well until the cheese has melted.
Add bacon and penne pasta to cheese mixture and toss.
Pour pasta mixture into greased baking dish and top with remaining Blue Cheese and crushed crackers.
Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
Top with pepper and serve.
Blue Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz Penne Pasta
- 2 Cups Milk
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 6 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 10 oz Blue Cheese
- 1 lb Bacon, Cooked and Crumbled
- Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
- ½ Sleeve Soda Crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9 x 13 dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
- In another pot, bring milk and cream to a boil then reduce to low heat.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, metal butter, whisk in flour for 5 minutes. Add milk mixture and mix well.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in ¾ of the Blue Cheese and mix well until cheese has melted.
- Add bacon and penne pasta to cheese mixture and toss.
- Pour pasta mixture into greased baking dish and top with remaining Blue Cheese and crushed crackers.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
- Top with pepper and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
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