Make this easy bacon mac and cheese recipe and your family will keep asking for more! It is seriously so good and so cheesy!

Elbow macaroni gets stirred into a simple, no roux sauce made with sharp cheddar, pepper jack and colby, tossed with crispy bacon and optional roasted green chile, then baked under a golden layer of cheddar and Parmesan.

The Best Bacon Mac n Cheese (Four Cheese and No Roux)

As a kid I grew up eating the Kraft Mac and Cheese with the orange powder. I remember going to my grandma’s house, where she would make it for all of us kids, and then she would have extra cheese powder to pour on top. I still don’t know where she bought it from, but I admit, I loved it! These days, the boxed mac and cheese doesn’t sit well with me, so I make my own delicious four cheese mac and cheese!

I have to tell you, though, getting a sauce I was happy with took a few attempts, with many of them ending up in the trash. I kept trying to make a roux and then adding in milk and cheese, only to have it turn out grainy and curdle. Even heating everything super slowly to prevent separation, I still couldn’t do it. So, instead, I made a cheese sauce that is super easy and tastes super good without the trouble of making a roux. WIN!

I think a roux would make a creamier sauce, so I might still try to figure that out and get back to you all, but until then this bacon mac and cheese recipe is delicious as is! I love the added bacon and green chile. If you don’t have green chile, no worries. The bacon adds lots of flavor on its own.

Why You’ll Love This Bacon Mac and Cheese

Four cheeses. Sharp cheddar, pepper jack, colby and Parmesan in every bite.
No roux needed. Butter, milk and cheese melt together into an easy sauce.
Bacon in every scoop. Crispy bacon is folded right into the noodles.
Side or main. Serve it next to dinner or fill a bowl and call it the main dish.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Bacon: Six thick slices, cooked and diced. Thick cut bacon stays meaty and doesn’t disappear into the sauce. Bake it in the oven or cook it in a skillet. Pat it dry on paper towels so the extra grease doesn’t make the sauce oily.
Elbow macaroni: One pound. The hollow tubes trap the cheese sauce inside and out. Cook it on the low end of the package time, since it keeps cooking in the oven.
Butter: Half a cup adds richness and helps the cheese sauce stay smooth and glossy. Use salted or unsalted; just taste before adding extra salt.
Milk: 2% or whole milk both work. Whole milk makes a slightly richer, creamier sauce.
Sharp cheddar cheese: The backbone of the flavor. Most of it melts into the sauce, and the rest goes on top to brown. Sharp cheddar has more tang than mild, so the dish tastes cheesy instead of bland.
Pepper jack cheese: Melts beautifully and adds a gentle kick from the peppers.
Colby cheese: Soft and mild, it melts into a creamy, smooth sauce. Monterey Jack is a good swap if you can’t find colby.
Parmesan cheese: Sprinkled on top, where it turns nutty and golden in the oven.
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and dry mustard powder: Seasoning for the sauce. Mustard powder doesn’t make it taste like mustard. It sharpens the cheese flavor so it really stands out.
Roasted green chile: Optional. Peeled and diced roasted green chile adds a smoky, mild heat that pairs perfectly with bacon. Canned diced green chiles work if you can’t find roasted.

Shredding your own cheese from blocks helps the sauce melt smoothly, since bagged shredded cheese has a coating that keeps the shreds from sticking together.

How to Make Bacon Mac and Cheese

Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet or in the oven until crisp. Dice it and set it aside.
Cook the pasta. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. If there’s a range, like 6 to 8 minutes, go for less time. The noodles cook more as everything bakes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Prep the dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish with butter or olive oil. It should be big and deep enough to fit all the noodles with a little space left over.
Make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the butter, milk, 2 cups of the sharp cheddar, the pepper jack and the colby. Heat over medium low, stirring often, until fully melted and smooth.
Season. Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and dry mustard powder.
Assemble. Pour the macaroni into the baking dish and add the bacon and green chile, if using. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
Top it. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar and all of the Parmesan over the top.
Bake. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the cheese starts to brown slightly.

Tip: As slow as it is to heat the cheese and milk over medium low heat, it helps keep the cheese from curdling and separating. Be patient and keep stirring.

Ways to Customize Bacon Mac and Cheese

Bake the bacon. Baking bacon in the oven is really easy and not super messy. See how in these loaded scalloped potatoes.
Turn up the heat. Add the full cup of roasted green chile, or use extra pepper jack in place of some colby.
Keep it mild. Skip the green chile and swap the pepper jack for more colby or cheddar.
Make it a meal. Serve it in a big bowl on a cold day. It is totally comfort food.

Bacon Mac and Cheese FAQs

Why is there no roux? Several roux attempts turned out grainy and curdled, so this recipe melts the cheese straight into butter and milk over low heat instead. It’s easier and still delicious.
Why did my cheese sauce turn grainy? The heat was likely too high. Keep it on medium low and stir often until the cheese melts.
What size dish do I need? A 3.6 quart dish, about 13 by 9 by 3 1/2 inches, holds everything with a little room to spare.
Can I skip the green chile? Yes. It’s optional, and the bacon adds lots of flavor on its own.
Can I add bacon to boxed Kraft mac and cheese? You can stir crumbled cooked bacon into any boxed mac and cheese, but this homemade four cheese version is creamier, cheesier and baked with a golden top.
How do I store leftovers? Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
How do I reheat it? Add a splash of milk and reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil, or microwave individual portions, stirring halfway.
Can I make it ahead? Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time since it starts cold.

Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe

Lisa

This easy bacon mac and cheese recipe bakes elbow macaroni in a no roux sauce of sharp cheddar, pepper jack and colby with crispy bacon and optional green chile, topped with cheddar and Parmesan. It is super cheesy comfort food.

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Ingredients

6 thick slices of bacon cooked and diced
1 lb Elbow Macaroni 16 oz
½ cup butter
2 cups milk 2% or full fat
2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
1 ½ cups pepper jack cheese shredded
2 cups colby cheese shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dry mustard powder
1 cup green chile roasted peeled and diced (optional)

Instructions

Cook bacon in a medium sized skillet or in the oven. Set aside.
Cook macaroni according to package instructions. If there is a range of time for cooking (i.e. 6-8 minutes) go for less cooking rather than more. The noodles will cook more when everything bakes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish (with butter or olive oil) that is big enough and deep enough to fit all the noodles with a little space left over. I used a 3.6 qt dish, the is 13x9x 3.5.
In a medium sized sauce pan, add milk, 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack, and colby cheese. Heat over medium low, stirring frequently until fully melted and combined.*
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and, dry mustard powder to cheese sauce.
Assemble dish. Pour the cooked macaroni into the greased baking dish, add the bacon and green chile (if using). Pour the cheese sauce over noodles and gently stir to mix in sauce evenly.
Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese and all the parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown slightly.
Enjoy!

Notes

*As slow as it is to heat the cheese and milk over medium low heat, it helps prevent the cheese from curdling and separating.

Made this bacon mac and cheese? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell us how it turned out in the comments below. Did you add the green chile?

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This recipe was shared by Lisa. Visit her blog, A Table Full of Joy, for more recipes.