Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe
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.
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.