Savory With Soul

  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe (Creamy & Delicious)

    Published: Oct 30, 2019 · Modified: Nov 25, 2020 by Sally · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

    776 shares
    • Facebook
    • Mix
    • X
    Jump to Recipe

    This bacon mac and cheese is so creamy and delicious - no lack of cheese or bacon in it - my most luscious mac and cheese yet.

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe

    The bacon adds a definite kick of smokiness, crispiness, and flavor to the creamy, saucy mac and cheese.

    This is a definite one-pot meal, including the macaroni. I have found that cooking the macaroni in chicken stock or broth REALLY enhances the flavors.

    And you get to skip the draining step since you're not using water, and you're using just the right amount of broth to cook the pasta with a bit left over for juiciness.

    The pasta soaks up the flavorful broth, making it more delicious than ever! (Tell me how much you love it in the comments below!)

    What You'll Need

    2 teaspoon garlic (about 2 cloves), minced

    4 slices bacon, meaty and thick cut

    3 cups chicken stock or broth

    2½ cups uncooked macaroni

    ¼ teaspoon paprika

    ¼ teaspoon salt, 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

    You will cook your bacon first, and part of the bacon fat will be left in the pan to lightly saute your garlic.

    This is a fantastic base of flavor that you will built upon to create an amazing mac and cheese!

    The next key to making this dish as tasty as possible is to cook the pasta in the chicken stock (or broth).

    As noted above, the chicken broth is measured precisely so you won't need to drain, and the pasta will soak up the delicious chicken broth flavor.

    So, layer one of flavor is your bacon and garlic. Layer two of flavor is the chicken-broth-enhanced pasta. Layer three will be your cheeses, butter, and cream.

    And then, layer four will be the bacon crumbles that you add at the end - YUM!

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe

    FAQs

    What if your macaroni and cheese with bacon is too dry?

    If you find that your mac and cheese comes out dry and not as creamy as you had hoped, you can always add more broth or cream.

    Watch your pot as the pasta is cooking, so it doesn't overcook and boil out all the liquid.

    If you lose some of the liquid because you didn't cover the pot or for some other reason, just add more broth.

    Don't add cream until the end, as you don't want milk products to boil (they will curdle and clump - instead of creating a smooth dish, it may get lumpy).

    It's perfectly fine to add more cream if you find it's not as creamy as you like. Just don't add so much that it becomes soupy. You want creamy and saucy - not runny.

    You may also like my Five Cheese Marinara recipe.

    Other Recipes to Try:

    Spaghetti Bolognaise (Southern Style, of course!)

    Chicken & Bacon Pasta Bake

    Corn Potato Chowder (Easy, Hearty & Delicious!)

    Baked Mahi Mahi Recipe (Simple & So Flavorful!)

    Authentic Jambalaya Recipe (Lots of Spicy Flavors!)

    Turkey Ala King (Using Leftover Turkey or Chicken)

    London Broil Crock Pot Recipe (with Built-In Gravy)

    📋 Recipe

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe

    This bacon mac and cheese is so creamy and delicious - no lack of cheese or bacon in it - my most luscious mac and cheese yet.
    4.94 from 16 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 683kcal
    Author: Sally

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoon garlic about 2 cloves, minced
    • 4 slices bacon meaty and thick cut
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 2½ cups macaroni uncooked
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1½ cups cheddar cheese sharp, freshly shredded
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
    • ½ cup milk or cream
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In Dutch oven, cook bacon for 5-10 minutes or until browned and crispy. Remove bacon from pan to a paper-towel-lined plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan.
    • Turn heat to low and add garlic to the bacon fat in the pan. Cook 2 minutes.
    • Turn heat up, and add broth, pasta, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the pan and bring almost to a boil. Lower heat to 3-4, cover, and cook 5 minutes.
    • Stir mixture and cover again, turning heat down to low.
    • Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Uncover and stir. (Macaroni should be done by this point and much of the liquid absorbed by the pasta.)
    • Turn heat off. Add butter, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. Stir and cover for 5 minutes (with heat still off).
    • Uncover and stir until cheese is fully melted and blended. Add parmesan, cream/milk, and crumbled bacon. Stir until all is incorporated. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve right away.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1433mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1063IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 469mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SavoryWithSoul or tag #savorywithsoul!

    Don't Forget to Pin For Later!

    Bacon Mac and Cheese Pin

    More Pasta

    • Close up of pasta with melted cheese on a plate.
      Gouda Mac and Cheese Recipe
    • Creamy linguini with chicken and bacon served on plate with salad
      Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta (quick & easy)
    • Macaroni salad with tuna and corn on a plate
      Pasta Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad (quick & easy)
    • Goulash with rotini pasta, ground beef, and cheese.
      Slow Cooker Goulash Recipe

    Comments

    1. linda simons says

      December 14, 2024 at 9:09 pm

      can you freeze this bacon mac and cheese recipe?

      Reply
      • Sally says

        December 14, 2024 at 9:50 pm

        Linda - I wouldn't advise freezing this recipe. The pasta will lose its shape and texture, and the cheesy sauce is likely to get grainy.

        Reply
    2. Dannii says

      February 29, 2020 at 8:04 am

      Bacon is always a delicious addition to make and cheese. It adds so much flavour.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        March 01, 2020 at 1:58 am

        Thanks, Dannii - I agree!

        Reply
    3. Katie says

      February 29, 2020 at 6:22 am

      5 stars
      Made it for the family and it was a hit!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        March 01, 2020 at 1:58 am

        That's great, Katie - thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    4. Irina says

      February 29, 2020 at 5:52 am

      5 stars
      This bacon mac and cheese recipe seems so easy to make! Moreover, it is a great lunch idea for our teenager. Saving the recipe to teach our son to cook. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        March 01, 2020 at 1:59 am

        Thanks Irina!

        Reply
    5. patty at spoonabilities says

      February 29, 2020 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      This is the most amazing combo of flavors. That crispy bacon has me in a tizzy!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        February 29, 2020 at 5:37 am

        Ha ha, yep Patty ... bacon will do that!

        Reply
    6. Anita says

      February 29, 2020 at 4:51 am

      5 stars
      There's bacon in the mac and cheese, and then bacon crumbles for topping. This is the best version of mac and cheese when you want comfort food.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        February 29, 2020 at 5:38 am

        Thanks Anita! I agree!

        Reply
    7. Krissy Allori says

      February 24, 2020 at 1:10 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! The creamy cheese and bacon are a perfect match.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        February 24, 2020 at 1:31 am

        5 stars
        Thanks Krissy! I couldn't agree more!

        Reply
    8. Karen says

      November 12, 2019 at 12:06 am

      5 stars
      Recipe does not say when to add the salt, pepper and paprika. I assume it is at the end but you might want add to the recipe when to add it.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        November 12, 2019 at 5:20 am

        5 stars
        Karen - You're right! Thanks for pointing that out to me. I try to always list the ingredients in the order that they're used, so the paprika, salt, and black pepper are to be added right after the pasta. I will fix it in the recipe card instructions right away! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope you enjoy the Bacon Mac & Cheese!

        Reply
        • Karen says

          November 12, 2019 at 11:44 am

          5 stars
          You’re welcome. I did make it and it was really good. Thanks for the recipe.

          Reply
    4.94 from 16 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    I'm Sally, and I love great food! Whole foods, specifically, and savory, yummy eats! I love using spices and trying new combinations - in fact, I consider it an art form, as I smell and taste my way through each dish.

    More about me →

    Summer Recipes

    • Potato Salad with Bacon Recipe
    • Four corn zucchini fritters with red peppers stacked on plate.
      Zucchini and Corn Fritters (2 ways!)
    • Mediterranean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing
    • Pulled pork sandwich with apple slaw on sesame seed bun
      Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ
    • Chicken Divan Crock Pot Recipe
    • Macaroni salad with tuna and corn on a plate
      Pasta Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad (quick & easy)

    Trending Recipes

    • Cooked flaky biscuits stacked on plate ready to serve.
      Easy Homemade Biscuits Recipe (Southern Style)
    • Crock Pot Great Northern Beans - Southern Style
    • Bojangles Dirty Rice Recipe (easy copycat)
    • Creamy linguini with chicken and bacon served on plate with salad
      Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta (quick & easy)
    • Tuna and Rice Casserole Recipe (quick stovetop)
    • Panera Turkey Chili Recipe (copycat)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    FEATURED ON

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    SIGN UP for emails and updates

    Recipe Index

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Savory With Soul, All Rights Reserved

    776 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.