Excited about thisMacaroni N Cheese Recipe? Try this Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!
Been wanting to try macaroni and cheese with bacon but feeling guilty? Add some broccoli and relieve the guilt! Also you can use whole wheat pasta to help as well!
This yummy mac and cheese can be a quickly week night dinner (especially if you get cheese that is already shredded) or you can take some extra time and make it for a holiday meal!
Ingredients:
- 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked
- 5-6 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese [see below]
- 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed or blanched
- 8 oz pasta [measured by weight]
- ¼ cup [1/2 stick] unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- Next measure out all your ingredients, chop your broccoli and grate your cheeses.
- Boil pasta per package instructions [times will vary a smidge by brand/shape] until al dente. Drain and set aside once done.
- While the pasta cooks, start your sauce and your broccoli.
- Cook broccoli via your favorite method. I’m a big fan of quickly blanching broccoli in hot water until the florets are bright green and tender.
- For the sauce, melt ½ stick of butter [1/4 cup] over medium heat.
- Add flour and whiskconstantlywhile the flour cooks off into a roux, approx. 3 minutes..
- Next season with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper [add extra to taste]
- Slowly pour in your milk, whisking constantly until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
- Add pasta and broccoli florets to a 9-inch baking dish [or larger]
- Sprinkle 5-6 ounces of freshly grated cheese on top of the pasta.
- Pour your cream sauce over the noodles and cheese and use a rubber spatula to fold it all together. Feel free to top with a little extra cheese if you’d like, then top with bacon.
- Bake on center rack at 350 F for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Macaroni N Cheese Recipe (With Bacon and Broccoli)
Author:A Frugal Chick
Recipe type:Main Dish
Try this yummy Mac & Cheese!
Ingredients
- • 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked
- • 5-6 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese [see below]
- • 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed or blanched
- • 8 oz pasta [measured by weight]
- • ¼ cup [1/2 stick] unsalted butter
- • ¼ cup all purpose flour
- • 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- • ¼ tsp salt
- • ¼ tsp garlic powder
- • ⅛ tsp black pepper
- • Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired
Instructions
- • Pre-heat oven to 350
- • Next measure out all your ingredients, chop your broccoli and grate your cheeses.
- • Boil pasta per package instructions [times will vary a smidge by brand/shape] until al dente. Drain and set aside once done.
- • While the pasta cooks, start your sauce and your broccoli.
- • Cook broccoli via your favorite method. I'm a big fan of quickly blanching broccoli in hot water until the florets are bright green and tender.
- • For the sauce, melt ½ stick of butter [1/4 cup] over medium heat.
- • Add flour and whisk constantly while the flour cooks off into a roux, approx. 3 minutes..
- • Next season with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper [add extra to taste]
- • Slowly pour in your milk, whisking constantly until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
- • Add pasta and broccoli florets to a 9-inch baking dish [or larger]
- • Sprinkle 5-6 ounces of freshly grated cheese on top of the pasta.
- • Pour your cream sauce over the noodles and cheese and use a rubber spatula to fold it all together. Feel free to top with a little extra cheese if you'd like, then top with bacon.
- • Bake on center rack at 350 F for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
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FAQs
8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
- Add extra cheese to your dish.
- Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
- Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
- Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
- Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
Here's what several experts say are the biggest mistakes when it comes to making macaroni and cheese at home and how to avoid making them.
- Using Only Cheddar cheese. ...
- Not Adding Spice and Seasoning with Salt. ...
- Choosing the Wrong Pasta. ...
- Overcooking. ...
- Skimping on the Toppings.
Preparation
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
- Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
- Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
- Enjoy!
- All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
- Even just a few ounces of good cheese will enhance your basic mac and cheese. ...
- Swap elbow macaroni for a sturdier, more toothsome noodle. ...
- A dusting of fresh herbs is one of the easiest ways to add dimension to a simple dish like mac and cheese. ...
- Bacon makes everything better.
Brown the Butter
Browned butter is the secret ingredient to multi-dimensional flavor in both baked goods and savory dishes. It adds richness and depth of flavor to boxed mac and cheese—and all it takes is a few extra minutes on the stovetop.
Why does my homemade mac and cheese taste bland? ›
If your mac and cheese tastes bland, it's either because it's under-seasoned, you didn't use flavorful cheese, or you didn't use enough cheese. Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it.
What is the best cheese for macaroni and cheese? ›
What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
How can I make my mac and cheese better? ›
10 ways to take mac 'n' cheese to the next level:
- Make the sauce with brown butter.
- Add evaporated milk.
- Choose the right cheese.
- Choose the perfect pasta.
- Double up on breadcrumbs.
- Boost the flavour with Marmite.
- A hit of heat.
- Extra seasoning.
When you cook pasta in water, the water (and all the starch from the pasta that's released as it cooks) is poured down the drain. By cooking the pasta in milk instead, you get to keep all that starchy goodness for your cheese sauce.
Why is spiral mac and cheese better? ›
They have more texture.
I've always been drawn to the chew factor that comes with mac and cheese shapes. Unlike the original noodles, which can turn into a mushy mess once their cooked, shapes tend to hold their rigid structure.
Cooked Enriched Pasta (Water, Elbow Macaroni [Semolina (Wheat), Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid]), Milk, Water, Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less than 2% of ...
How do you perk up mac and cheese? ›
Spices: A little garlic powder and onion powder goes a long way in making this the best easy mac and cheese ever! Definitely don't skimp on these. You could also add a bit of paprika, black pepper, or even a splash of hot sauce if you want to amp up the flavor even more.
What to add to mac and cheese to make it better? ›
Hack your mac: 13 easy ways to make boxed mac and cheese even...
- Hack #1: Bacon + chipotle. ...
- Hack #2: Sausage + baby spinach. ...
- Hack #3: Sriracha + ginger + green onions + panko. ...
- Hack #4: Green chiles + chicken. ...
- Hack #5: Canned beans + salsa. ...
- Hack #6: Chicken + Buffalo sauce + panko.
Butter and flour: The combination of butter and flour thickens our creamy cheese sauce. You'll cook them together on the stove and then add the milk. The mixture thickens, and you can add your cheese.
What adds Flavour to mac and cheese? ›
Cayenne, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, and Dry Mustard
Simply add ½ teaspoons of cayenne, black pepper, and dry mustard with a dash of nutmeg to a mixture of 1 egg and 1 cup (0.24 l) of heavy cream. Pour this spice mixture on top of your traditional mac and cheese recipe before baking.
How to enhance cheese flavor? ›
Adding yeast extract to cheese products can enhance the overall richness and aftertaste thanks to the flavor components; and can intensify the Old Cheese flavor by using certain yeast extract products containing characteristic peptides.
How do you make refrigerated mac and cheese taste better? ›
Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible. *If you'd like to add more creaminess and flavor, substitute half-and-half or cream. 3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
What compliments mac and cheese? ›
- 1 / 25. Roasted Broccoli. Perfectly seasoned broccoli florets roasted until crisp and caramelized. ...
- 2 / 25. Garlic Green Beans. ...
- 3 / 25. Glazed Carrots. ...
- 4 / 25. Easy Sautéed Spinach. ...
- 5 / 25. Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini. ...
- 6 / 25. 5-Ingredient Kale Caesar Salad. ...
- 7 / 25. Shaved Brussels Sprouts. ...
- 8 / 25. Spanakopita Kale Salad.
