Tinis Mac Cheese Bacon Crunch (Printer-friendly)

Comforting macaroni baked with rich cheese sauce and crispy bacon topping, perfect for cozy dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 3 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
07 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
08 - 1/2 cup Gruyère or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
09 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Bacon Crunch

14 - 8 slices thick-cut bacon
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder

→ Topping

17 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
19 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
20 - Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Cook macaroni following package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Lay bacon slices on parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with black pepper and garlic powder. Bake 15–18 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool, then crumble finely. Set aside.
04 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes until foamy without browning.
05 - Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Simmer gently, stirring, until thickened, about 3–5 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, and Gruyère cheeses until melted. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
07 - Fold drained macaroni into cheese sauce until evenly coated.
08 - Spread half of the macaroni mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle half the bacon crumble. Add remaining macaroni mixture, then top with remaining bacon.
09 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and optional Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly atop casserole.
10 - Bake 15–18 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The bacon isn't just a topping, it gets baked right into the layers so every bite has that salty, smoky crunch you didn't know you needed.
  • Three cheeses make the sauce taste like something you'd order at a restaurant, but it comes together in one pot without any fuss.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which means you can make it ahead and still impress everyone when you serve it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of cooking the flour with the butter, because that's what gets rid of the raw flour taste and makes the sauce smooth instead of gritty.
  • Pull the macaroni from the boiling water a minute early, because it keeps cooking in the oven and you want it to stay tender, not turn into baby food.
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, because the stuff in bags has coatings that make the sauce grainy and weird instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Bake the bacon on parchment instead of directly on the sheet, because it keeps cleanup easy and prevents sticking when you go to chop it.
  • Let the dish rest for five full minutes after it comes out of the oven, because that's when the sauce thickens just enough to hold its shape when you scoop it.
  • Taste your cheese sauce before you add the pasta, because that's your only chance to adjust the seasoning and make sure it's bold enough to stand up to all those noodles.
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