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Bacon Mac and Cheese

This Bacon Mac and Cheese has caramelized onions, hickory smoked bacon, and pasta shells smothered in a creamy three-cheese blend. You’ve never had mac and cheese like this before, it tastes like a specialty from a gourmet restaurant!

 

A white plate with Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese with shell pasta.

 

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Warning: It is a little difficult to control yourself around this meal. This is definitely the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had in my life. I can see this being a specialty in a restaurant, people would come from far and wide to have a taste of this, and you can create it right in your own kitchen!

The caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and hickory smoked bacon give this the gourmet flair that leaves you wanting more, while the cheddar and the Parmesan round everything out to create the creamiest, most flavorful cheese sauce you’ve ever had.

Now that we’re all hungry, scroll down to see how this is made, read through my PRO tips to ensure you have the creamiest cheese sauce, check out the storage information and more!

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Slice the onions into even, 1/4-inch slices and toss in heated olive oil/butter. Caramelize slowly over medium/low heat. Remove and set aside.

Sliced onions in a skillet before and after caramelizing.

Cook bacon until crispy in a large skillet while the onions caramelize. Remove and set aside. Reserve 4 Tbsp. bacon drippings and heat them in the same skillet. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and milk in splashes, stirring continuously.

Crispy bacon next to a skillet with roux for making cheese sauce.

Add the seasonings and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Separately, boil the pasta until just al dente and drain.

Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the shredded cheese. Add the caramelized onions and stir to combine.

Adding shredded cheese and caramelized onions to mac and cheese sauce.

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Garnish with bacon and parsley.

Adding pasta shells to cheese sauce and stirring to make creamy bacon mac and cheese.

Pro Tips

  • Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt much better and the flavor is superior as well. I use Emi Le Gruyere and Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow Cheese  in this recipe.
  • Make sure the base of the sauce isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
  • If you’re short on time, you can omit the caramelized onions. (Although they add the best gourmet flair!)
  • A variety of pasta options work well with this recipe, macaroni or cavatappi is a good alternative. These are the Colavita pasta shells that I used.
  • I recommend quality, thick-cut bacon with this recipe. You get what you pay for with bacon.
  • You can’t taste the hot sauce or the mustard powder in this recipe, they are there to enhance the other flavors.
  • Gruyere is so delicious in this recipe, but if you don’t have any, you can use all cheddar or a combination of orange/white cheddar. Monterey Jack can also be used.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 143!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • This mac and cheese doesn’t freeze/reheat back to it’s original consistency, but that doesn’t stop me from freezing it for easy microwavable lunches.

Overhead view of a white plate with Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese with a fork.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • This is the skillet I used in this recipe, (and in 90% of my recipes). It’s pricey, but it conducts heat really well and is oven safe. The size is perfect and the quality is great.
  • Box Cheese Grater– Always shred your cheese from a block. Packaged shredded cheese doesn’t melt nearly as well. 
  • Pasta Strainer– This is the one I have and love.

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Tried This Recipe?

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A white plate with Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese on it.

Bacon Mac and Cheese

4.95 from 18 ratings
This Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe is easy to make on the stove top! It's FULL of flavor from caramelized onions, hickory smoked bacon, and pasta shells smothered in a creamy 3-cheese blend!

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions, Optional

  • 2 large yellow onions
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mac and Cheese

  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon, hickory smoked is great
  • 1 lb. medium pasta shells
  • 1/4 cup butter, not needed if you have enough bacon drippings
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded.

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions

  • Slice the onions into even, ¼-inch slices.
  • Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat. Let them reduce and caramelize for 40-50 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Reduce heat to low if they start to cook too fast. When they’re caramelized, remove and set aside.

Cook the Bacon

  • While the onions cook: Cut the bacon into thirds, this makes it easy to move them around as they cook for even cooking. Add them to a large, high-walled skillet over low heat and let them cook low and slow until crispy on each side. (Tip: Measure out remaining ingredients while the bacon cooks.)
  • Remove and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 4 Tablespoons of bacon drippings. Use butter in place of drippings if you don’t have enough.

Make the Sauce/Cook the Pasta

  • Note: Now is a good time to start boiling salted pasta water for the shells.
  • Heat the bacon drippings over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  • Add the heavy cream in splashes, stirring continuously. Don’t add it too quickly or the roux will break. Add the milk in the same manner.
  • Add the mustard powder, thyme, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  • Cook the pasta until just al dente (refer to package instructions), don’t overcook. Drain.
  • Reduce the heat of the sauce to low and let the base cool slightly. Gradually sprinkle in the cheese, stirring continuously until incorporated. Add the caramelized onions, then the drained pasta. Use a silicone spatula to stir until combined.
  • Roughly chop the bacon and sprinkle it over the mac and cheese. You may stir some of it in as well.
  • Garnish with parsley and serve!

Notes

  • Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese. It will melt much better and the flavor is superior as well. I use Emi Le Gruyere and Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow Cheese  in this recipe.
  • Make sure the base of the sauce isn't too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
  • If preferred, you can omit the caramelized onions. (Although they add the best gourmet flair!)
  • A variety of pasta options work well with this recipe, macaroni or cavatappi is a good alternative. These are the Colavita pasta shells that I used.
  • I recommend quality, thick-cut bacon with this recipe. You get what you pay for with bacon.
  • You can't taste the hot sauce or the mustard powder in this recipe, they are there to enhance the other flavors.
  • Gruyere is so delicious in this recipe, but if you don't have any, you can use all cheddar or a combination of orange/white cheddar. Monterey Jack can also be used.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 143!

Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • Creamy Mac and Cheese doesn't freeze/reheat back to it's original consistency, but that doesn't stop me from freezing it for easy microwavable lunches.

Nutrition

Calories: 681kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 471mg, Potassium: 355mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1101IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 518mg, Iron: 1mg
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50 comments on “Bacon Mac and Cheese”

  1. Is the base supposed to be super thick? Mine was like glue even after adding HWC and Milk. Not gritty at all so it didn’t separate. I added a cup of pasta water after I added pasta but could have prob used way more. It was sooo thick. Also how many blocks of cheese do you use? I also bought the Cracker Barrel cheese you recommended. 

    • Hi Carolyn! How much cheese did you use? To measure, I shred the cheese and transfer it to a measuring cup. When I shred 2 cups of cheddar cheese and weigh it, it weighs about 5 oz. (So less than 1 block.) There is a common misconception that 8 oz. of cheese = 1 cup, but that’s a liquid conversion. Is this where you think it may have gone wrong?

  2. Ok i made this. I think i did something wrong, maybe you have a tip. The flavor was there however, it didn’t come out creamy. I would say that it is almost gritty. (Nevermind, i re-read the tips, it was too hot.) 

    I am going to try it again….

    • Hi Aaron! Yes, just to confirm, a gritty consistency is the result of adding the cheese to a base that’s too hot, causing the dairy to separate and have a gritty consistency instead of smooth and creamy. Probably one of the most common mistakes when making a cheese sauce, you got this! 🙌

  3. This recipe is amazing and so flavourful 

  4. Is it 40/50min for the onions or 4/5min?

    • 40-50 minutes is how long it takes to sufficiently caramelize the onions. They become sweet and golden brown, it’s a nice contrast in flavor to the savory bacon and the cheese 🙂

  5. My goodness. Thank you. My eyes turned a little to the side seeing the onions buuut my goodness what a beautiful flavor they add to this Mac. I added turkey bacon, a little of Tab Browns’s sunshine seasoning and used almond milk instead of regular but I still used heavy cream(I like to make whipped cream so it’s always on hand)  and my gosh I am so satisfied. Lies, beyond satisfied. Thank you for sharing. The caramelized onions and light crunch of bacon just add something extra I didn’t know I needed to Mac n cheese.

    • I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much Devv! I know what you mean about the onions, sounds a little funky but caramelizing them really does add so much to the recipe. Thanks so much for the great review and comments!💖

  6. This was so worth it!! My whole family enjoyed it and were too full to ask for seconds 😆 granted my taste buds required me to almost triple the seasoning but by all mean that probably wouldn’t suit everyone so I’d say adjust to your taste along the way 😊

  7. Great recipe!! Taste really good, everyone loved it!! 

    • Wahooo! This makes me so happy, I’m such a mac and cheese lover too!💖 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!

      • This was spectacular. The best mac and cheese I’ve ever made. The caramelized onions and cheese combinations are so good. Thank you so much.

      • I’m so happy that you loved it Shelly, I agree, those caramelized onions compliment the cheese flavors so well. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂

  8. This is by far my favorite Mac and cheese to cook. I will say that I hate onions and whenever I do cook with them I chop them into really fine and small pieces. When the recipe had them at just 1/4 slices I took a leap of faith, Best decision ever. This has become a frequent request from my family.

    • Hi Mayva! I am so happy that you love this Mac and Cheese recipe as much as I do, I am totally obsessed with it. And I’m glad that you trusted the process with the onions as well, nicely done! Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie

  9. I haven’t tried this yet, but I plan to put a pound of cooked ground beef in also. Make a bacon cheeseburger Mac and cheese. Have fresh tomatoes from my garden to put on the top before serving. What do you think?

  10. Love this Mac n cheese with a twist.
    Such a delicious dish. Of coarse the bacon and yummy onions. I did mix the bacon with the liquid mixture by mistake but it still came out fabulous. Served with a side of vegetables. Whala
    Thank you so much 

    • You’re very welcome! Sounds like you did a great job with this one. It’s all about the onions and bacon 😋! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!

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