No results to search

Company-Worthy Mac and Cheese

Name: Company-Worthy Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 12 slices uncooked bacon; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 3 cups (90g) fresh spinach (optional; see note); 1 pound dry elbow pasta; 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, divided; 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (720ml) whole milk; 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half (or more whole milk); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard; 5 cups (560g) shredded cheese (I recommend 3 cups sharp white cheddar, 1 cup regular sharp cheddar, and 1 cup gouda); optional: 1/2 cup (45g) breadcrumbs, such as Panko; optional: 1/2 cup (40g) shredded parmesan cheese; optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Prep Time

15m

Cook Time

35m

Total Time

50m

This company-worthy mac and cheese recipe is elevated with the addition of bacon, garlic, and spinach. A creamy, rich cheese sauce, made with a combination of sharp white cheddar, regular sharp cheddar, and gouda, takes this classic dish to the next level. Optional breadcrumbs and parmesan add a delightful crunch.

Macaroni And Cheese

Pasta

sallysbakingaddiction.com

Recipe Options

Ingredients

Servings: 8

Scale:

Scale

0.25

0.5

12 slices uncooked bacon

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 cups (90g) fresh spinach (optional; see note)

1 pound dry elbow pasta

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour

3 cups (720ml) whole milk

1 cup (240ml) half-and-half (or more whole milk)

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

5 cups (560g) shredded cheese (I recommend 3 cups sharp white cheddar, 1 cup regular sharp cheddar, and 1 cup gouda)

optional: 1/2 cup (45g) breadcrumbs, such as Panko

optional: 1/2 cup (40g) shredded parmesan cheese

optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cook bacon according to package directions. Chop into small pieces. You’ll have about 3/4 cup.

Sauté spinach with garlic. See note. You can skip the spinach if desired.

Cook the pasta until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package cook time. Drain the cooked pasta, pour into a large bowl and stir in 2 Tablespoons of butter. Set pasta aside.

In a large saucepan, melt remaining 6 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour to form a thick paste. Cook and whisk the paste for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the milk, half-and-half, salt, and ground mustard. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the cheese until smooth. Remove from heat.

Pour the sauce over the buttered pasta, then stir in the bacon and spinach. Serve right away with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or continue with the recipe to bake.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread macaroni & cheese into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, before serving. Leftovers get pretty thick in the refrigerator as the noodles soak up the sauce, but warming them up in the microwave thins out the sauce again.

Company-Worthy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Steps

Nutrition Facts

Company-Worthy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Steps

Nutrition Facts Nutrition facts are based on 1 serving. If servings is not specified, 6 is assumed for the total recipe.

Nutrition Facts