I love pasta in any form!
My boys love pasta, too — and best of all, they all agree on it. That means I can make a big pot of pasta without worrying who will eat it.
This bacon and cheddar macaroni and cheese was a hit the other night. Everyone went crazy for it. It’s classic comfort food: bacon, sharp cheddar, and pasta — you can’t go wrong. If you love pasta, you’ll love this recipe. It’s rich, satisfying, and incredibly quick and simple to make.
Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese
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Author: 5boysbaker.com
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 3/4 pound bacon, diced
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups (firmly packed) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain but do not rinse.
- In a large sauté pan, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off and reserve the grease in a heatproof container.
- Using the same pan over medium heat, add the heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta absorbs the sauce. Stir the reserved bacon into the pasta.
- Serve immediately in individual bowls.
Notes
For a lighter version, you can use 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup half-and-half, and 1 cup milk in place of 3 cups heavy cream. It’s still very tasty. I plan to try it with all heavy cream next time to compare.
- Category: Pasta
Recipe Source: Mother’s Best Cookbook