Excited about this Macaroni 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 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.
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.
