Mac and Cheese With Broccoli and Bacon Recipe
Bacon broccoli mac and cheese loaded with broccoli and topped with crispy bacon… this cheesy comfort food is ready to rock your face off! My family goes nuts over this easy macaroni and cheese casserole!
For a food blogger, I'm a bit hopeless. No matter how hard I try to be inventive for you guys, I usually wind up making the same few meals over and over again. It varies season to season, but it's essentially a lot of the same song and dance. When we buy broccoli, for instance, it's usually with a set purpose in mind: as a dunker for ginger dressing and hummus, as the star of my soup, and to pimp my pizza.
Today I got sassy. It's been far too long since I've made mac and cheese and the craving hit me like a mac truck.
Well, technically a mack truck full of mac, but in my book that makes it a mac truck.
Tomatoes tomahhhhtoes.
Ooey gooey homemade mac and cheese has met it's match!
Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
The second the pairing hopped into my head there was no stopping it. It had to be done. Bacon broccoli mac and cheese needed to exist on my plate… and in my face!
It may be Spring but gosh darn it, it's chilly here in NC and comfort food is on the menu! With side salad of course, because, veggies.
Let's talk about mac and cheese. Lets talk about you and me. Let's talk about all the broccoli and the bacon that may be…
Pretend you didn't see that. All cheesiness aside, you need more cheese in your life. Make this, stat.
Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Loaded with gorgeous green broccoli and topped with crispy bacon, this cheesy comfort food is ready to rock your face off. My family goes bonkers over this bacon broccoli mac and cheese!
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 601 kcal
- 3-4 slices cooked bacon
- 5-6 oz freshly grated cheddar cheese (see notes)
- 3 cups broccoli florets (steamed or blanched)
- 8 oz dry pasta
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk (room temperature or warmed)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Measure out all your ingredients, chop your broccoli, and grate your cheese.
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Boil pasta per package instructions (times will vary a smidge by brand/shape) until al dente. Drain and set aside one done.
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While the pasta cooks, start your sauce and broccoli.
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Cook broccoli via your favorite method. I'm a big fan of quickly blanching broccoli in boiling hot water until the florets turn bright green and tender.
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For the sauce, melt 1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup) over medium heat.
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Add flour and whisk constantly while the flour cooks off into a roux, approx. 3 minutes.
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Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, to taste.
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Slowly pour in your room temperature milk, whisking constantly until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
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Add pasta and broccoli florets to a 9-inch baking dish.
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Sprinkle 5-6 ounces of freshly grated cheese on top of the pasta.
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Pour your cream sauce over the noodles and cheese. 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.
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Bake on center rack at 350 F for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
CRAZY FOR CHEESE? You can add a little extra on top before baking to amp up the cheese-factor even further! I made mine with a mixture of sharp white cheddar and medium cheddar cheese but love adding gouda to my mac and cheese as well. Gouda and cheddar are amatch made in heaven! I highly suggest using a good quality brick or wedge cheese and grating it yourself - the flavor and texture will be spot-on this way!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 601 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 18g 113%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Potassium 583mg 17%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Fiber 4g 17%
Sugar 11g 12%
Protein 24g 48%
Vitamin A 1783IU 36%
Vitamin C 62mg 75%
Calcium 451mg 45%
Iron 3mg 17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
My favorite method for cooking bacon is to bake it vs frying. Though it can also be microwaved if you need it in a hurry or fry bacon in a skillet if preferred. In case you want to try the oven method, here's how I incorporate baked bacon into this recipe:
easy oven baked bacon
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and top with bacon.
- Set oven to 400 degrees F and place on center rack.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes depending on bacon thickness. That's it!
- After the bacon is done, decrease oven temp to 350 F for the mac and cheese to bake in.
I couldn't resist a good action shot. Get saucy!
so. . . how was it?!
So. Flipping. Good. I want to swim in it.
Is that possible? No? Fine, I'll settle for having this on repeat year-round. This compromise thing is easy! Combining sinfully delicious melty mac and cheese with crispy bacon may be naughty but adding broccoli makes it oh-so-nice.
I'm pretty sure the whole dish is classified as a veggie now. It's science.
Don't quote me on that. Just smile, nod, and grab your fork!
It's easy, cheesy, and oh so dreamy! I hope you love this bacon broccoli mac and cheese as much as we do!
spoiler alert: that's a LOT!
I mean, can you blame me? Cheese is life.
That should say broccoli. Broccoli is life! Ok that's a stretch, but man has this gorgeous green veggie got it GOOD!
:: pin it for later ::
If you get a chance to try this bacon broccoli mac and cheese let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS #PEASANDCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations! I can't wait to see what you whip up!
Hungry for more? Try my BLT Pimento Cheese Sandwich next!
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Mac and Cheese With Broccoli and Bacon Recipe
Source: https://peasandcrayons.com/2015/04/bacon-broccoli-mac-and-cheese.html