Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese
This bacon and Cheddar macaroni and cheese is proof that bacon makes everything better...though the creamy Cheddar sauce that smothers the fusili pasta is pretty special, too.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) or other similarly shaped pasta
- 3/4 pound bacon, diced
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups (8 oz) firmly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts), for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously so it tastes like the sea. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the empty pot, but do not rinse it as you want to keep the surface starches to help thicken the cheese sauce.
- Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the bacon and sauté until browned and crisp, lowering the heat to medium if necessary to prevent scorching. This should take about 5 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the bacon to paper towels or a brown paper bag to drain.
- Carefully pour the bacon drippings from the pan into a metal can or heatproof cup (not down the drain). Return the pan, with a surface just barely slicked with bacon drippings, to medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bacon bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the cream is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Cheddar cheese and bacon, stir well, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring now and then, until the cheese has melted and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Dump the sauce onto the cooked, drained pasta in the pot and toss to coat. Place over medium heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring now and then, to allow the sauce to thicken and the pasta to absorb the flavors.
- Scoop the mac and cheese into individual bowls and, if desired, top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 1477kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 120g | Saturated Fat: 65g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 360mg | Sodium: 2441mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g