Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese

Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese. Comfort food heaven! Maybe the best mac and cheese ever, with a creamy blend of four cheeses and the added flavour of smoky bacon. 

Here’s a great fall comfort food meal to warm your insides on a cold November day. This is a bit of a different version of mac and cheese which, besides cheddar mozza and Parmesan,  incorporates the smokiness of bacon and one of my favorites; rich, creamy, smoked Gruyere cheese. Switch up your own favorite cheeses to make your own family favorite version.

Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese. Comfort food heaven! Maybe the best mac and cheese ever, with a creamy blend of four cheeses and the added flavour of smoky bacon. 

 

Serves 4-6

2 cups dry macaroni pasta (rotini is good too)

For the Sauce

2 1/2 cups whole milk

½ pound smoked bacon (chopped in small pieces.)

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
1 clove minced garlic (optional)

2 tbsp regular or Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

You will also need 

6 ounces mozzarella
6 ounces aged cheddar
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup grated smoked Gruyere cheese

Start by cooking the macaroni to al dente in salted water. About 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To prepare the sauce.

In a medium saucepan, slowly fry the bacon.

Cook to crisp, rendering out as much of the fat as possible.

Drain on paper towels and strain all the fat from the pan.

Do not clean the saucepan but return it to the stove and add the butter, flour, pepper, salt and garlic.

Cook together for 1 to 2 minutes.

In the microwave, scald the milk to almost boiling

Whisking constantly, slowly pour in scalded milk. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly.

Stir in the mustard and nutmeg.

Grate and blend together all of the cheeses.

Reserve 1/3 of this cheese mixture for the top and stir the other 2/3 of the grated cheese into the white sauce.
Butter an 8-10 cup casserole dish.

Place 1/3 of the pasta in the bottom of the dish.

Pour on 1/3 the sauce.

Scatter half the bacon over the surface.

Repeat the layers and top with the reserved cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 – 45 minutes depending upon how you like mac and cheese cooked. shorter for creamier, longer for crispy edges as pictured above. If you double this recipe, add additional baking time for larger casserole dish.