Bacon Cheddar and Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
I have honestly never had a recipe requested so much, or really at all, as this is my first year diving in full force to recipe sharing. But this macaroni and cheese recipe is one that I shared a little over a month ago as one of my “go to” meals on Instagram, and I have not heard the end of “When are you going to share this?!” It’s so awesome, and I am glad that there are so many people interested!
This macaroni and cheese is a little bit fancy compared to a plain noodles and sauce type recipe. I like to add bacon that we cured and smoked from our hogs, smoked paprika and gouda cheese, and a good dose of toasted breadcrumbs on top. It’s just enough to give the meal a little added flavor boost without overcomplicating such a simple recipe.
Macaroni and cheese has been around for several hundred years, if you can believe it! Cooking noodles in a warm cheese sauce is nothing new in the eyes of thousands of cooks who wanted a simple, filling, and comforting dish for their supper. Perhaps even 18th century children also sat the dinner table whining that their liver pot pie was not what they wanted to eat and would much prefer a piping hot bowl of the mac
I love this video from Townsends about a 1784 macaroni and cheese recipe!
ingredients & recipe:
6 strips thick cut bacon
1 pound macaroni noodles, uncooked
6 tbsp salted butter, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1 cup smoked gouda, shredded
1/2 cup white cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray or a bit of olive oil.
In a large pot, boil and cook the macaroni noodles according to package directions for al dente. When finished cooking, mix with 2 tbsp of the salted butter and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Spread in 9x13” baking dish and set aside.
Cook the bacon until crispy. Place on a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Reserve the bacon grease.
If the bacon grease measures to about 1/4 cup, you may leave it alone. If not, add in 2 tbsp butter or more to make up for the difference. Melt the fat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in the flour over the hot fat and stir to combine until it browns lightly and gives off a nutty aroma. Slowly begin to pour in the milk, whisking all the while, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Stir in the remaining salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and mustard. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. It is better if it is still a bit thin. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, reserving about 1/2 cup for topping the casserole.
Chop the cooled bacon into bits. Mix into the macaroni noodles. Pour and mix in the sauce to the noodles in the baking pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes.
While the noodles are baking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp butter over the stove. When melted, stir in the breadcrumbs and cook until browned and lightly toasted.
When the 15 minutes are up, spread the breadcrumbs over the noodles and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve hot!
I love that this dish is so full bodied and smokey. It’s absolutely delicious, like something you would get out of a small cafe on a rainy day! I love it paired with some flaky sea salt, if you like it even saltier, and some freshly cracked pepper. It goes well alongside a piece of warm bread or even a panini. This is my boys’ favorite lunch or supper that I make, so it is made often! It really comes together quite quickly for a last minute meal. I hope that you love it!
xoxo Kayla
