Make this Bacon Mac and Cheese with no roux, no boiling the pasta, and just 10 minutes of hands-on prep - just dump and bake, and let the oven do the work! Creamy gouda and mozzarella, crispy bacon, and perfectly tender macaroni make this an easy comfort food the whole family will devour.
Bacon Makes Everything Better
I've tried and tested my dump-and-bake mac and cheese method for years now, and each new iteration comes out better than the last.
Adding bacon was the natural next step. To make the most of it, I wanted it to add both flavor and texture - which is why we cook it slow, so it gets really crispy.
We also split it: half in, half on top. This gives you lots of bacon flavor (and texture!) throughout the dish, with some serious crunch on top.
It's still almost as easy as the other versions - the method is the same, we just cook the bacon first. Still no need to boil pasta, make a roux, or even add flour!
Mac and Cheese Ingredients + Bacon
Choose Your Cheese
I like making mac and cheese with two different cheeses, so I can mix and match their properties. I want them both to melt really well, and I always want at least one of them to be quite flavorful - that's the gouda here. I also want at least one of them to be of the super creamy, super melty, ultra comforting variety - and both gouda and mozzarella hit the mark for this.
Keeping this in mind, you can swap out one or the other for something else. You can even make this with all mozzarella or all gouda, if that works better for you.
Make It Gluten-Free
This recipe has been tested with both gluten-free noodles and 100% corn noodles, and they both work perfectly.
Make It Vegetarian
To make this vegetarian, the first step is to skip the bacon. You can also opt for one of my many more vegetarian-friendly mac and cheese recipes. If you need it to be truly 100% vegetarian you also need to make sure the cheese you are using does not contain animal rennet.
How to Make the Easiest Bacon Mac and Cheese
1. Crisp the Bacon
Start by cooking the bacon until it's really crispy. To do this, start by placing the bacon in a cold pan over medium heat and cook until a lot of fat has rendered off. Then increase the heat to medium-high and cook until bacon is crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to remove excess fat and allow to crisp up further.
2. Dump & Mix
Dump macaroni, cheese, seasonings and half the bacon in a baking dish and mix well.
3. Add Liquids
Add cream & milk and make sure all the pasta is submerged.
4. Bake & Top
Bake 30 minutes, then bring it out and mix well. Bake 15 more minutes at slightly higher heat, then bring it back out and top with the remaining bacon. Ready to serve!
Top Tips for the Best Cheesy Mac
Cook the bacon until it's really crispy. You want the bacon to add flavor as well as texture to this dish, so you want it to be really crispy. It takes a bit of time, but it's so worth it.
Shred the cheese yourself. A lot of pre-shredded cheeses come with added ingredients like anti-caking agents, which can make your mac and cheese grainy or lumpy. To avoid this, shred the cheese yourself.
Do mix it after 30 minutes. This is the secret to not adding flour or a roux - there's so much starch already in the pasta that we don't really need it. But we do need to give it a good mix to release it!
Storing, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the texture will not be as good after thawing and reheating.
Reheating in the oven: Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.
Reheating in microwave: Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second increments. If it looks dry, add a dash of milk or cream before reheating.
What To Serve It With
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks38 Minutes
- Air Fryer Skirt Steak50 Minutes
- Air Fryer Frozen Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts15 Minutes
- Air Fryer Ribeye Steak15 Minutes
More Dump-and-Bake Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Gouda Mac and Cheese1 Hours 5 Minutes
- Gorgonzola Mac and Cheese (Dump-and-Bake!)1 Hours 5 Minutes
- Truffle Mac and Cheese1 Hours 5 Minutes
- 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese1 Hours 5 Minutes
Recipe
Bacon Mac and Cheese (No Roux, No Boiling)
Print RateIngredients
- 12 oz bacon chopped
- 1.5 cup shredded gouda cheese or other creamy, well-melting cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or other creamy, well-melting cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1.5 cup raw macaroni pasta or gluten-free / 100% corn macaroni
- 1.5 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk or cream / half and half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place cold chopped bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Cook slowly until a lot of fat has rendered, then raise the heat to medium-high to crisp it up. This will take about 8-10 minutes in total. Place a paper towel on a plate and when bacon is crispy, transfer to the paper towel to remove excess fat and crisp up further.12 oz bacon
- Bring out a round oven dish that's about 6x2 inches (15x5 cm) or a different shape but similar in size. Place the macaroni, two types of cheese, half the bacon, paprika powder, salt and pepper in the dish and mix well.1.5 cup shredded gouda cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ teaspoon paprika powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1.5 cup raw macaroni pasta
- Pour in the cream and milk, then use a spoon to even out the surface and ensure all pieces of macaroni and cheese are submerged.1.5 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and mix gently. Place back in the oven and raise the heat to 400°F (200°C). Bake 15 minutes more or until macaroni is soft and the top is golden.
- Remove from the oven, top with the remaining bacon, and serve.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
- Oven dish - round 6x2 inches (4 cups)/or 15x5 cm (1 liter) or similar size in another shape
Video
Notes
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Shred the cheese yourself. A lot of pre-shredded cheeses come with added ingredients like anti-caking agents, which can make your mac and cheese grainy or lumpy. To avoid this, shred the cheese yourself. ÂStoring, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the texture will not be as good after thawing and reheating. Reheating in the oven: Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, until heated through. Reheating in microwave: Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second increments. If it looks dry, add a dash of milk or cream before reheating.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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