Bacon Ranch Macaroni & Cheese is perfect for game day but quick enough to enjoy for dinner with your family on a busy weeknight!
Hi! My name is Jessy and I blog over at The Life Jolie. I’m so excited to share some recipes here with you at Yellow Bliss Road!
Mac and Cheese has been a favorite food of mine since I was a little girl. I mean, is there anything more comforting than creamy, savory pasta? When I was a kid, my mom would sometimes make frozen mac and cheese and my absolute favorite part was the slightly crispy crust that would form on the corners of the container. I always made a point to be the first one at the table in hopes of getting all those perfect corners to myself!
Bacon Mac and Cheese
My husband Justin is something of a picky eater, which can be challenging for me, since I love to sample a wide variety of foods. But in addition to enjoying mac and cheese, he and I both share a love for bacon and ranch dressing (in fact, I grew to love ranch because he loved it so much!). And since I’m always looking for ways to add a fun twist to classic recipes, Bacon Ranch Baked Macaroni and Cheese seemed like a natural next step.
This dish is the creamy and delicious mac and cheese that dreams are made of! The bacon brings a savory smokiness and the hint of zest from the ranch seasoning kicked the whole recipe up a notch without being overpowering.
I sprinkled some extra cheese on top at the beginning with a generous portion of panko breadcrumbs and some crumbled bacon to achieve that crispy crust that I loved all those years ago in every serving. If you’re looking for a more melty-cheese on top, simply wait to add the toppings until 5 minutes before it’s done baking.
This fun variation will definitely be making some appearances during football season this year. But it’s also quick an easy enough to make a comforting and heart weeknight dinner this fall. It’s definitely best right out of the oven and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd. Your family will be fighting for that second helping!
Bacon Ranch Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
- 10 slices of bacon fried until crisp
- 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 3 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni cooked as per package directions to al dente and drained
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium size pan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add flour and whisk to make a roux. Let the roux cook for 1-2 minutes until golden, whisking often.
- Add milk and ranch seasoning. Whisk the ingredients continuously until the sauce thickens slightly; about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese until fully combined.
- Add the cheese mixture to the cooked macaroni and crumble 6 pieces of the bacon in.
- Stir until well combined and pour into a 9" x 9" pan.
- Top with remaining cheese, panko bread crumbs and crumble on the remaining bacon.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is crispy and the edges are bubbling.
- Serve immediately.
Make it a full meal with these other tasty options:
Here’s another great Mac & Cheese Recipe that our family loves:
Chicken, Bacon and Blue Macaroni and Cheese
For more easy weeknight dinner recipes, try these:
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