Mac and cheese with crunchy bacon topping

Name: Mac and cheese with crunchy bacon topping
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups small (dry) elbow macaroni (or another small pasta); 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter; 3 tablespoons all purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; salt and pepper, to taste; 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 20 Ritz crackers (or another buttery cracker), crushed; 4 slices cooked, crispy bacon, chopped; 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

5 steps

Prep:20minCook:20min

Updated at: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 19:42:11 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories483.6 kcal (24%)

Total Fat34.4 g (49%)

Carbs27.9 g (11%)

Sugars5.4 g (6%)

Protein15.9 g (32%)

Sodium597.6 mg (30%)

Fiber1.1 g (4%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

8 servings

Mac and cheese

2 cupselbow macaroni

small, dry, or another small pasta

¼ cupsalted butter

3 tablespoonsall purpose flour

2 cupsmilk

8 ouncescream cheese

at room temperature

1 tablespoondijon mustard

8 ouncesshredded sharp cheddar cheese

Topping

20crackers

or another buttery cracker, crushed

4 slicesbacon

cooked, crispy, chopped

1 heaping tablespoonfresh parsley

finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Cook the macaroni using package directions; drain.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack on the lower-third rung in your oven. Spray 2 1/2- quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 3

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook until smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in the cooked pasta and cheddar cheese.

Step 4

Spoon the cheesy macaroni into the prepared baking dish.

Step 5

In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the cheesy macaroni. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.