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# Baked Bacon Brown Butter Mac and Cheese
- URL: https://opal-trout.pikapod.net/baked-bacon-brown-butter-mac-and-cheese/
- Published: 2025-11-25T18:33:37.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T20:56:46.000Z
- Author: Lindsay
- Tags: Recipes, american cheese, bacon, baked mac and cheese, bechamel, brown butter, cheddar, cheese, comfort food, dinner, easy cheese sauce, gruyere, high protein, holiday recipe, homemade, lunch, mac and cheese, main dish, pasta, savory, short cut pasta, stovetop to oven, #Migrated-1792961766483, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-10-25 14:56

## Baked Bacon Brown Butter Mac and Cheese

![](https://opal-trout.pikapod.net/content/images/2026/10/bacon-brown-butter-mac-1.png)

- 9 oz bacon (cut into lardons/strips)
- 1 tbsp bacon fat
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk (warmed)
- 10 oz cheddar (freshly grated)
- 10 oz gruyere (freshly grated)
- 4 oz American cheese
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 1 lb short cut pasta (I like shellbows, elbows, shells, or cavatappi)
- 1 tbsp butter (softened)
1. **Preheat the oven to 325°F** and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.
2. **Render the bacon**. Add the bacon to a large, cold saute pan with tall sides, then turn the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is mostly rendered and foamy, and the bacon is golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined bowl, then pour all the bacon fat, including any brown bits, into a separate bowl and wipe the pan clean.
3. **Brown the butter**. To the same pan over medium heat, add the butter and melt. Cook the butter, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes, or until the fat is foamy and the milk solids have turned golden brown.
4. **Make the bechamel**. Stir in the black pepper and 1 tbsp of bacon fat to the butter, along with as many (strained) little brown bits from the bacon as possible, then whisk in the flour to form a thin, smooth paste. Cook, whisking often, for 2-4 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly, until completely incorporated and warmed through, and the mixture is thickened and smooth (should be able to coat the back of a spoon). Make sure the sauce does not get too hot – should be steamy with maybe some tiny bubbles, but should not come to a full simmer or boil.
5. **Boil the pasta and finish the sauce**. Cook the pasta in well salted water (should taste seasoned like soup) for half the al dente time listed on the box, then reserve a half cup of pasta water and strain. While the pasta is cooking, turn off the heat on your sauce and slowly whisk in 7oz of the cheddar and gruyere and all of the American cheese until fully incorporated, melted and smooth. Stir in the nutmeg and cayenne and a big pinch of salt, then taste for seasoning and add more salt, etc if you want. Add the strained, half cooked pasta and ¾ of the crispy, rendered bacon to the sauce and stir.
6. **Assemble and bake**. Grease a large 13”x9” baking dish with the softened butter (bottom and sides), then pour in your mac and cheese. At this point, there should be more sauce than you want in the end because the pasta will continue to soak up more liquid in the oven. If it needs to be thinned out at all, add a tbsp or two of pasta water and stir. Add the remaining cheddar and gruyere to a bowl and toss to combine, then sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, then broil on low for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. **Finish and serve**. Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then top with the remaining bacon bits and serve!
- It’s important to not add the cheese to your sauce if it’s too hot or over an active heat. This could make your sauce grainy instead of smooth. Adding your cheese slowly will also help keep your sauce smooth.
- This recipe has virtually no fiber! Serve with some high fiber broccoli salad

### Micronutrient Highlights

80% phosphorus, 72% calcium, 69% vitamin B12, 58% selenium, 45% zinc, 43% vitamin B2, 39% vitamin A

Main CourseAmerican, Italian