This baked mac and cheese recipe features FIVE different cheeses, bacon, and a crispy breadcrumb topping for a truly exceptional and comforting mac and cheese.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked mac and cheese
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 50 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour
Servings 6
Calories 1078kcal
Ingredients
1poundelbow noodles
4tablespoonsunsalted butter, (½ stick)
2garlic cloves, minced
½cupall-purpose flour
2cupswhole milk
½cupmascarpone cheese
8ouncesGruyere cheese, freshly grated
8ouncessharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
8ouncesFontina cheese, freshly grated
2ouncesParmesan cheese, freshly grated
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
⅓cuppanko bread crumbs
2slicesthick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the directions, shaving 1 to 2 minutes off the cooking time. Drain the pasta once it's finished and set aside.
For the cheese sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it is sizzling, add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds, then whisk in the flour to create a roux. Stir the roux until it is golden in color and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the milk in slowly and stir constantly until the liquid is slightly thickened, another 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the mascarpone, Gruyere, 6 ounces of cheddar, 6 ounces of the Fontina, and Parmesan cheese. Stir the sauce constantly with a heatproof spatula until the cheese is melted, then add the pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Mix to combine and disperse the sauce throughout the noodles. Cover the top with the remaining cheddar and Fontina cheeses, breadcrumbs, and bacon. Bake until golden and bubbly on top, about 30 minutes.