This homemade bacon mac and cheese is an easy comfort food ready in 30 minutes! Tender pasta noodles are cooked in one pot with bacon then smothered in cheese.
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
This bacon mac n cheese is twist on the classic homemade mac and cheese and is so good! Other ultimate comfort food favorites include this smoked gouda mac and cheese and fried macaroni balls.
Bacon combined with macaroni & cheese were made for each other. I can’t even with this dish, it’s true, everything’s better with bacon! I mean, how could you not love gooey cheese, crispy bacon, tender noodles and flavorful bacon and chive spices. So delicious!
This bacon mac n cheese is the perfect meal for crazy school nights. It’s a one pot 30 minute meal so you can dinner on the table in no time. And it’s one of those meals that everyone in the family will love.
If you love creamy and rich macaroni and cheese, try these other favorites including slow cooker mac and cheese, copycat Panera mac and cheese and baked macaroni. Yum!
How to Make Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Cook onions and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped onions and garlic and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Once onions are translucent, slowly pour in the chicken stock. Then add in corn starch and stir until completely dissolved.
- Bring elbow macaroni noodles to a boil, then simmer: Next stir in the noodles, tomatoes, bacon and chive seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover pot and turn heat to low. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are cooked.
- Add in cheese and bacon: Once the noodles are cooked, stir in the cheddar cheese and bacon. Sprinkle with chives, if desired. Enjoy while it’s hot!
Recipe Tips
- If you have time, caramelized onions add another layer of flavor to the bacon mac and cheese.
- Shredded cheese from a block not only tastes better but will melt better, too.
- Any short pasta noodle will work but the cooking time may change slightly.
- Store leftover bacon mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
If you love easy one pot meals add this easy goulash recipe and chicken pasta caprese to your dinner rotation!
More Easy One-Pot Meals
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Bacon Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 ¼ cups chicken stock (16.9 oz container)
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 ½ cups elbow noodles
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon bacon & chive seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheese
- 8 strips bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon chives , chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-heat. Add onions and garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Once the onions are translucent, slowly pour in the chicken stock. Then stir in the corn starch and stir until it is completely dissolved.
- Next stir in the elbow noodles, tomatoes, bacon & chive seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then cover the pot and bring the heat down to low. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked.
- Once the noodles are cooked, stir in the cheese and bacon. Garnish with chives, if desired. Enjoy while it’s hot!
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I’m unable to find bacon and chive seasoning here. Should I just leave it out or replace it?
You can use a mix of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika :)
My grocery store doesn’t carry bacon and chive seasoning. Would it still turn out OK if I don’t use the seasoning?
Yes it will still turn out well! Just a little less flavor. :)
This recipe is perfect as is, but the bacon takes it to the next level!
We are all about the 30 minute meals! This mac and cheese did not disappoint! The family loved it!
This was so easy and delicious! Love that it’s made in one pot!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! :)
when u say sharp cheese what do u mean as I WOLD LIKE TO TRY THIS
Sharp Cheddar Cheese :)
This looks sooo good! Do you drain the tomatoes before adding them?
Hi Tammy! I don’t drain the tomatoes. :)
I made this tonight and followed the directions exactly and it didn’t look like yours or had a lot of liquid. What did I do wrong? Was I supposed to drain the tomatoes too?
Hi Ginny! I’m sorry you had trouble with the macaroni and cheese! The liquid is supposed to evaporate while cooking. If it looks like too much liquid you can drain a little before adding the cheese and bacon. :)
Can’t find bacon & chive seasoning, but making anyway!
It will still turn out delicious! Let us know how it goes. :)
Made this last night (with half the bacon because that’s all we had) and it was definitely as good as it looks!! I’ll be coming back for more recipes :)
I’m glad you liked it Brittany! Thanks for stopping by. :)
This looks SOO good! I LOVE one-pot recipes. Just pinned!! ;)
Bacon makes every meal better! Can’t wait to try this!
Your dish was a hit at our house! I made it this evening. It was quick and easy and eveyone loved it!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made this for dinner this evening. It was not only
delicious by so easy and quick! Have a great day!
Mac & cheese + bacon = a meal perfect for the whole fam! I can’t wait to make this for the hubs and kids.
It is so yummy! Hope your family enjoys it! :)
Anything with bacon is a hit with hubby! Sounds like an easy weekend dinner. Pinned!! :)
Looks so darn good… Pinning to make later! xo