This Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese is a frugal way to turn plain mac and cheese into a meal. Your whole family will love the flavors in this easy recipe!
When most people think of comfort food, certainly mac and cheese comes to mind. There’s the classic way of making it with just cheese or you can really kick things up a notch with additions like bacon and broccoli. If you have never made your own from scratch and skipped the box, you should definitely give it a try! You won’t go back!
This Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese is easy to make and will instantly turn boring mac and cheese into something spectacular. If you want to take it a step further and make this into a meal, try adding chopped or shredded chicken breast.
Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked (I recommend baking the bacon in the oven to make it extra crispy.)
- 5-6 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed or blanched
- 8 ounces of pasta, measured by weight
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- salt and pepper to taste, if desired
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
2. Measure out all your ingredients, chop your broccoli and grate your cheese.
3. Boil pasta per package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside once done.
4. While the pasta cooks, cook broccoli via your favorite method. I’m a big fan of quickly blanching broccoli in hot water until the florets are bright green and tender.
5. For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat.
6. Add flour and whisk constantly while the flour cooks off into a roux, approx. 3 minutes.
7. Next, season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
8. Slowly pour in your milk, whisking constantly until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
9. Add pasta and broccoli florets to a 9-inch or larger baking dish. You can add diced/shredded cooked chicken at this point as well if you desire to make this more like a casserole.
10. Sprinkle 5-6 ounces of freshly grated cheese on top of the pasta.
11. Pour your cream sauce over the noodles and cheese and use a rubber spatula to fold it all together. Feel free to top with a little extra cheese if you’d like, then top with bacon.
12. Bake on center rack at 350° for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Printable Recipe for Broccoli Mac and Cheese:
- 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked (I recommend baking it in the oven to make it extra crispy.)
- 5-6 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed or blanched
- 8 ounces of pasta, measured by weight
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- salt and pepper to taste, if desired
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- Measure out all your ingredients, chop your broccoli and grate your cheese.
- Boil pasta per package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside once done.
- While the pasta cooks, cook broccoli via your favorite method. I'm a big fan of quickly blanching broccoli in hot water until the florets are bright green and tender.
- For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add flour and whisk constantly while the flour cooks off into a roux, approx. 3 minutes.Next, season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
- Slowly pour in your milk, whisking constantly until smooth and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
- Add pasta and broccoli florets to a 9-inch or larger baking dish. You can add diced/shredded cooked chicken at this point as well if you desire to make this more like a casserole.
- Sprinkle 5-6 ounces of freshly grated cheese on top of the pasta.
- Pour your cream sauce over the noodles and cheese and use a rubber spatula to fold it all together. Feel free to top with a little extra cheese if you'd like, then top with bacon.
- Bake on center rack at 350° for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
More Pasta Recipes:
Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli
Gluten free Chili and Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Lindsey says
This looks delicious and so easy. #Homemattersparty
Christine says
I love how easy it is to do this recipe. Stopping by from Foodie Friends Friday.
Lois Christensen says
I love mac and cheese! Thanks for sharing with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party this week!
Amy says
This looks so good. We will be trying this.
Mary Beth says
My family loves mac and cheese. I’ll have to give this a try. It looks so yummy!
Suzie Jackson says
This looks amazing. I have never tried to make mac n cheese homemade but I should. I will be pinning this and doing it! Thank you for teaching me how. I am happy to visit from the Motivation Monday hop!
Erica Schmidt says
This bacon and broccoli mac and cheese looks sooooo good! Visiting from Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom’s Melt in Your Mouth Monday’s link party, definitely pinning for later!