Best ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Panko and Bacon – all the trappings of mac and cheese with added crisp crumb topping and bacon.
Macaroni and Cheese is comfort food to many. I see this dish being served at almost every family gathering I have attended. It may sound strange but for those of us who did not grow up here, mac and cheese is not something we would warm up to.
Up until now, I have never prepared mac and cheese in my kitchen. I panicked when I was asked to prepare a slow cooker version for a church event recently. My first thought was to swap with someone to prepare a different dish. After thinking about it a little bit more, I finally decided to go ahead as planned. Ro-Jiro, my youngest son assured me that he will be more than happy to eat what I prepared.
Recipe from Box
The first thing I did was to go buy a box of macaroni. Fortunately, the Creamette macaroni had a recipe I could use. I made a few minor changes and was pleasantly surprised that my Macaroni and Cheese was very well received at the church event. It was one of the first things to disappear on the buffet table. Ro-Jiro said it was really good and suggested that I add some parmesan cheese the next time I make it.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
A week later, I did just that. As a treat, I also added some bacon and panko breadcrumbs. This time I baked it to give it a slight crust. Ro-Jiro was a happy boy. Even Ro-Ri San asked for a portion. I have made this Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Panko and Bacon three times now and it will not be my last. 🙂
Similar Tools Used in Making This Baked macaroni and Cheese
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Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 3-Quart Saucepan with Cover
Pyrex 8″ Square Baking Dish with Blue Plastic Lid
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz macaroni (225g)
- ¼ cup (30g) panko breadcrumbs
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack) (8oz/225g)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (50g)
- 2½ cups low fat milk (600ml)
- 3 tbsp (45g) butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta according to packaging instructions. Drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter into hot pasta. Set aside.
- Grease an 8”x8” deep casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a medium sized pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in all-purpose flour and dry mustard and cook for about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk. When it comes to a boil, season with salt and pepper. Add cheese blend and stir till melted. Pour onto pasta and mix well. Dish into prepared casserole dish.
- Top with parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
- In the meantime, fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel and crumble into bacon bits.
- Remove casserole from oven. Sprinkle bacon bits and panko onto pasta. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately.
NUTRITION
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
So does this mean you’ve warmed up to mac & cheese? I grew up with the boxed stuff and love it anyways. Once I was on my own I started making it from scratch and was amazed at the difference it made.
Your version here looks scrumptious! The addition of panko really looks interesting.
Hi Russell, thanks for visiting! I guess you can say that I have finally warmed up to mac and cheese. Adding the bacon and panko made a lot of difference to the dish. 🙂
This is TOTALLY my kind of dish. I think my daugther will LOVE this creamy mac and cheese with BACON!! I’m saving this recipe now. Oh I better print out. LOL. Done. Off to a park now… 🙂
I love cheese but for some reason, I am slow to warm up to this dish. The bacon, though not healthy amkes it very tasty. Jiro loves it! 🙂
I would so much like to try this, but Dudette refuses to eat any mac and cheese that doesn’t come from a blue box. Hubby’s not much better. I love, love, love the different varieties and want so badly to expand my mac and cheese horizons. This version looks perfect. You’ve done an awesome job.
For being a new dish to you this is spot on! You elevated it with the addition of bacon. Such a super comfort.
Mac n cheese was a big childhood favorite of mine and now my kiddies have started to like it. I like tha you added Panko to yours and finished by baking to add some texture to the dish. The bacon is a wonderful flavour addition as well. Your Mac n cheese looks yummy. So cool that you’ve now made your recipes printable, Biren.
Looks just so delicious n perfect…am feeling hungry now
Lovely mac n cheese! My kids could it the whole day! The addition of bacon certainly sounds yummy!
Looks great Biren! My favorite kind of mac and cheese (panko and bacon on top).
Oh Biren, please pass me some for my boys at home. They love cheese too. Yum! looks really good 🙂
yummmmmmm,can i use normal breadcrumbs instead of panko?
Most definitely! I would use fine breadcrumbs though. 🙂
Brilliant first attempt! Well done. Great addition with the bacon and panko too. Yum!
I love mac n cheese. Great recipe! Yummy!
Awesome recipe! The only thing that could make mac and cheese better is bacon! I also did not grow up eating it even though I’m American, but when I discovered it there was no turning back.
As a complete macaroni and cheese whore, I have to say yours really looks awesome! I’m so glad you faced your fears of the unknown and have since become a mac and cheese master! Also, congrats on the new printing feature, it’s an excellent addition 🙂
You are funny Victoria. 🙂 I am glad I faced my fears. Will try out new versions in the days ahead.
Thanks! It took me a long time to look into the printing option but I am glad it is done. Now, I have the major task of updating my posts.
That really looks good and comforting. I like the crumb crust and of course the bacon bits. Macaroni cheese is not as popular here but my daughter just loves any pasta with lots of cheese.
Biren, you’re making me very hungry….fun tweeting with you this am, we’ll get the hang of it some day;-)
It was fun tweeting with you too! I will have to sign on a little more often. 🙂
Hi Biren, you’re making me hungry;-)
That was fun tweeting with you this am, we’ll get the hang of it some day! I just commented on your blog using my ipad but not sure if it went through so sorry if you get two of the same comments from me;-)
LOVE that you included panko!
oh la la now this is a mac and cheese
What a great idea to use panko! I always find that its addition always makes a normal dish spectacular.
Biren, it’s true: used to have this when I was little and so a real comfort food but your version of adding the bacon and exotic panko takes it to another level. No wonder you’ve been asked to make more and more…
You just can’t go wrong with mac and cheese. Not to mention there is bacon involved! Delish!
I have to say, I LOOOVVEE mac and cheese and this version sounds spot on delicious!
This looks so sinfully delicious…! With panko and bacon, what a combo ;)!!
Biren,
This looks so delicious! The bacon and panko really puts it over the top!
This is an ideal one-dish meal!
Oh man! This is my kind of food 🙂 Cheese and bacon…yum!
Oh but this looks like my boys’ favourite dish! They love anything with plenty of cheese and bacon!
Boys really do love bacon, don’t they? 🙂
Biren! I have been looking forward to checking out your site, and finally got to it.. and boy, am I glad! You have such an awesome website here… I am so glad to have ‘met’ you, and I will be visiting much more regularly 🙂 Thank you for your kind words on my blog & for entering my giveaway! 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment, visiting, and following! I do hope you will visit regularly. 🙂
Hi Biren! That’s so sweet of your boy, Ro-Jiro! Lucky that he assured you that he’ll eat it, if not you won’t discover this great recipe! 😀
As I’m living in SG, Mac and Cheese is not so commonly cooked here I can say… Indeed I only got to know about this recipe THIS YEAR! LOL
I love this very much the very first time I tried and from then on, I’d already cooked it 3 times! 😀
As I still haven’t got an oven yet, so I didn’t get the chance to taste the baked version but I’m gonna try it when oven is here! 😀
Hope you have a wonderful weekend! ^.^
Yes, Ro-Jiro is a sweetie! It took me a while to warm up to mac & cheese but I am glad I did. I still have to go slow though as it does pack some calories. 🙂 I hope you get to try the baked version soon.
Tks Biren! I wish I could try it now! 😀
can not let my kids see this now, they will sure ask me to make for them immediately, hahaha!! anyway, i will make a surprise with this for them one day! This look absolutely delicious.
It is good to surprise them once in a while. 🙂
I didn’t grow up on Mac and Cheese but I love it anyway, and my kids are absolutely addicted to it! We’ve never tried instant though, as it’s not common here. I love the bacon and panko addition, and congrats on getting your recipes printable! Btw – I have the very same baking dish LOL So retro 😉
Hey Denise, so glad for your visit. 🙂 It took me a long time to warm up to this dish. I would have added some pepper flakes but Ro-Jiro has such a mild palate, I decided against it. Phew…it took me forever to come up with the printable recipe but I am glad it is done. That is an old baking dish but still in very good shape. I love it still. 🙂
Looks great! Glad it turned out so well, and you have continued to make it!
Love printable recipes!
Hooray for printable recipes…doing the happy dance! And this mac and cheese sounds outstanding….with the bacon and crusty topping! YUM.
Your first mac n cheese…wow, nice job! I should warn you to be a bit cautious as my sons may want to move in with you seeing the bacon added here 🙂
LOL! You are too funny Alisha! Boys do like bacon. 🙂
I read when you first shared on facebook about the slow cooked mac&cheese and now that you shared the recipe I can’t wait to try it. Sounds way much better than the store bought one and probably even than the one I use to make. Thanks for sharing Biren 🙂
yummers! mac and cheese!
Just made your version of baked mac n’ cheese and it was very tasty! I never thought this timeless dish could have so many different textures and tastes, needless to say, I’ll be making this for company luncheons and other occasions! Thanks!
I am glad to hear that you made this dish and enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to let me know. 🙂