Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Chicken Ham
Enjoy a rich and creamy baked mac and cheese made with turkey bacon and chicken ham.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course main dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 550 kcal
Large pot
large saucepan
Baking dish
Whisk
grater
Pasta and Cheeses
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese divided (measured after shredding)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese divided (measured after shredding)
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 ½ cups half and half see chef tips #1
- ½ Tbsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. paprika smoked paprika is our favorite!
Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13). Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles: approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 ½ cups for the inner layer, and 1 ½ cups for the topping.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.
Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half, whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half plus the whole milk, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency.
Serving: 1plateCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 10IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 10mg
Keyword baked, Chicken Ham, Comfort Food, Creamy, Mac and Cheese, Turkey Bacon