Garlic, Bacon, and Beer Macaroni and Cheese

Erica

Garlic, Bacon, and Beer Macaroni and Cheese. Try it once, and you will be hooked.

4.93 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 492 kcal

Ingredients

6 strips bacon cooked and crumbled, divided
4 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves divided
2 cup milk
¾ cup stout beer such as Guinness
1 tsp kosher salt
pinch fresh cracked pepper
2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese spread See Notes
8 oz elbow macaroni
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
garnish: fresh thyme leaves and couple pinches barbecue seasoning such as Chef Prudhomme's, McCormick, or my Grilling Rub for Chicken

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
In a medium saucepan, heat 3 Tablespoons butter with the flour over medium heat, whisking until bubbly. Cook 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme, and cook an additional minute. Slowly whisk in the the milk and beer.
Heat, stirring constantly, a couple minutes until warm and a little steamy.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add both cheeses, salt, and pepper, and cook, whisking, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in half the bacon.
Cook the macaroni to al dente according to package directions in salted water (note that this can be done while making the cheese sauce). Drain pasta and add to the cheese sauce. Transfer to a 2-qt baking dish.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add the panko, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and remaining bacon. Sprinkle over the macaroni.
Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly. Serve garnished with fresh thyme leaves and a pinch of barbecue seasoning. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Notes

By sharp cheddar cheese spread, I'm talking about the pub-type spreadable cheese, found in the dairy aisle, that comes in a tub. I have tried Wispride, Merkts, and Kaukauna brands, and they all work for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calorie count is purely an estimate calculated using an online application to serve as a guide and not to be taken as accurate nutritional information. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Keyword bacon and mac and cheese, bacon mac and cheese, baked mac and cheese with bacon, beer mac and cheese

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