3 Cheese Mac and Cheese with Smoked Bacon

This 3 cheese mac and cheese with smoked bacon is the ultimate comfort food — creamy, cheesy and packed with flavour. Made with a rich three-cheese sauce, pasta and crispy smoked bacon, it’s the kind of indulgent mac and cheese that’s perfect when you’re craving something seriously comforting.

I’ve added my [Sun-Blushed Tomatoes] to this version too, which bring a lovely little burst of sweetness and work beautifully with the smoky bacon and rich cheese sauce. The pasta is coated in that deliciously creamy sauce before being baked until golden and bubbling on top. It’s an easy family dinner, weekend comfort food or cosy dish to serve when you’re feeding friends.

  • 350g pasta, your choice of shape, cooked al dente
  • 125g smoked bacon, diced
  • 30g butter, extra for greasing the baking dish
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 600ml whole milk
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • pinch of chilli powder
  • 130g mozzarella cheese
  • 130g Red Leicester cheese, grated
  • 130g cheddar cheese, grated
  • Greek basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp sun-blushed tomatoes
  • Fry the bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and place onto kitchen paper to drain, set aside.
  • Melt the butter into the bacon fat, then add the flour and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
  • Gradually pour in a little of the milk, whisking until smooth and free from lumps. Continue adding the remaining milk gradually, whisking as you go.
  • Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, then add the Dijon mustard, paprika and chilli powder. Stir well before adding the cheeses, reserving a handful of each for the topping.
  • Once the sauce has thickened and the cheeses have melted, add the crispy bacon, a good handful of Greek basil leaves and the cooked pasta. Mix well until everything is coated in the creamy cheese sauce.
  • Grease your baking dish with a little butter.
  • Spoon half of the mac ‘n’ cheese into the dish, then dot over half of the sun-blushed tomatoes, tucking them into the pasta.
  • Sprinkle over a layer of the reserved cheese.
  • Add the remaining mac ‘n’ cheese, then repeat with the remaining sun-blushed tomatoes and cheese.
  • Sprinkle over more basil leaves, then drizzle with a little of the tomato oil.
  • Place under the grill and cook until the cheese on top is bubbling and golden brown.
  • Serve.

LULU’S NOTES

CHEESE

You can use any cheese really, but mozzarella is great for that lovely cheese pull. I also love Gruyère in this dish as it has such a delicious nutty flavour.

GREEK BASIL

I know fresh Greek basil may not be available to everyone. I used this as it has such a lovely flavour and scent, but you can use regular basil, chopped.

GRILLED?

If you really undercook your pasta and need it to cook for longer in the sauce, then by all means cover with foil and place in the oven for about 25 minutes. I always like to finish mine under the grill to achieve that lovely crisp topping. I cook my pasta al dente and ready to eat, so you just need to grill it. I also find this way gives you a much saucier base.

LET IT REST!

Try not to dig in straight away. Give the mac about 10–15 minutes to settle, otherwise the sauce may be too runny.

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