This creamy macaroni cheese with bacon is made with mature Cheddar, smoked lardons, Dijon mustard, and a golden Parmesan breadcrumb topping. The béchamel sauce is rich and silky, and the bacon adds a smoky crunch in every bite. It takes 15 minutes to prep, 40 minutes in the oven, and serves 6.
This is the Hairy Bikers’ classic mac and cheese from their Mums Know Best cookbook, the one that fans rave about. I have tested this version dozens of times and it has become our go-to weekend dinner.
Why Does This Hairy Bikers Macaroni Cheese Work So Well?
Four things set this apart from the average internet mac and cheese.
The béchamel base.
This starts with a proper roux, butter and flour cooked together for a full minute before the milk goes in. That cooking time removes the raw flour taste that makes cheap white sauces taste pasty. Adding the milk gradually and off the heat prevents lumps entirely.
The cheese ratio.
400g of mature Cheddar into 1.2 litres of sauce gives you a strong cheese flavour without the sauce splitting. Using mature rather than mild is important. You need less cheese to get more flavour, which keeps the sauce smooth instead of greasy.
The bacon.
Smoked lardons are fried separately until properly crisp before they go into the sauce. This renders out excess fat so the dish is not greasy, and builds that Maillard reaction crunch that gives you texture contrast in every bite.
The breadcrumb topping.
Parmesan mixed with white breadcrumbs creates a crust that goes golden and crunchy in the oven. Without it, you have just got a wet pasta bake. The Parmesan browns faster than Cheddar and gives a nuttier, sharper finish on top.
Macaroni Cheese with Bacon Ingredients
- 100g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 100g plain flour
- 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
- 1.2 litres whole milk
- 5 tbsp double cream
- 1 bay leaf
- 400g mature Cheddar, grated
- 20 turns of a black peppermill
- 8 rasps of freshly grated nutmeg
- 500g dried macaroni
- 100g smoked bacon lardons or smoked pancetta cubes
- 60g white breadcrumbs
- 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt
How to Make Macaroni Cheese with Bacon
- Make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the plain flour and cook for one minute to create a roux, then add the mustard. Take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream until smooth. Add the bay leaf, return to the heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens.
- Add the cheese: Take the pan off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and add the grated Cheddar. Stir until the cheese has completely melted. Season with black pepper and nutmeg.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the macaroni in a large pan of salted water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Butter a large ovenproof dish, about 35 x 20cm. In a separate frying pan, cook the bacon lardons or pancetta until crisp.
- Combine and assemble: Stir the crispy bacon into the cheese sauce. Add the drained macaroni and mix everything together until well combined. Pour the mixture into the buttered dish.
- Top and bake: Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan and scatter evenly over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
What Is the Secret to a Perfect Macaroni Cheese with Bacon?
- Add the milk off the heat: Pour the milk and cream into the roux gradually and off the heat. Whisk between each addition to keep the sauce completely smooth.
- Cook the pasta al dente: The macaroni keeps cooking in the hot sauce as it bakes. Slight bite now means perfect texture after the oven.
- Get the topping right: Breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan give a savoury, crunchy crust that goes golden in the oven. Without it, the dish is just a wet pasta bake.
- Fry the bacon separately: Cooking the lardons in their own pan renders out excess fat and gets them properly crisp. That smoky crunch is what sets this version apart.
- Try it without meat: Skip the bacon and stir through sautéed leeks or caramelised onions for a vegetarian version with the same depth of flavour.
What Should You Serve on the Side?
A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is the simplest match and cuts through the richness. Steamed broccoli or green beans work well too if you want something warm alongside.
For a full spread, serve this next to Hairy Bikers cauliflower cheese. Two cheese bakes on the same table is never a bad idea. Garlic bread on the side is optional but hard to resist.
Does This Reheat Well?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or put the baking dish back in a moderate oven covered with foil until heated through.
You can also freeze the assembled dish before baking for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as normal, adding 10 to 15 extra minutes since it will be starting cold.
Recipe Variations
This Hairy Bikers macaroni cheese recipe is brilliant as written, but here are some easy ways to mix things up:
- Vegetarian version: Skip the bacon and add a handful of sautéed leeks or caramelised onions instead. You still get that sweet, savoury depth without the meat.
- Different cheeses: Swap half the Cheddar for Gruyère for a nuttier, more continental flavour. Red Leicester adds a beautiful colour, and a small handful of crumbled Stilton stirred through at the end gives a bold, punchy twist.
- Smoky version: The Hairy Bikers also have a smoky macaroni cheese recipe that uses chipotle paste and smoked Cheddar. If you love heat with your cheese, that one is worth trying too.
- Extra veg: Stir through steamed broccoli florets or roasted cherry tomatoes before baking. It adds colour, nutrition, and freshness to cut through the richness.
If you want cheese in a different form, the Hairy Bikers cheese potato pie is another comfort food favourite that uses a lot of the same ingredients.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: ~750 kcal
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 45g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, assemble the dish, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to a day before baking. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time if it is going into the oven cold.
What is the best bacon for mac and cheese? Smoked bacon lardons give the best flavour because the smokiness pairs perfectly with the Cheddar. If you cannot find lardons, buy smoked streaky bacon rashers and chop them into small cubes yourself.
Can I make this without bacon? Leave the bacon out and you have got a classic macaroni cheese that is just as comforting. Add a pinch of smoked paprika to the sauce to make up for the smoky flavour the bacon would have provided.
Is this the Hairy Bikers macaroni cheese from Mums Know Best? Yes, it is based on the macaroni cheese recipe from the Hairy Bikers’ Mums Know Best series. It uses a proper béchamel sauce, mature Cheddar, and crispy smoked bacon lardons.
Try More Recipes:
- Hairy Bikers Gammon In Coke Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Egg And Bacon Pie Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Smoked Fish And Eggs
Hairy Bikers Macaroni Cheese with Bacon Recipe
Description
This macaroni cheese with bacon is built on a rich béchamel sauce with mature Cheddar, crispy smoked lardons, and a golden Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Serves 6 and ready in 1 hour.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make a roux with the butter and flour. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the milk, cream, and mustard. Add the bay leaf and simmer on the heat until thick.
- Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the Cheddar until melted. Season with pepper and nutmeg.
- Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain well.
- Fry the bacon lardons until crisp. Stir them into the cheese sauce.
- Fold the cooked macaroni into the sauce. Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C). Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
