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Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon, Leeks, and Thyme

April 4, 2011 by Nicole 41 Comments

Herbed Macaroni and Cheese with Leeks and Bacon

I love making homemade mac and cheese because the possibilities are endless.  You can play with cheese combinations, pasta shapes, and additions like meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices.  When it comes to this comfort dish, I rarely make it the same way twice, but it’s always delicious!

For this batch, I used two types of cheese:  Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar and Havarti.  I chose the cheddar for flavor and the havarti for its creamy texture.  I also added bacon, leeks, and fresh thyme – an amazing flavor combination.

Although this casserole takes a bit more prep work than traditional macaroni and cheese, it’s not difficult to make.

First, prep and assemble your ingredients.  Wash and chop the leeks, shred the cheeses, and measure out the other ingredients.

Bacon

While you heat the pasta water, cook the bacon.  I start my bacon in a cold skillet, then cook it over medium heat, turning and moving the pieces as necessary, until the bacon is evenly browned and crisp.

Crispy bacon

Drain the bacon on paper towels then chop into small pieces.

Leeks in bacon fat

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings, then add the chopped leeks to the pan and cook over medium-low heat until softened and just starting to brown.

Leeks, bacon, and thyme

When leeks have softened, stir in the chopped fresh thyme and the bacon pieces.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.  Cook pasta until al dente then drain and set aside.

Melting butter

Melt butter over medium heat in a large heavy saucepan (I use the pasta pot).

Whisking butter and flour

When butter has melted, stir in the flour to make a paste.

Cooked flour

Cook the flour mixture (also known as a roux), stirring constantly, for about two minutes.  It should be slightly darkened and have a nutty aroma.

Whisking in half and half

Whisk in the half and half until smooth then bring to a boil, whisking constantly.

Thickened sauce

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until thickened.

Stirring in cheese

Add cheeses, reserving one cup of shredded cheddar for the topping, and stir until smooth.

Seasoning with salt and pepper

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Adding macaroni

Stir in pasta until well-coated with cheese sauce.

Adding leeks, bacon, and thyme

Add the bacon and leek mixture.

Everything mixed together

Stir until everything is well combined.  Taste again and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Ready for the oven

Pour the pasta into a greased 9″x 13″ inch baking dish then sprinkle with reserved cheddar cheese.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Dig in!

Enjoy!

This recipe was created for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing board using Wisconsin Cheddar and Wisconsin Havarti that I was able to purchase here in California.  I was not paid to write this post, but I was provided a stipend to cover ingredients as I was developing the recipe.

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon, Leeks, and Thyme
Serves 8

1 pound medium pasta shells (or elbow macaroni)
1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced crosswise (white and light green parts only)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups half and half
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded
6 ounces Havarti, shredded
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9″x13″ baking dish and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp then chop into small pieces.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from pan then return to medium-low heat and add chopped leeks.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened and just starting to brown, about ten minutes.  Stir in chopped thyme and chopped bacon and remove pan from heat.  Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and stir in flour.  Cook, stirring, for about two minutes, until flour mixture has darkened slightly, then whisk in half and half.  Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then turn heat down and let simmer, stirring, until thickened.  Stir in shredded cheeses, reserving one cup of shredded cheddar for the top of the casserole.  Stir in salt and pepper then remove sauce from heat.  Stir in pasta and the bacon-leek mixture.  Pour pasta into the greased baking dish and sprinkle with reserved cheddar cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Serve warm.

Related Recipes:

  • Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole
  • Bacon and Cheese Quiche
  • Whole Wheat Pasta with Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese
  • Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce

Around the Web:

  • Martha’s Macaroni and Cheese from Smitten Kitchen
  • Macaroni and Cheese from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
  • Triple Smoky Macaroni and Cheese from Herbivoracious
  • Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon from Homesick Texan

Filed Under: Bacon, Casseroles, Herbs and Spices, Main Courses

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lori @ RecipeGirl says

    April 8, 2011 at 6:27 am

    I agree- the possibilities are endless w/ Mac and Cheese! Love the bacon-leek idea!
    Reply
  2. charityanne says

    April 8, 2011 at 6:28 am

    Oh my, my. How yummy is that! I am totally making it tonight!
    Reply
  3. Richard Blaine says

    April 8, 2011 at 10:41 am

    Hi Nicole!, You have a really nice website! I am glad that you stopped by and like my post on the Japanese kitchen knives. I hope you stop by again because I have a series slated that I promise will be the most informative info on culinary knives from every aspect, probably 10 to 30 vids. Hope to see you there.
    Reply
  4. Kristi Rimkus says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:43 am

    This is what I call a terrific grown up mac and cheese. Lovely! Kristi
    Reply
  5. Allison says

    April 11, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Holy goodness this looks amazing. I have got to try this. The combination of bacon and leeks, oh and cheese, sounds too good. And I love that you used the shell noodles. Thems my favorites.
    Reply
  6. Tess says

    April 12, 2011 at 7:41 pm

    This looked and sounded so amazingly good that I had to stop and go to the market and buy. This is now my husband's favorite macaroni and cheese. This is so good that I have been asked to make it twice in one week . . . and it is so good that I complied. Wonderful!
    Reply
  7. Kristi says

    April 14, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    wow, that sounds delicious. I'll have to give it a try. M
    Reply
  8. Kerry Maxwell says

    April 22, 2011 at 5:38 am

    Made this a couple of nights ago, and we polished off the leftovers last night. Delicious! I sprinkled panko on top and finished the last few minutes under the broiler.
    Reply
  9. Rachel says

    April 22, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    I just made this and we had it for dinner tonight. I had no Havarti, but I had Gruyere, so I used that instead. I also added 1 cup of sliced mushrooms in with the leeks to saute, and I stirred in 2 cups of fresh baby spinach at the last second before popping it in the oven. My husband took one bite and his only response was "Wow!!!!!!" Thank you so much for this recipe! It's so, SO going in our monthly repertoire! :-D
    Reply
  10. Sarah says

    May 6, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Will be making, ASAP.
    Reply
  11. Roy Summers says

    July 12, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Redonkulous...........best mac-n-cheeze ever
    Reply
  12. Melanie says

    November 3, 2011 at 11:18 am

    made it and it's absolutely amazing....so delicious
    Reply
  13. Kate says

    November 5, 2011 at 11:17 am

    Thank you... this was delicious! Definitely going to hold on to this recipe for another time... I cut the recipe in half since it was just for two of us, but i'm not sure I halved the cheese... ;) yum!
    Reply
  14. Sarah E says

    May 21, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    Delicious! I have been searching high and low for a good home mac and cheese recipe, and this is it; it's creamy and cheesy, without being to sharp, and there's bacon! I substituted pancetta for bacon and it turned out great.
    Reply
  15. Alyson says

    August 15, 2012 at 10:14 am

    Wow this looks deadly and delicious. I like the idea Sarah E has about using pancetta as well!
    Reply
  16. Green eggs and sand says

    May 31, 2014 at 9:44 pm

    Tonight I bought leeks and bacon with the intent of using it in a Mac and cheese variation. I was so pleased to then happen upon your recipe when I decided to search for anyone else who had tried this combination. I added a shallot, well because I am pretty sure leeks and shallots were made for one another. I didn't have half and half or even buttermilk or cream, so I was forced to use nonfat milk in my bechamel. To help thicken the whole dish, I added 2/3 cup 4% cottage cheeses and reduced the amount of the shredded cheeses. End result: AmAzing. Decadent. Flavorful. Delicious. Thanks so much for posting your recipe; it helped me pull together an idea that probably otherwise would've been just meh. :)
    Reply
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