Bacon-Pepper Mac and Cheese

  • Prep 25 min
  • Total 50 min
  • Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cups uncooked penne pasta (10 oz)
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
  • 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • 10 slices packaged precooked bacon (from 2.1-oz package), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
  • 4 oz Muenster cheese, shredded (1 cup)
  • 2 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup Progresso™ Italian style bread crumbs

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the butter in small bowl. Stir bell pepper and onions into butter in saucepan. Increase heat to medium; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and mustard. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Increase heat to medium-high. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Gently stir in bacon and pasta.
  • 3
    Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until melted. Pour into casserole. Stir bread crumbs into melted butter in small bowl. Sprinkle over pasta mixture.
  • 4
    Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.

  • You can use elbow macaroni in place of the penne. You can also use Swiss cheese instead of the Gruyère, although Gruyère has a more pronounced nutty flavor than regular Swiss.
  • Look for packages of precooked bacon near the regular bacon at your grocery store.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
1010
Calories from Fat
460
Total Fat
51g
79%
Saturated Fat
29g
143%
Trans Fat
1 1/2g
Cholesterol
145mg
48%
Sodium
1790mg
75%
Potassium
580mg
17%
Total Carbohydrate
91g
30%
Dietary Fiber
5g
22%
Sugars
10g
Protein
45g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
50%
50%
Vitamin C
25%
25%
Calcium
70%
70%
Iron
25%
25%
Exchanges:
5 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 4 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
6
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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