Alice, Savory Sweet Life, recently posted this Bacon Mac and Cheese recipe and I knew immediately that my daughter would love it because she loves rosemary. We made it together on Sunday and I was right. She loved it the minute we rinsed the fresh rosemary in running water and the smelled permeated the kitchen. She loved it even more when she took her first bite.
The recipe, created by by Chef Michael Symon, creates a cheese sauce by simmering rosemary in heavy cream until it is reduced by half. This step creates a smooth, creamy cheese sauce that is infused with, but not overwhelmed by, a great rosemary flavor.
Gruyère is a good melting cheese with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. The bacon adds a great smoky flavor to the sauce and I wouldn’t omit it. Alice used an Applewood Bacon, but I opted for a shortcut and used the precooked bacon that I always have in the freezer.
This recipe is a delicious, dressed up mac and cheese, but it’s very easy to make and is perfect as a main dish. The original recipe said it made 4 – 6 servings. I was having 7 for dinner and I made 1.5 times the recipe which was way more pasta than I needed, even for a main dish. I’d say it makes 6 generous servings.
Bacon Mac & Cheese with Gruyère
Ingredients
- 1 quart 4 cups heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ pound bacon diced, fried crisp and drained
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or short hollow pasta cooked according to package directions and drained, reserving 3 teaspoons pasta water
- 2 cups 8 ounces Wisconsin Gruyère cheese, grated
- Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- Place cream in large saucepan with rosemary. Add salt and pepper. Bring to boil and keep at boil until reduced by half (be patient, this takes some time).
- Stir in bacon and pasta and simmer until hot; add the Gruyère cheese and 3 teaspoons pasta water.
- Stir until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately.
I used the Barilla Plus Elbow Macaroni. This pasta has 4 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein per serving. It tastes great and I feel better about serving it with a less healthy sauce. I also love the way they look. They are ridged with little twist and help dress up an ordinary macaroni salad or mac and cheese. I also use and love the other Barilla Plus pastas. (I wasn’t given any products or compensation for this rave review.)
Cookin' Canuck
I have been thinking about this recipe ever since I saw it on Alice’s site. I’m glad to hear another rave review!
Lora
Love gruyere. LOVE Mac .n. Cheese. Great recipe!
Lauren B.
Who doesn’t love bacon, especially in mac & cheese?!
Crustabakes
I love rosemary too! Simmering rosemary in heavy cream will definitely bring out the flavour to its maximum. 🙂
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
The rosemary was enough to hook me being my favorite herb, too, but the Gruyere really reeled me in! I adore Gruyere and will use it at every possible opportunity. Add to those two the bacon and cream and, well, this would be devoured in a moment here.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
That sounds scrumptious mum! And I really like the Barilla wholemeal pasta that we get here (we don’t get Barilla plus). Some wholemeal pastas taste awful but this one tastes kind of like regular! xxx
Jessica @ How Sweet
Bacon and gruyere!! My favorite!
Cakelaw
This sounds like the perfect mid-week dish – quick and tasty. It looks delicious – I can almost smell it!
kristy
This is my kids favourite one dish meal! I will prepare some side dish salad to go along. They can have this for lunch & dinner as well. ^_^
Hope you’re having a great day, Barbara.
Cheers, Kristy
Megan
Gosh, I love everything about it!
Gruyere cheese, check.
Pasta, check.
Rosemary, check
BACON!!! Double check!!!
I know this would make me a happy girl! Evem with WW pasta. 😉
faithy
i want this now! it’s lunch time soon and i want this so badly! Yums!…Hmm..i don’ think anyone’s selling this ..around my work area…*sad*..
Sue
I’m not sure I like rosemary, but I know I do like bacon. I’ll have to try this mac and cheese. Gruyere is my husband’s favorite cheese.
rebecca
wow looks great so cute you made it with your daughter
Mags
It’s almost 11:00 here and I’m finding myself thinking if I have the ingredients to make this right now. STOP MAGS…JUST STOP!
Geez Barbara, this looks fantastic.
diva
This looks so good! I would never think to use gruyere in mac and cheese but I think it’s time I tried. Awesome photos, thanks for the recipe!
Bonnie
This looks so good. Mac and Cheese is a favorite around here. I will for sure try this one. I love Michael Symon’s recipes.
tiffany ~food finery
excuse me while i wipe the drool off of my keyboard… goodnight! this looks incredible! fattening and incredible! 🙂
Eliana
This looks like mac ‘n cheese perfection Barbara. I love it.
Chris
*swoon* this looks delicious. I am a lover of Gruyere…and with bacon? You’re killin’ me right before I am heading to bed. I love it! I also like that you can tell what it all is…and its not one big cheese soup of mac & cheese. Yup…a soul warming must try comfort food. 😉
Kristen
That looks so delicious, Barbara. Love your photos!