Cheese and Bacon Pasta Bake

This easy baked mac and cheese recipe is made with penne pasta, a blend of cheeses, eggs, and diced pancetta.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 425kcal

Author Amee

8 oz uncooked penne pasta cook according to package directions (I prefer Dreamfields, it's a low-glycemic, low-carb pasta that actually tastes good!)
2 eggs beaten
4 oz pancetta finely diced
5.3 oz Gruyere cheese freshly shredded
12 oz reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese shredded from block ( I use the Cabot 50% sharp cheddar)
⅓ cup light sour cream
2 cups 2% Fairlife milk *I use Fairlife for added protein but regular milk works here too
4 tablespoon butter melted
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper *can adjust salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil macaroni according to package to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, saute the diced pancetta over medium heat until cooked through, lightly golden, and fat is rendered, about 4-5 minutes.
Drain the pancetta and set aside.
When the pasta is done, drain completely and pour it into a large bowl. Add the drained pancetta and all other ingredients, reserving about a ¾ cup of cheddar cheese for topping. Stir well until combined.
Spread the cheesy pasta into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

- Don't overcook the pasta. Parboil the pasta no further than al dente according to the package instructions. It will continue cooking in the oven, and you don’t want it to get mushy.

- Don’t rinse the cooked pasta. It gives the cheese sauce a starchy surface to cling to.

- Grate your own cheese. Grate cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese. It melts better and has no weird additives that can affect the texture.

- Choose the right baking dish. Choose a heavy-duty, oven-safe dish to ensure even cooking and prevent scorching. An 8.5x11” or a 9x13” casserole pan works well.

- Add meat – Make this mac and cheese with pancetta and a second meat for extra protein. Try it with cooked and cubed chicken, pulled pork, crumbled sausage, or diced ham.