Easy Mac and Cheese (Don’t Strain That Pasta Cooking Water)

Finished mac and cheese with crispy bacon.

I LOVE me some homemade mac and cheese. This recipe is all done in one pan and uses that pasta cooking water as a base for the deliciously creamy cheese sauce. No straining required! The starchy pasta water is what gives this mac and cheese it’s extra creamy texture. This is the creamiest, the cheesiest mac and cheese I have ever had. Plus, the crispy bacon is an added bonus. Watch my mac and cheese video guide to see how this beautiful creation is made. You will love it!

Ingredients:

1 lb macaroni noodles

1 lb medium cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves

6 oz bacon

1 small yellow onion

Salt and pepper to taste

6 c water

1 c heavy cream

Tools needed:

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Slotted spoon

Saute pan

Measuring cups

Paper towel

Let’s make it:

Render bacon and crisp up. Save that oil and use 2 tbsp for cooking!

Cut bacon into bacon bit sizes. Cut onion into small dice, chop thyme, grate cheese, chop garlic. Measure out water and cream.

Heat saute pan over medium heat (5 on the dial). Reder bacon and cook until crispy stirring often. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Pour out most of the fat keeping 2 tbsp. Keep remaining oil for other cooking purposes (eggs, mushrooms, veggie pastas). Keep pan over medium heat and add onions, lightly season with salt. The salt brings out the sweetness in the onions. Cook onions until soft and translucent scraping bottom of pan to get up the brown bits from the bacon while the onions cook. Add chopped garlic, cook rawness off garlic for 30 seconds, careful not to brown.

Add measured amount water to pan and scrape brown bits off the bottom of pan if any remain. CHEF’S TIP: I place my hand in the pan smoothing out the noodles (water is luke warm at this point). I use my second knuckle on pointer finger to gauge if the water is correct amount. The water should just cover the second knuckle. Add macaroni noodles. Turn heat to high and bring water up to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low (4 on the dial) and keep on a low simmer. Stir frequently to keep noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan/together. Cook noodles for 15 minutes or until they are al dente stirring frequently during this process.

This is a lot like cooking risotto if you’re familiar with that process. The water will be mostly evaporated and you will be able to see the noodles very clearly when noodles are cooked al dente. Add cream and reduce by half, gently keep stirring very frequently. The cream will reduce and when you stir the noodles, you will be able to see the bottom of the pan for a brief second when sauce is at the proper consistency. Once cream is reduced, kill the heat. Add cheese and thyme, gently fold in until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Bowl full of beautifully creamy and cheese mac and cheese.

Place in your favorite bowl and top with bacon.

Enjoy!

-Logan