Cheesy, creamy mac and cheese baked to perfection with bacon and sour cream. This mac and cheese recipe is the perfect comfort food packed with three cheeses and tons of delicious flavor. The addition of sour cream also adds so much creaminess this is pasta bake and helps create the best mac and cheese.

This recipe is the ultimate comfort food and is perfect to serve during the chilly months of fall and winter. This is also a perfect side dish to serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, at birthday parties, etc. It is also the perfect dish for family dinners, is totally kid friendly and will even please any picky eater you may have at the table. This is definitely a family favorite in the making.
This was inspired by my Smoked Mac and Cheese recipe on this site, and pairs well with this Reverse Seared Steak.
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Ingredients
The ingredients in this recipe might surprise you a little, but it sure does pack some flavor into this dish.
- Pipette pasta
- White cheddar
- Pepper Jack cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Bacon
- Sour cream
- Butter
- Whole Milk
- Salt and black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The steps to create this recipe are very simple which makes this the perfect side dish to throw together, especially around the holiday season.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice and cook the bacon on medium heat. Boil the pasta in a large pot of water to an al dente texture by following the package directions.
Mix the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, Parmesan cheese, sour cream, bacon and salt and pepper in a bowl. Fold in the pasta.
Add to a casserole dish and then add the slices of butter on top. Pour the milk evenly over the Mac and cheese.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and enjoy.
Hint: for the best texture, buy the blocks of cheese and shred it yourself. It not only will melt better and more evenly, but I also find that the grated cheese will add better flavor to the dish.
Substitutions
- Pasta - swap out for a gluten free pasta if need be.
- Sour Cream - you could switch out the sour cream for a block of cream cheese. Just make sure the cream cheese is softened before mixing. This will provide a more tangy flavor.
- Vegetarian - the bacon can be omitted if you want a meat free mac and cheese.
Variations
There are a few fun ways to change this recipe up.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or buffalo sauce before baking to add some heat to this dish.
- Deluxe - add a mixture of panko bread crumbs, melted butter and parmesan cheese to the top of the mac and cheese before baking. This will add a little crisp to the dish.
- Extra creamy - add the shredded cheese and sour cream into a skillet with heavy cream to create a cheese sauce. Mix this cheese sauce in with the pasta before baking. Follow the rest of the steps like adding the butter and milk so that your cheese sauce doesn't dry out while baking.
- Kid Friendly - after about 20 minutes of baking, add some hot dogs on top. Flip the hot dogs about 15 minutes after placing them on top of the dish. This was one of my favorite ways to make baked mac and cheese growing up.
See this Extra Creamy version on my website!
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl as well as a casserole dish.
Storage
Leftovers can be kept in the casserole dish and covered with tin foil in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also place the mac and cheese in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
These ingredients do stand up well to freezing and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Top tip
Add another layer of shredded cheese on top of the macaroni and cheese before baking. Use all three types of cheeses. This will help make sure your mac and cheese is extra cheesy.
FAQ
Absolutely! Realistically, you can use any type of pasta you want to make homemade macaroni. I just found that the pipette pasta held the creaminess of the dish really well. Believe it or not, the pasta shape does make a big difference so I would opt for a pasta that will hold the cheese well.
The milk and butter helps keep both the cheeses and pasta from drying out in the oven. It helps give you that creamy texture that you get from making a cheese sauce on the stove to mix in with your pasta.
📖 Recipe
Mac and Cheese Recipe with Sour Cream
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb pipette pasta
- 3 cups white cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 slices bacon sliced
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice and cook the bacon on medium heat. Boil the pasta in a large pot of water to an al dente texture by following the package directions.
- Mix the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, pepper Jack, Parmesan cheese, sour cream, bacon and salt and pepper in a bowl. Fold in the pasta.
- Add to a casserole dish and then add the slices of butter on top. Pour the milk evenly over the Mac and cheese.
- Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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