This delicious Pioneer Woman Fancy Mac and Cheese is a creamy, comforting dish perfect for dinner or special occasions. Made with a blend of rich cheeses, crispy bacon, and roasted mushrooms, it’s packed with flavor. Quick to prepare with everyday ingredients, this recipe offers a gourmet twist on classic mac and cheese that everyone will love!
Ingredients Needed
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 16 oz. (1 lb.) White Button or Cremini Mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil (for drizzling)
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- 2 medium Yellow Onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
Cheeses:
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Grated Gruyere Cheese
- ½ cup Grated Fontina Cheese
- 4 oz. Goat Cheese (Chevre)
- 4 oz. Crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese
Pasta and Other Ingredients:
- 1½ lb. Macaroni
- 8 slices Thick-Cut Bacon
- 5 tbsp Butter (plus extra for buttering the pan)
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- ½ cup Half-and-Half
- 2 large Eggs, beaten
How To Make Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Roast the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Fry the bacon in a skillet until chewy but not crisp. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Caramelize the onions: In the same skillet, sauté the sliced onions with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the macaroni in salted water until just undercooked. Drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux, cooking for about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly, cooking until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper.
- Add the egg mixture: Temper the beaten eggs by stirring ¼ cup of the hot sauce into the eggs. Mix quickly, then pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly.
- Melt the cheeses: Add Parmesan, Gruyere, Fontina, and goat cheese to the pot. Stir until the cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine the pasta and sauce: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix until evenly coated. Add a splash of milk if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Assemble the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the caramelized onions, half of the macaroni mixture, half of the roasted mushrooms, half of the Gorgonzola, and half of the bacon. Repeat the layers, ending with the bacon on top.
- Bake the dish: Place the assembled dish in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Boil the macaroni until just undercooked (al dente). This keeps it from getting too soft when baked.
- Layer ingredients evenly: For the best flavor, spread the onions, mushrooms, bacon, and Gorgonzola evenly in each layer.
- Temper the eggs carefully: When adding the eggs to the sauce, stir quickly to prevent them from scrambling.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Freshly grated cheese melts better and makes the sauce creamier. Avoid pre-shredded cheese for best results.
- Bake until bubbly: Make sure the mac and cheese is hot and bubbly before removing it from the oven for perfect texture.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers fancy mac and cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Put leftovers fancy mac and cheese in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers fancy mac and cheese at 350°F for 10 minutes in the oven, microwaving for 2 to 3 minutes, or warming on the stovetop with a splash of milk.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup (187g)
- Calories: 240
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 600mg
- Potassium: 160mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 18g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 12g
More Pioneer Woman Recipes:
Pioneer Woman Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe
Description
This delicious Pioneer Woman Fancy Mac and Cheese is a creamy, comforting dish perfect for dinner or special occasions. Made with a blend of rich cheeses, crispy bacon, and roasted mushrooms, it’s packed with flavor. Quick to prepare with everyday ingredients, this recipe offers a gourmet twist on classic mac and cheese that everyone will love!
Ingredients
Vegetables and Seasonings:
Cheeses:
Pasta and Other Ingredients:
Instructions
- Roast the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Fry the bacon in a skillet until chewy but not crisp. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Caramelize the onions: In the same skillet, sauté the sliced onions with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the macaroni in salted water until just undercooked. Drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux, cooking for about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly, cooking until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper.
- Add the egg mixture: Temper the beaten eggs by stirring ¼ cup of the hot sauce into the eggs. Mix quickly, then pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly.
- Melt the cheeses: Add Parmesan, Gruyere, Fontina, and goat cheese to the pot. Stir until the cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine the pasta and sauce: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix until evenly coated. Add a splash of milk if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Assemble the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the caramelized onions, half of the macaroni mixture, half of the roasted mushrooms, half of the Gorgonzola, and half of the bacon. Repeat the layers, ending with the bacon on top.
- Bake the dish: Place the assembled dish in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Boil the macaroni until just undercooked (al dente). This keeps it from getting too soft when baked.
- Layer ingredients evenly: For the best flavor, spread the onions, mushrooms, bacon, and Gorgonzola evenly in each layer.
- Temper the eggs carefully: When adding the eggs to the sauce, stir quickly to prevent them from scrambling.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Freshly grated cheese melts better and makes the sauce creamier. Avoid pre-shredded cheese for best results.
- Bake until bubbly: Make sure the mac and cheese is hot and bubbly before removing it from the oven for perfect texture.
Pioneer Woman Fancy Mac and Cheese Recipe