The Ultimate Gravy Train Sage Smoked Gouda Bacon Mac and Cheese

Sage Bacon Mac And Cheese

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Preparation time:25 Mins

Cooking time:40 Mins

Servings:8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 oz (170 g) Diced Thick-cut Smoked Bacon
• 1/2 cup (80 g) Finely diced Yellow Onion
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Chopped Fresh Sage Leaves
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) Unsalted Butter, divided
• 6 tablespoons (45 g) All-Purpose Flour
• 4 cups (950 ml) Warm Whole Milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) Warm Chicken or Turkey Stock (Low Sodium)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground Black Pepper
• Salt, To taste
• 1 pound (450 g) Elbow Macaroni or Medium Shells
• 8 oz (225 g) Freshly grated Gruyère Cheese
• 6 oz (170 g) Freshly grated Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
• 4 oz (115 g) Freshly grated Smoked Gouda Cheese
• 1 cup (50 g) Panko Breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Melted Unsalted Butter (for topping)
• 1 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (about 1 minute less than recommended). Drain and set aside.
• Cook diced bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. Set crispy bacon aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter to the bacon fat. Sauté the onion until softened (about 5 minutes). Add sage and garlic; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove aromatics and set aside with the bacon.
• Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot. Once melted, whisk in the flour constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste (creating the roux).
• Gradually whisk in the warm milk and stock until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5–8 minutes).
• Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Begin adding the grated cheeses in small handfuls, whisking until each addition is fully melted and smooth before adding the next.
• Stir the cooked pasta, the reserved crispy bacon, and the sautéed aromatics (onion, sage, garlic) into the cheese sauce until everything is evenly coated.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the Panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese.
• Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is deep golden brown and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
• Let rest for 10 minutes before sprinkling with fresh parsley and serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories:1372 kcal

Protein:25.5 g

Fat:47.2 g

Carbs:60.8 g

Fiber:13.3 g

Sugar:0.0 g

Sodium:5878 mg

Recipe Info

Category:Main Course

Cuisine:American

Elevating the Holiday Table: Why This Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese Reigns Supreme

Every year, the Thanksgiving menu features its beloved staples: the perfectly roasted bird, the fluffy mashed potatoes, and the obligatory stuffing. But if you’re looking to truly cement your status as a holiday hero, you need a side dish that stops conversations and demands seconds. This Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese is precisely that dish. We’re moving beyond the simple stovetop preparation and crafting a rich, smoky, and deeply autumnal Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese Casserole designed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the turkey. This isn't just a crowd-pleaser; it’s a statement piece, blending the familiar warmth of Comfort Food Thanksgiving Recipes with sophisticated, layered flavours that make every bite special.

The Anatomy of Autumnal Comfort: A Sophisticated Casserole Revelation

The goal here is refinement without losing that essential, soul-soothing quality macaroni and cheese provides. Our specific iteration, The Ultimate Gravy Train: Sage, Smoked Gouda & Bacon Mac and Cheese , achieves this by integrating smoke, saltiness, and herbs that echo the broader holiday flavour profile. This dish serves 8 to 10 hungry guests, making it a perfect feature for a large gathering. The difficulty level leans toward Medium, requiring careful execution of the sauce, but the reward far outweighs the effort. Expect to dedicate about 25 minutes to active prep, followed by 35– 40 minutes of baking time, resulting in a dish ready in just over an hour.

Beyond the Basics: Introducing Sage, Smoke, and Savory Depth

What elevates this from a standard bake to a must-have Holiday Macaroni and Cheese ? It’s the thoughtful additions. We are infusing the sauce base with fragrant fresh sage and crispy, rendered smoked bacon. The bacon fat replaces some of the butter in the initial sauté, building a foundational layer of flavour. On top of that,, the introduction of smoked paprika enhances that woodsy, outdoor taste associated with autumn gatherings, moving this firmly into the realm of savory holiday pasta.

Setting the Stage: Your New Go-To Holiday Side Dish Strategy

When planning your holiday feast, this recipe should be scheduled early in the process. While the prep time is manageable at 25 minutes—mostly dedicated to cooking bacon and grating cheese—timing the bake correctly is crucial so it finishes hot when the turkey rests. This Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese Recipe provides the necessary richness and textural contrast needed alongside lighter vegetable sides. Think of it as the ultimate luxurious counterpoint to any tart cranberry sauce or bright green salad you might serve. This focus on balanced flavour profiles makes it one of the Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes available.

Achieving Peak Creaminess: Secrets to the Ultimate Cheese Sauce Foundation

The secret to any exceptional baked mac and cheese lies entirely in the sauce—a Mornay sauce, which is essentially a flavour-boosted Béchamel. The foundation must be silky smooth. This is achieved by meticulously whisking flour and fat (the roux) before slowly incorporating warm liquids. If you want an Easy Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese , skipping the roux and just melting cheese into hot milk often leads to oil separation or grittiness. Here, we take the time to cook the roux properly, ensuring a stable, luxurious binding agent for the dairy components.

Curating Your Autumnal Arsenal: Essential Components for Rich Flavor

The components you select define the final experience of this baked creation. Every element, from the type of pasta to the freshness of the herbs, plays a role in achieving the depth of flavour we are aiming for.

Selecting Superior Dairy: Choosing the Right Cheese Blend for Baked Perfection

For this particular Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese Casserole , we are utilizing a triumvirate of cheeses, chosen for their melting properties and distinct flavour contributions. We require 8 ounces of sharp Gruyère for its signature nutty complexity and excellent melt; 6 ounces of sharp white Cheddar for that necessary tang; and 4 ounces of Smoked Gouda to deliver the signature autumnal smokiness. Crucially, you must grate these cheeses yourself. Pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that will inevitably sabotage the smoothness of your Mornay sauce, leading to a grainy texture.

Precision Pasta Portions and Preferred Preparations

We utilize one pound of standard elbow macaroni or medium shells. The preparation of the pasta must be precise: cook it for one minute less than the package instructions suggest—we are aiming for perfectly al dente. Since the pasta will continue to absorb moisture and cook in the oven during the 30–35 minute bake time, undercooking it slightly prevents it from becoming overly soft or mushy by the time it hits the table.

The Umami Boosters: Bacon, Smoked Paprika, and Aromatic Infusions

To build the savoury framework, we start by rendering 6 ounces of thick-cut smoked bacon until crisp. The reserved bacon fat is then combined with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to sauté half a cup of finely diced yellow onion. Once softened, we introduce 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage and 2 minced garlic cloves, cooking them just until fragrant. These elements—bacon, sage, and garlic—are removed before the roux is made, allowing their essential oils to infuse the fat before being folded back in later for maximum impact. We also incorporate 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika into the final sauce for that extra layer of complexity.

Tool Checklist: Equipping Yourself for Effortless Macaroni Crafting

While this is a detailed recipe, efficiency is key during the holidays. Ensure you have a large stockpot for the pasta, a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven (which retains heat best for sauce making), a box grater dedicated to those three cheeses, and a reliable whisk. You will also need a 9x13 inch baking dish to assemble the final product. Having these essentials ready streamlines the entire process.

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Mastering the Method: Step-by-Step Assembly of Your Holiday Masterpiece

The construction of this dish is a careful dance between building the sauce and combining the components before the final bake.

Building the Velvety Core: Crafting the Roux and Infused Béchamel

Begin by preheating your oven to 375° F ( 190° C) and lightly greasing your baking dish. After cooking your bacon and sautéing your aromatics (onion, sage, garlic), return 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot containing the reserved bacon fat. Once melted, whisk in 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook this roux constantly for two full minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste. Next, slowly whisk in 4 cups of warmed whole milk and 1 cup of warmed low-sodium chicken or turkey stock. Simmer gently, whisking continuously, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly—this creates the Béchamel.

Prepping the Pasta: Ensuring Al Dente Integrity

While the sauce is simmering, boil your pound of macaroni until it is noticeably undercooked—about one minute shy of the package’s suggestion. Drain immediately. Remember, slightly firm pasta is the key to preventing a soggy result later on, as the residual heat and liquid will complete the cooking process during the bake.

Folding in the Flavors: Integrating the Cheeses and Autumnal Accents

Remove the thickened sauce from the heat entirely. This prevents the cheese from breaking. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, the smoked paprika, salt (taste carefully, as the bacon is salty), and black pepper. Then, add the freshly grated Gruyère, Cheddar, and Smoked Gouda, handful by handful, stirring until each batch is completely emufied and smooth before adding the next. Once smooth, gently fold in the cooked pasta, the reserved crispy bacon, and the sautéed onion, sage, and garlic mixture. Ensure every piece of pasta is thoroughly coated in the rich Mornay sauce.

The Grand Finale Bake: Achieving a Golden, Bubbling Crust on Your Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese

Pour the combined mixture into your prepared 9x13 inch dish. For the topping—essential for texture—toss 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle this evenly over the casserole. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You are looking for the edges to bubble vigorously and the Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumbs topping to achieve a deep, satisfying golden-brown hue. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes post-oven before garnishing with fresh parsley.

Troubleshooting and Technique Tweaks for Flawless Execution

Even with the best intentions, cooking can present minor hurdles. Knowing how to correct common issues ensures your decadent Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese remains perfect.

Advanced Customizations: Exploring Seasonal Twists and Topping Innovations

If you desire an even more festive presentation, consider folding in 1/2 cup of high-quality, whole-berry cranberry sauce right before topping and baking; it creates beautiful, tart ribbons throughout the dish. Alternatively, for a pure umami punch, sauté 8 ounces of wild mushrooms with the onions and swap the sage for fresh thyme. For toppings, crushed Ritz crackers mixed with a touch of melted butter can offer a saltier, more buttery crunch than Panko.

Avoiding the Dry Disaster: Tips for Keeping This Mac and Cheese Moist

The primary cause of dryness is over-baking or using the wrong liquids. Since this is a Crock Pot Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese style richness but baked, ensure your liquids (milk/stock) are warm when added to the roux, which guarantees a smoother emuon. If you notice the top browning too quickly during the bake, loosely cover the dish with foil for the last 10 minutes; this traps steam and keeps the sauce luxuriously creamy underneath that beautiful crust.

Pairing Perfection: What Beverage Complements This Rich Side?

Given the richness derived from the bacon, smoked Gouda, and heavy cream content, this Savory Thanksgiving Pasta benefits from beverages that offer cleansing acidity or gentle effervescence. A slightly off-dry Riesling is an excellent choice, as its residual sugar balances the saltiness, while its acidity cuts through the fat. For beer drinkers, a hoppy but clean India Pale Ale (IPA) provides a refreshing counterpoint to the smoky notes.

Maximizing Leftovers: Storing and Reheating Your Luxurious Casserole

Even with generous servings, leftovers are often inevitable. To store this spectacular Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese , allow the casserole to cool slightly, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and refrigerate for up to three days. When reheating, the texture may have firmed up. To revive it without drying it out, transfer the portion to an oven-safe dish, stir in a tablespoon or two of extra milk or cream, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 325° F ( 160° C) until heated through—usually 20 to 25 minutes. This gentle reheating method ensures you retain that signature creaminess.