Homemade mac and cheese is one of those things that I will never say no to, but then when you go and put bacon in it… I’m helpless! But I like to keep everything in balance, so I added some broccoli florets to this one pot bacon mac and cheese so I could have all of my food groups in one delicious bowl. 😋 This mac and cheese is absolute meal perfection!
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Evaporated Milk Cheese Sauce Magic
I first tried this evaporated milk cheese sauce method a few weeks ago when making the skillet macaroni and cheese recipe from Daniel Shumski’s book, Will It Skillet? This super fast, easy, and absolutely fool-proof method of creating a smooth and silky cheese sauce is my new favorite. So this time, I swapped out the butter for bacon fat, changed up the seasoning, and added broccoli and crumbled bacon. The result was fantastic. But do I really need to even say that? BACON.
One Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. frozen broccoli florets ($1.05)
- 4 oz. bacon ($1.43)
- 8 oz. medium cheddar ($2.50)
- 1/2 lb. pasta ($0.50)
- 1 cup evaporated milk ($1.19)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients before beginning because the process goes quickly once it’s begun. Thaw the broccoli florets and chop them into small bite-sized pieces. Slice the bacon into small pieces. Shred the cheddar cheese.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil 7-10 minutes, or until al dente). Drain the pasta in a colander and set it aside.
- Return the pot to the stove, add the bacon, and cook over medium to medium-low heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (about 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the grease behind.
- Add the evaporated milk, smoked paprika, Dijon, hot sauce, and salt to the pot with the bacon grease. Stir to combine and allow it to heat through (it should heat quickly as the pot will be very hot from cooking the bacon).
- Once the evaporated milk is hot, turn the heat to low and begin whisking in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, waiting until the cheese is fully melted before adding the next handful. Once all of the cheese has been melted into the sauce, taste the cheese sauce and adjust the salt or hot sauce if desired. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply stir in one to two tablespoons of the remaining evaporated milk in the can.
- Return the cooked pasta, crispy bacon (crumble into smaller pieces if desired), and chopped broccoli to the pot with the cheese sauce. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Prepare the ingredients for the mac and cheese before you begin, because the process goes quickly once started. Thaw and chop 1/2 lb. frozen broccoli florets into small bite-sized pieces. Next time I’ll even chop them a bit smaller than in the photo above.
Shred 8oz. medium cheddar cheese.
Slice 4 oz. bacon into small strips. I generally only use a small amount of bacon in a recipe (enough to give flavor, but not enough to make the recipe super expensive). So, if I buy a 12oz. package like this, I’ll divide it into three sections, use one, and freeze the other two for later.
Cook 1/2 lb. pasta according to the package directions, then drain it in a colander and set it aside (this is a one pound bag, so I used half of it).
Return the pot to the stove, turn the heat down to medium or medium-low, add the bacon, and sauté it until it is brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces from the pot, leaving the bacon grease behind.
To the bacon grease add 1 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp hot sauce, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine and dissolve the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Allow the evaporated milk to heat through. It should heat very quickly as there isn’t much in the pot and the pot should be rather hot from cooking the bacon.
Once the evaporated milk is very hot, turn the heat down to low and begin to whisk in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time. Make sure the cheese is fully melted in before adding the next handful. If the sauce gets too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the remaining evaporated milk from the can (there should be about 1/2 cup left in the can).
Once all the cheddar is melted into the sauce, you can taste it and adjust the salt or hot sauce to your liking.
Finally, return the cooked and drained pasta, crispy bacon, and chopped broccoli to the pot with the cheese sauce. You may want to crumble the bacon a little further before adding it back in.
Stir until everything is coated in cheesy bacony goodness!!
And that’s it. The most delicious One Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese EVER.
Love this recipe. The sauce was great and not “gritty” like some Mac and Cheese sauces. Love the rendition of adding bacon. My 2 year old loved it. THanks
So if I use 1 LB of pasta, does that mean I can use 2 cups of evaporated milk, and 3 cups of cheese? Or no?
If you double the pasta, you’ll want to double all the other ingredients as well (not just the evaporated milk and cheese).
I made this to accompany dinner last night and we all enjoyed it very much. Lots of flavor, and a nice easy way to make a cheese sauce without a longer and involved process. I steamed fresh broccoli because I already had it on hand, but made no other substitutions.
I found your site by accident and have enjoyed reading your recipes and your inspiration story (eating well without spending a fortune). I am presently cooking another one of your recipes tonight (Seafood Rice Skillet) but adapting it to an Instant Pot due to slight differences in ingredients on hand (breaded shrimp to be oven baked).
Thanks for the great site!
Loved it! So easy to make and so yummy!
OMGoodness, this was ah-mazing! We used turkey bacon instead of regular (in a fruitless attempt to convince ourselves this was healthier) and it was to die for! Since turkey bacon doesn’t give off as much grease we also added a tbsp of butter with the grease before adding the evaporated milk. Definitely a keeper for cold snowy nights!
I don’t know where I went wrong, but this recipe did not work out for me. The cheese didn’t emulsify into the evaporated milk, so I had a gross, clumpy mess instead of a cheese sauce. I put it through a strainer because I couldn’t think of anything else to do, but that predictably enough did not work. I’ll go back to the tedious but reliable method of making a white cheese for my future mac and cheesies, but if I ever did try this recipe again, I would maybe try having the pan hotter when I throw the cheese in.
Hi! Can I use heavy cream (I have some from a recipe I used earlier this week) instead of evaporated milk?
Although I haven’t tried it, I don’t think that will work the same. The evaporated milk has a higher protein content (due to the concentrating effects of evaporation), which helps emulsify the melted cheese.
Super good! Tossed frozen broccoli in with pasta to cook and it cut the time down some. Sharp cheddar was fine too. Will surely make again!
Just finished our meal Delicious and easy because I had all ingredients. I had to use reg paprika. I put smoked sweet paprika in my grocery list. Thanks for another winner, Beth. Your recipes are family favorites!
Loved it! I used about 2 tbs of butter instead of bacon and sautéed some onion to go with the broccoli. Thank you!
I made this last week and mine did not turn out as well as the recipe looks. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted good, but I think I will stick with my usual bechamel sauce recipe in the future.
My sauce might’ve broken or just never set up, because it was not rich and creamy like the photos. Again, still tasted good but not something I would show off
I love this recipe!! I’ve made it twice already! I’ll add – I substituted sausage for bacon (because I’m not a huge fan of bacon). Used some grease from the sausage and added a bit of butter. Also probably added too much mustard, but I like the flavor. Oh! And I sauteed some red bell peppers with the sausage. Because vegetables.
It’s AMAZING!
I don’t keep mustard around. Is there something I could use as a substitute?
I use horseradish sauce as a sub sometimes because my husband hates mustard so much.
Hi There! This meal looks delicious, and I am looking forward to making it, but I have one quick question… Do you not cook the broccoli at all? Just thaw, chop and add?
Yep! Frozen broccoli is blanched before freezing, so it already has that raw edge taken off.
Oh my, I’ve just had my lunch but you’ve made me hungry all over again! I am absolutely making this one, my kids will love it.