Hi there, folks! If you have never followed my advice about anything in the history of this bloggity blog, this is the time to start. This cast iron mac and cheese with bacon ranch is going to become a new rotation side dish for you! Heck, it might even be your main dish! Loaded with bacon and a cheesy ranch sauce, it can certainly qualify as an entree. I think this bacon ranch mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet recipe is a keeper, y’all!
No cast iron? No problem! Just use a greased 9×13 baking dish instead!
For a while now, I have been experimenting and tweaking different recipes of mac and cheese. I mean we have my crawfish mac and cheese, pepper jack mac and cheese, brisket mac and cheese, sausage broccoli macaroni, and leftover chili mac.
It took a few trial tests and run throughs for me to get the flavorings and the cheeses quite like I wanted it for this one, but I’m happy with it!
Cook the Bacon First
It really doesn’t matter how you cook the bacon for this recipe. I suggest you use your normal favorite method for cooking bacon and go with that. For me, that changes by the week. Some weeks, I like our bacon cooked in the skillet. Other times, I like to cook it in the air fryer or cook bacon on the George Foreman. Maybe you are a cook bacon in the oven person.
It doesn’t matter, but I like to have my bacon going at the same time the elbow noodles are cooking – or before. (Note: I did not include bacon cook time in the recipe time below in the recipe card as many will be using leftover bacon, and bacon cook times vary by method.)
How to Make Baked Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese in a Cast Iron Skillet
My recipe starts with a pound (16 ounces) of elbow pasta. I usually either buy the boxed Barilla brand or the store brand, but you could use any brand. You also could use different types of pasta.
You will need the basics of a homemade mac and cheese recipe – butter, milk, and a pound of cheese. I highly recommend grating your own cheddar cheese. I have used both pre-shredded cheddar cheese and the block of cheddar which I grate myself in this recipe. Ideally, you want the cheese to be gooey and melty which is achieved best with the hand-grated cheese. The pre-shredded cheese lends itself to be grainy in pasta recipes.
In a saucepan, I make the cheesy ranch sauce, which starts by melting butter and then adding in flour and stirring constantly until smooth. Next, I add in and whisk milk, half and half, and the ranch seasoning.
I cook on medium heat for a few minutes until the mixture thickens which I test by seeing if it coats a stirring spoon. Once it coats a stirring spoon, I know it’s ready and I stir in the cheddar cheese a little at a time.
Next, I add the cheesy ranch sauce to the cooked and drained macaroni in a large bowl along with the cooked and crumbled bacon. Then, I transfer the mac and cheese to a large cast iron skillet.
Finally, the cast iron skillet goes into the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
I garnish with a bit more crumbled bacon and green onions before serving.
And that’s it, folks…your new favorite bacon ranch mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I have enjoyed it here at home!
Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese in a Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz Bacon cooked and crumbled
- 16 oz Elbow pasta
- 7 tbsp Butter Salted or unsalted; divided
- ¼ cup All purpose flour
- 2 cups Milk
- 1.5 cups Half and Half
- 1 oz Ranch seasoning
- 4 cups Cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- In a large pot, bring 4-6 quarts of water to rolling boil.
- Add elbow pasta and cook 11 minutes or until al dente.
- While pasta cooks: In a second saucepan, add 5 tbsp of butter and cook over medium heat until melted, stirring often.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and stir to combine. Whisk until smooth.
- Slowly add the milk, half and half, and ranch seasoning to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Continue to cook, stirring often until the mixture starts to thicken and coat the spoon. Remove the mixture from the heat and add in the cheddar cheese, a little at a time while stirring.
- Drain pasta in colander. (Do not rinse.)
- In large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, the thickened cheese sauce, and crumbled bacon together. Stir.
- Add pats of butter (the remaining 2 tablespoons worth) at the bottom of a large cast iron skillet.*
- Pour mac and cheese mixture into the cast iron skillet, careful not to overfill.
- Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes until cheese is gooey and melted. Garnish with additional crumbled bacon and green onion, if desired.
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