Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts features creamy macaroni and cheese combined with crispy bacon and roasted Brussels. It’s a meal in itself!
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Kids have the funniest eating habits. I made this Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts (whew, there’s a recipe title!) the other day for dinner. I kept one tiny roasted Brussels sprout aside and put it on Robbie’s dinner plate. As soon as he sat down, he asked, “Uh, Dad? Dad? What is this?” I explained that it was a Brussels sprout. It was a vegetable kinda like broccoli. He looked at it for another 3.2 seconds before proclaiming that he didn’t like it. He then turned his plate so that tiny sprout was as far away from him as possible. You know, in case it tried to bite him or something!
I can’t tease Robbie too much, though. Somewhere my mother is probably reading this post laughing at me talking about Robbie’s eating habits. When I was a kid, I used to nibble all the way around my cheeseburgers before eating the middle. Hey, the edges had excess bread and less juicy burger. The inside was the best part – and I was just saving it for last!
Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Another food habit? No mixing of foods! If one type of food even thought about touching another type of food, then I wouldn’t eat it. Ironically, the mixing of food is how this Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe came to be. You see, I made some of this creamy mac and cheese for dinner awhile back. We had leftovers the next night. We also happened some leftover roasted Brussels. So I ended up mixing the Brussels in with the mac and cheese. Delicious!
Oh, and the bacon. Bacon really does go with everything, doesn’t it? Bacon and Brussels sprouts? Delicious. Bacon and mac + cheese? Delicious. So therefore it stands to reason that bacon and Brussels and mac + cheese all go together!
I absolutely love this macaroni and cheese recipe. I spent a long time playing with this recipe to create a creamy mac + cheese that uses real cheese instead of the processed stuff. This is it! So take that creamy, cheesy pile of goodness and add the deep flavor of roasted Brussels sprouts? Now you’re talking! And the bacon? We’ve already covered that. Bacon makes everything better.
Normally when I make mac and cheese, I end up baking it until everything gets nice and creamy. However, this time I went with the cast iron skillet. And not just any cast iron skillet. I pulled out the 12″ monster skillet! (This is the same skillet I used when searing steaks indoors.) If you don’t happen to own a huge cast iron skillet, then I’d recommend a large saucepan or even a Dutch oven. This recipe makes a large batch of Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts! (Of course, you could also cut the recipe in half…but I just so happen to love leftovers, so I made extra.)
I hope you enjoy this Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts as much as we did! It might sound like an odd combination, but trust me when I say it’s delicious. Cheers!
Did you make a batch of this Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts at home? Leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog).
Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Brussels sprouts halved
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz. bacon diced
- 1 pound large elbow pasta
- 4 large eggs
- 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp
- 3 cups 12 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded I used Cabot's Monterey Jack.
- 8 oz. cream cheese cut into 1” cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set pan aside.
- Using a large bowl, add halved Brussels sprouts and olive oil; toss until well coated. Spread Brussels sprouts onto prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until sprouts are golden brown in color. Remove Brussels sprouts from oven and set aside.
- Using a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse, drain and set pasta aside.
- Place a 12” cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. (Note: If you don’t have a 12” deep skillet, I recommend using a large saucepan or Dutch oven instead.)
- Remove bacon from skillet using a slotted spoon. Drain excess grease from skillet.
- Return skillet to stovetop, lowering heat to medium-low. Add eggs, evaporated milk, soy sauce, dry mustard and garlic powder; whisk until well combined. Cook, stirring often, until warm.
- Add shredded cheeses and cubed cream cheese. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cheeses have fully melted.
- Stir in cooked pasta, bacon and Brussels sprouts.
Looking for more tasty comfort food recipes? Check out these favorites…each one using macaroni!
I love veggies now…all kinds. Though, I remember as a kid being fussy with certain things. I used to ‘hide’ certain veggies underneath the edge of my plate, thinking I was being clever and making out I ate them, lol. These days, I go through a ton of veggies and it’s usually the first thing I reach for on my plate. This mac looks so scrumptious, David. Such a delicious and comforting pairing. I know hubby would love too. Can’t wait to try this one out 🙂
Haha! I’m laughing at the idea of hiding veggies under the edges of your plate – I’d bet your parents knew EXACTLY what you were doing. 🙂 Brussels have become one of my favorite veggies in recent years. And of course adding anything to mac and cheese is always a win. Thanks, Dawn!
Haha- Robbie’s Brussels sprouts antics remind of Lil S and broccoli! She used to always say she didn’t want to eat little trees and then push them to the edge of her plate- I think she was hoping they’d fall off and our dog would grab them!
Yes! Bacon definitely does makes everything better! And speaking of. Enter- Dude – you made Mac and choose immensely better with the sprouts and BACON!!!! Such a comforting dish!
So I have to ask – does Lil Shashi still push her broccoli off the plate? Haha! I do have to say that putting roasted Brussels into mac and cheese is a new favorite comfort food. But then again, mac and cheese and anything is a comfort food! Also, bacon. Thanks, Shashi!
Oh goodness, my daughter who’s 34 still won’t let her foods touch. So odd! I’m the opposite, which is why I love Thanksgiving so much. Turkey and cranberry sauce, Mashed potatoes and B sprouts. B sprouts and cranberry sauce. Turkey and mash and chutney. You get the idea. So I know I would absolutely love your creation. And, it’s pretty!
That’s funny! I was seriously “strict” about this as a kid – foods could not touch. Like at all. But now, I don’t mind so much. As you noted, some of the best meals are combinations of other things. Mmmm…and now I’m craving Thanksgiving food after reading your list!
IF all my food was always served to me on sectioned elementary school trays….I would be thrilled!😉😂. I have never used eggs in you mac n cheese, David! What character does it add?
Also, I have to wonder- did anyone, at their very first introduction, think that a Brussels sprout looked delectable?🤔
Haha! Our 4-year-old son has one of those sectioned plates, and it’s his favorite one. So I’ve added eggs in my mac and cheese for as long as I can remember. It adds a creaminess that’s seriously amazing! Try it out and let me know what you think. 🙂 Thanks, Marla!
Homerun David! I love brussel sprouts, although my brother at 71 still has only eaten one in his life. His loss.
Great idea, but I’m more interested in the richness and creaminess the eggs must give this dish. It’s going to be on our American Thanksgiving in Sweden menu.
So, I have to share with you a dish I first tasted in China long ago. You peel off as many laayers of the spouts as you can, hoping to have a big bowl full. Then you deep fry the leaves of brussel sprouts until they’re crisp. Drain, season and go crazy.
Robbie will grow out of it, maybe…
Last thought, like Mimi I love mixing my food up.
Only one Brussels sprout in his entire life!? His loss for sure – and your gain. I bet as a kid he would pass his Brussels off to you, huh? Haha.
So I never thought of eggs in mac and cheese being all that strange – mainly because that’s how my Mom always made it growing up. (I mean sometimes we’d do the box thing, but for homemade mac and cheese, it included eggs.) I think it adds a nice creaminess – sort of a shortcut for making bechemel. Either way, it’s how we’ve always done it, and I love it!
Fried Brussels leaves? Interesting! That does sound quite amazing. Were the leaves battered at all? Or were they just dropped straight into the fryer? I do suspect Robbie would get over his fear of Brussels if I cooked them like that!
The brussel sprout leaves we’re placed unbattered into a wok full of very hot oil for a very short period of time. Drained and lightly salted and tossed. They’re additive as you have that sprout taste and a nice crunch…
Interesting! I’m going to have to try that out sometime. Sounds quite tasty!
Now this is how you make me eat brussel sprouts 🙂
Hahaha…I found the secret way! Cover those Brussels with mac and cheese and bacon. 🙂
i always laugh a bit when i read about kids not eating their veg. we were not given the choice; we sat there till bedtime, and had to eat it in the morning if still not eaten. nothing better than cold sticky plain spaghetti with a bit of milk and sugar for breakfast. love the sound of this dish tho. we love brussels sprouts here, and who doesn’t love bacon? well maybe the pig doesn’t…
Oh man, your parents really played hardball when it came to eating those veggies, huh? We don’t let Robbie get any treats or other food until he eats his veggies, but we do let him stop eating entirely if he doesn’t want to eat them. It’s my goal to get him to like different veggies!
Also, bacon. It truly does make everything better. Thanks, Sherry!
There’s a food truck I like to frequen that deep-fries Brussels sprouts, then serves them with an Asian-inspired sweet-and-sour sauce. Amazing. But then again, I’m someone who can’t imagine not liking Brussels sprouts. Especially when you cook them using any method that will allow for at least some caramelization.
Like your other commenters, I’m also surprised at the inclusion of an egg into the mac-and-cheese. In a way, it sort of reminds me of carbonara! You mom was obviously a culinary genius, David! And she obviously passed that down to you. He’ll probably one day open an acclaimed New York restaurant in which no two foods can touch.
Oops, by “he,” I meant Robbie.
Deep fried Brussels. This is now the second time I’ve heard of such things – the first being Ron’s comment above. I’m intrigued! Can you tell that food truck to drive over our way, please?
Also, it’s funny that so many folks have talked about the egg. I guess it is unique, but for me it was just normal. But you’re 100% correct about the comparison to carbonara. Mmmm…mac and cheese combined with carbonara.
Also, when Robbie opens that restaurant, I’ll make sure we get reservations. It might be safe to eat out by then.
Kids have the funniest eating habits, agreed! I remember my nephew, who was absolutely fine with blueberry jam, was just grossed out every time he saw fresh blueberries! But I believe most of kids have an issue with Brussels sprouts. Well why kids only? Lots of adults too! Brussels sprouts might be hot very Italian ingredient to add into pasta (Just assuming), but I do love the combination of pasta and sprouts. And the addition of bacon? Yes please!
Your comment about blueberries and blueberry jam makes me think of ketchup. Think how kids love ketchup but won’t touch a tomato! I mean I was one of them. I ate ketchup like it was going out of style when I was a kid, but you couldn’t convince me to eat a tomato. Now though? Completely switched the other way! (I still eat ketchup, but very rarely…)
That’s the way to get any kid to eat veggies.. pile it into mac and cheese! I would do a cauliflower puree mac and cheese to get my boys to eat some veg! Add bacon? Sure winner!!
Haha…kids and adults both! Also, I’ve heard about pureeing cauliflower into mac and cheese. I’m intrigued…for both my sake and Robbie’s sake! As long as there’s bacon…haha! Thanks, Michelle!
I used to be a no mixing or touching of food kid. Everything had to be kept far away from each other. Now I let my food mingle and hang out – especially when it goes so well together. Bacon mac and cheese is one of my boys favorite! Now I’m going to need to add brussels sprouts to it to and they’ll have a meal all in one!
I’m with ya, Kathy! I’m ok with mixing foods now – sometimes the sum is greater than the parts. I do highly recommend adding roasted Brussels to mac and cheese. They’re delicious – and I guess they’re a (not so) sneaky way of including more veggies into a meal! Hope you have a great weekend, my friend!
That is too funny that Robbie actually turned the plate so the Brussels sprout was as far away as possible. Oh well, he’ll probably love them someday. 😉
We’re big Brussels sprouts fans in this house so this dish would be a huge hit. It has it all – creamy, cheesy, smoky, and with the Brussels sprouts, a meal on it’s own. Love it!
Haha – here’s hoping Robbie sees the light in terms of Brussels! When you roast ’em, they’re amazing. Of course, when you add ’em to mac and cheese, they’re pretty amazing, too. 🙂
Great way to get vegetables on mac and cheese. I love making mac and cheese in a cast-iron skillet. This one looks nice and creamy. I guess I never understood why people don’t like it when their food touch each other on their plates. I have a daughter that when she eats she put the foods she wants to eat on her plate, but she will eat just one of the foods that is on her plate at a time and then when that is gone will move on to the next one so if she has meat and potatoes she would eat all of the meat before moving on to the potatoes. It’s funny how people.
I hear ya, Dawn! To be honest, I used to be one of those kids, though. Foods couldn’t touch on the plate, and I’d eat one thing at a time. Now? Mix it all together – especially if mac and cheese is involved!
I was a funny kid. I actually loved all kinds of foods, including vegetables. (Except for beets… ) And believe it or not, I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth even back then. Must have saved my parents a fortune in dentist bills!
I remember reading somewhere that most kids are instinctively “neophobic” and are wary of new foods. That made a lot of sense as a survival mechanism back when trying out new foods out in the forest could literally get you killed. But if you expose kids to a veg or other unknown food enough times, as they see people around them eating and enjoying, they may eventually come around once it’s become familiar enough. So perhaps if you keep hiding those brussels sprouts in the mac and cheese eventually…
Hah! I wish I didn’t have a sweet tooth – both as a kid and now. Oh well. It is what it is! However, I do feel ya on beets. I can kinda deal with ’em now, but they still aren’t a favorite.
Hmmm…you make an interesting point about kids being neophobic with foods. It makes perfect sense! Of course, when I’m sitting there telling Robbie it’s safe and he’ll love it, then it makes no sense. He has shown an interest in eating *some* things after he sees them on our plates. One day…one day…
I am probably one of the few people that actually liked Brussels sprouts as a child but then I’ve never found a vegetable that I didn’t like. Add them to mac and cheese would only make them that much better. 😊
Adding almost anything to mac and cheese makes it better, right? 🙂 Thanks, Karen!
Ohhhh my gosh David you just described a common occurrence at our house haha. 😆. I can’t tell you how often my daughter has done the EXACT same thing as Robbie with the Brussels sprouts! In my book, this is one perfect meal! I totally see how Brussels sprouts would be an amazing combo with mac and cheese. Definitely need to give this recipe a try! (And how utterly gorgeous it is as well, YUM!)
Haha – well if anything, then I’m glad to know that Robbie isn’t alone in his fear of new food. We have good friends here with a daughter a bit younger than Robbie – and she will eat anything! As far as I’m concerned, everything becomes better when mixed with mac and cheese. Thanks, Shannon!