Red Lobster Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe Copycat

Make Red Lobster-style bacon mac and cheese at home with cavatappi pasta, three freshly shredded cheeses, and thick-cut bacon.

Shred cheese yourself. Pre-shredded contains cellulose that prevents smooth melting.

Use room temperature evaporated milk and heavy cream for richest sauce.

Cook bacon crispy, reserve drippings, make roux, add dairy and seasonings, then melt cheese slowly on low heat below 180°F.

Undercook pasta one minute, drain, fold into sauce with bacon.

Pour into buttered 9x13 dish, top with remaining cheese and bacon.

Bake covered 20 minutes at 350°F, uncover 5 minutes, then broil 2-4 minutes until golden.

Rest 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers up to 4 days refrigerated.

Gather cavatappi pasta, three cheeses, bacon, and key seasonings.

Get 1 lb cavatappi pasta. Ridged corkscrew shape traps sauce better than elbows.

Three-cheese blend

Buy 1 lb mozzarella (low-moisture block), 1 lb colby jack, and ½ lb sharp cheddar. Shred yourself. Pre-shredded contains cellulose that prevents smooth melting. Cut into chunks. Pulse in food processor for fast shredding. Let cheese sit at room temperature 30 mins before cooking. Cold cheese clumps in hot sauce.

Bacon selection

Pick 6-8 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon. Cook in skillet over medium heat 8-10 mins until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 3 tbsp drippings. Crumble bacon when cool. Store extra cooked bacon up to 3 days in fridge or 1 month frozen.

Seasoning mix

Measure 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and ½ tsp black pepper. These ratios match the restaurant flavor. Use smoked paprika not sweet. It provides depth.

Dairy and thickening agents

Grab 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 cups evaporated milk, and 2 cups heavy cream. Evaporated milk creates richer sauce than regular milk. Heavy cream must be full fat. Reduced fat splits when heated.

• Substitute penne if cavatappi unavailable
• Store unopened evaporated milk in pantry up to 1 year
• Freeze extra cooked bacon up to 1 month
• Buy cheese in blocks. Pre-shredded ruins texture

Cook bacon until crispy and prepare rich cheese sauce base.

Place 6-8 bacon strips in cold 12-inch skillet. Set heat to medium. Cook 8-10 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes. Bacon should render fat and turn deep golden brown. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Reserve exactly 3 tablespoons drippings. Let bacon cool 5 minutes then crumble into pea-sized pieces. Store crumbled bacon in airtight container if making ahead.

Build roux foundation

Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot over medium-low heat. Add reserved bacon drippings. Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir constantly 2 minutes with flat whisk. Mixture should turn light blonde and smell nutty. If it browns too fast, reduce heat. Burnt roux ruins sauce flavor.

Add dairy and seasonings

Pour 2 cups room-temperature evaporated milk in slow steady stream while whisking vigorously. Add 2 cups heavy cream. Increase heat to medium. Add 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until completely smooth. Bring to gentle simmer only. Bubbles should break surface lightly. Do not boil. Boiling splits cream and creates grainy texture.

Melt cheese slowly

Reduce heat to lowest setting. Add shredded cheese blend one small handful at a time. Stir each addition with wooden spoon until fully melted and incorporated. Sauce should coat spoon thickly. If sauce becomes too thick, stir in warm heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep sauce temperature below 180°F. Higher heat causes cheese proteins to tighten and release oil.

• Use heavy-bottomed pot to distribute heat evenly
• Room temperature dairy prevents temperature shock and curdling
• Low heat while melting cheese maintains emulsion
• If sauce breaks, remove from heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter
• Final sauce temperature should be 160-170°F for optimal texture

Combine cooked pasta with sauce, bacon bits, and cheese blend.

Cook pasta in heavily salted water until just under al dente. Cavatappi needs 8-10 minutes. Drain but do not rinse. Rinsing removes starch that helps sauce cling. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

Fold pasta into sauce

Transfer hot pasta directly into cheese sauce pot. Add three-quarters of crumbled bacon. Fold gently with large silicone spatula. Mix until every corkscrew gets coated. If sauce seems too thick, add warm pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time. Sauce should be loose. It thickens during baking.

Add final cheese and bacon

Add remaining shredded cheese blend. Stir just enough to distribute. Do not fully melt this cheese. These unmelted bits create pockets of gooey cheese after baking. Save some bacon crumbles for topping.

Check consistency

Taste mixture. Add salt if needed. Bacon and bouillon add salt. Usually no extra salt required. Check texture. Pasta should swim in sauce. If it looks dry, stir in more cream or pasta water.

Transfer to baking dish

Pour entire mixture into buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread evenly with spatula. Tap dish on counter 3-4 times to release air bubbles. This prevents dry pockets.

• Undercook pasta. It continues cooking in oven
• Hot pasta absorbs sauce better than cooled pasta
• Reserve pasta water. Starch helps adjust sauce consistency
• Save ¼ bacon for topping. Adds crispy texture contrast
• Mixture should look slightly soupy. It sets during baking
• Work quickly. Cheese sauce thickens as it cools

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes then broil 2-4 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in center position. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes covered. This traps steam and prevents cheese from drying.

Uncover and finish baking

Remove foil after 20 minutes. Continue baking uncovered 5 more minutes. Edges should bubble. Center should be hot. Insert thermometer. Internal temperature must reach 165°F. If not, bake 3-5 minutes more. Check every 2 minutes. Overbaking makes pasta mushy.

Broil for golden top

Switch oven to broil. Move rack 6 inches from broiler element. Broil 2-4 minutes. Watch constantly. Top should turn golden brown with some darker spots. Do not walk away. Broiler burns cheese in seconds. Rotate dish halfway if broiler heats unevenly.

Visual doneness cues

Perfect result: golden crust, bubbling edges, creamy center. Pasta should not be dry. Sauce should still move when dish jiggles. If top browns before center heats, cover with foil. Lower oven to 325°F. Continue baking 10 minutes. Then broil briefly.

• Use aluminum foil not plastic wrap. Plastic melts
• Broil with oven door cracked. Prevents overheating
• If no broiler, bake uncovered 30 minutes total. Top won't brown as much
• Check internal temperature. Food safety requires 165°F minimum
• Resting period is crucial. It finishes cooking and sets texture
• For extra crispy top, add panko breadcrumbs before broiling

Serve hot with extra bacon crumbles if desired.

Let dish rest 5 minutes after broiling. Sauce sets and pasta finishes absorbing liquid. Cut portions with sharp knife. Use spatula to lift from bottom. Serve directly from baking dish while hot.

Garnish and final touches

Sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles over each portion. Add fresh chives or parsley for color. Grate extra sharp cheddar on top. Drizzle with bacon drippings for intense flavor. Serve with Red Lobster-style biscuits on side.

Portion sizes

Cut 9x13-inch dish into 8 main portions or 12 side portions. Main portion weighs about 1½ cups. Side portion is 1 cup. Use kitchen scale for accuracy. Each main portion contains approximately 620 calories.

Pairing suggestions

Serve alongside grilled shrimp, fried fish, or crab legs. Pair with crisp green salad to balance richness. Roasted broccoli or asparagus cuts through cheese. Serve with cold beer or crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze individual portions up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge. Reheat in 350°F oven 15-20 minutes covered. Add splash of milk before reheating. Microwave works but makes pasta mushy. Use 50% power in 1-minute intervals. Stir between intervals.

• Rest dish 5 minutes before serving
• Save bacon crumbles separately for garnish
• Store bacon topping separate from mac and cheese
• Add fresh herbs just before serving
• Reheat with lid on to retain moisture