Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• (16 ounce) packageelbow macaroni
• slice sbacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• tablespoon ssalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup smilk
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
3. At the same time, cook bacon in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat until it starts to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add panko and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add milk slowly, whisking continuously, until sauce is smooth. Bring to a simmer.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add Gruyere, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir and cook until cheeses have fully melted, about 3 minutes.
6. Add drained pasta and stir until coated. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle bacon panko mixture over top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.