A creamy pasta bake with crispy bacon, ground beef, cheddar cheese, and savory seasonings for a comforting dish.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or macaroni)
→ Meats
02 - 8 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
03 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 fat ratio)
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
07 - 1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
→ Sauce
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1/2 cup ketchup
14 - 2 tbsp yellow mustard
15 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
16 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
18 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
19 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve some for topping. Leave bacon fat in pan.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking apart, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Add chopped onion to skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
06 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Stir in ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
07 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and mozzarella until smooth.
08 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, meat mixture, pickles, most bacon, and cheese sauce until evenly combined.
09 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and reserved bacon.
10 - Bake for 20 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.
11 - Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with chives or green onions if desired. Serve hot.
