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Buffalo Bacon Mac & Cheese

Buffalo Bacon Mac & Cheese

with a Crispy Panko Topping
Recipe Development Team
Recipe Development TeamUpdated on January 08, 2025
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Calories
1110 kcal
Protein
30g protein
Total Time
35 minutes
Difficulty
Medium
Allergens:
  • Wheat
  • Milk
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
serving amount

8 ounce

Bacon

2 unit

Scallions

1 teaspoon

Garlic Powder

12 ounce

Cavatappi Pasta

(Contains: Wheat)

½ cup

Panko Breadcrumbs

(Contains: Wheat)

½ ounce

Frank's RedHot® Original Seasoning Blend

2 tablespoon

Flour

(Contains: Wheat)

8 ounce

Cream Sauce Base

(Contains: Milk)

2 tablespoon

Cream Cheese

(Contains: Milk)

1.5 cup

Mexican Cheese Blend

(Contains: Milk)

Not included in your delivery

Salt

Pepper

Butter

(Contains: Milk)

Cooking Oil

/ per serving
Calories1110 kcal
Fat72 g
Saturated Fat36 g
Carbohydrate81 g
Sugar6 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Protein30 g
Cholesterol165 mg
Sodium1530 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.
Large Pan
Paper Towel
Strainer
Small Bowl
Whisk
Baking Dish
Large Pot

Cooking Steps

Cook Bacon
1

• Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. • Heat a large dry pan over medium heat. Add bacon*; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel- lined plate. • Carefully discard bacon fat and wipe out pan.

Prep
2

• While bacon cooks, wash and dry produce. • Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Cook Pasta & Mix Panko
3

• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 1⁄2 cups pasta cooking water (3 cups for 8 servings), then drain. • While pasta cooks, place 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 8) in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Stir in panko and half the Frank’s RedHot® Original Seasoning Blend. Season with pepper.

Make Buffalo Sauce
4

Place 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 8 servings) in a second small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Stir in half the remaining Frank’s RedHot® Original Seasoning Blend.

Make Cheese Sauce
5

• Heat pan used for bacon over medium heat. Add 2 TBSP of butter and a drizzle of oil. Slowly add flour, whisking until color has slightly darkened and flour is bubbling. • Add scallion whites, garlic powder, and remaining Frank’s RedHot® Original Seasoning Blend. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. • Whisk in cream sauce base, cream cheese, Buffalo sauce, and 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water (2 cups for 8 servings); reduce heat to low. Simmer, whisking, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. • Whisk in Mexican cheese blend until melted and creamy.

Mix Mac & Cheese
6

• Roughly chop bacon. Stir drained cavatappi and half the bacon into pan with cheese sauce. (TIP: If your pan is not large enough, carefully transfer everything into pot used to cook pasta.) If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until cavatappi is coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & Serve
7

• Transfer mac & cheese to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (for 8 servings, use two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes). Top with panko topping. • Bake on top rack until panko is browned and sauce is bubbly, 10-12 minutes (for 8, bake on top and middle racks, swapping rack positions halfway through). Sprinkle with remaining bacon and scallion greens. • Divide between plates or serve directly from baking dish.

Pork is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.

Customer reviews

Review summary

Updated on Dec 2025
  • Flavor: Many loved the buffalo and bacon flavors, though some found it mild; consider adding extra hot sauce for more kick 🌶️.
  • Ease of prep: Instructions were generally easy to follow, but a few found the recipe unnecessarily complex for a mac and cheese dish.
  • Suggestions: For a creamier dish, try increasing the cheese sauce by 50%; some preferred it without the spicy elements.
  • Portions: Generous servings led to plenty of leftovers; consider scaling down if cooking for a smaller group.
  • Reheating: The dish doesn't reheat as well, so it's best enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
AI-generated from customer reviews
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