Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon

I have no problem going to the gym for 45 minutes, but first I’ll circle the parking lot three times to ensure I don’t have to walk ten feet further than necessary when I park. Inside the gym lives a unique blend of people I never see in the general public, strutting around with muscles that look like they’ve been inflated with a bicycle pump. As I huff and wheeze on the treadmill I find myself contemplating why I don’t see people looking like that elsewhere. I end up concluding in order to boast muscles rivaled only by the Incredible Hulk, one can never leave the gym to mingle with us weaklings.  Satisfied with my hypothesis, I look in the mirror to admire my own body that meals like this Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon built!

OK, so Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon is not going to give you that beach bod that you have been futilely striving for since the Reagan administration. But if you have to endure your doctor prattling on about your unhealthy BMI, you might have well have eaten something worthy of the stretchy pants!  Anyone who says, “Nothing tastes better than skinny” has never eaten my Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon!

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon is quite possibly the ultimate comfort food! Pillowy gnocchi swim in a luxurious cheese sauce infused by the smoky flavor of crumbled bacon! It is one of those foods that make your eyes roll back in your head with your first forkful.

If you live in Wisconsin, or around a specialty cheese shop, I recommend substituting solid Farmer’s cheese (not the crumbled kind) for Provolone.  This is what I’ve always used in my traditional Mac & Cheese recipe. However, Farmer’s cheese can be difficult to find for many.

Additionally, making your own gnocchi from scratch will bring this meal to the next level! Plus, if you make a big batch you can freeze any leftover gnocchi for your next meal! You will never eat a lighter, more pillowy gnocchi than ones you’ve made yourself!

I make Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon in my Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Cookware.  I’ve owned this set for years and I love it not only for its styling, but its thick bottom and sides makes it ideal for making a roux without scorching.  Plus, it is oven safe if I wish to make a baked gnocchi dish!

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Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon is quite possibly the ultimate comfort food! Pillowy gnocchi swim in a luxurious cheese sauce infused by the smoky flavor of crumbled bacon!

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Fox Valley Foodie

Ingredients

• 3 lb Gnocchi
• 6 tbsp butter
• 6 tbsp flour
• 3 cups milk
• Salt as needed
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar 8oz
• 1 1/2 cups Provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
• 1 lb Bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions

1. Add butter to pot and heat till melted. Slowly add flour, mixing continuously, to make a light blond roux, about six minutes.
2. Gradually add milk till fully incorporated, then add cheese in batches. Taste for salt and pepper, adding more as needed.
3. While making the sauce boil a separate pot of water and cook the gnocchi in batches, removing them from the water once they float.
4. Add gnocchi to the cheese sauce along with crumbled bacon and mix to combine.
5. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

This is best enjoyed the same day. Most homemade mac and cheese recipes don't reheat well, as the cheese sauce separates when reheating. If you do wish to make this to be reheated I recommend added 1/4 cup of Velveeta cheese to the sauce to help it hold together when reheating.

The cheese sauce will thicken the longer it cooks. If it becomes too thick stir in a splash of milk until it reaches the desired consistency. If it become too thin, cook it down a few minutes longer.

If you enjoyed my Gnocchi Mac and Cheese with Bacon recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.