Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac 'n Cheese

Because I did not have a can of Progresso Creamy Three-Cheese Cooking Sauce, I used one can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup and upped the milk to a full "can". I also used fresh minced garlic and I did use the optional panko crumbs on top BUT I drizzled butter over them. I did not eat this myself but my husband and kids did--they ate the whole casserole dish full. No leftovers for Mom. Apparently, it was pretty good. **I was not given anything to make this recipe, I made it for no reason at all other than to feed my family.

When I first saw this recipe I wanted to love it, however when I looked at the ingredients of the three cheese starter I inwardly cringed. I noticed "water" as being the major (first) ingredient and I lost all hope for this recipe. I then started hearing amazing reviews. I chose to make this and found that while the sauce looked "soupy" that it ended up blending beautifully and became a creamy sauce that the pasta had a love affair with. I found the bacon was substantial and could be reduced by half. The garlic flavour was not detectable. I received very good comments from a "picky" adult eater who also suggested that a fried onion topping would be a nice addition. Overall I would make this again!

I used fresh garlic, and five strips of center-cut bacon (one of which was used for the garnish), and cooked for 30 minutes. This actually turned out pretty well, was plenty creamy, and relatively easy to put together. The Italian panko bread crumbs really give the dish some texture, so don't skip that ingredient. I still like my old family mac 'n cheese recipe better, but I wouldn't hesitate to make this again, adding some chopped onion, as I do with my favorite mac 'n cheese recipe .

My mac n cheese lover in our house is my 11 yo grandson. He liked this for the most part, but not the red pepper. Since he doesn't like panko, he was glad I used my whole wheat bread crumbs mixed with a little butter and bacon fat..I didn't want to waste it since I sauteed the bacon anyway..hehe..the cheese flavor was very good in this dish.

I went ahead and used an entire box (1 lb.) of penne which is about 1 cup more than called for here. I hate to open a box and not use it all. For us the pasta to sauce ratio was just right with this change. I also cooked up a batch of bacon instead of using the packaged variety. I find it difficult to shred processed cheese because it is very soft so instead, I cubed it and dropped it into the sauce mixture while it was simmering and allowed it to melt. I LOVE the Progresso Italian style panko bread crumbs and they are a staple in my pantry. They add nice texture to the dish and the red bell pepper adds nice color contrast. I made this for my two teenage boys and although it isn't the same as "from scratch" they seemed pleased. Especially with the bacon :)

This recipe takes more steps and more pots and pans than an "easy weeknight" dish should. It uses too many packaged TM'ed industrial food products, and not enough fresh ingredients for my taste. I gave it a try but found it too bland, despite all the work/steps, and won't make it again.

Easy, quick, and great as a main dish or side dish. Easy to customize.

We tried this tonight! It was yummy! I used finely diced yellow bell pepper, and put it into the cheese sauce while it was cooking. So when it was cooked for 20 min in the oven and then served, no one could even tell that there was any vegetable in the dish. I cooked thick cut bacon to use in the dish...used about 6 slices, cooked well done and chopped. I cooked the pasta dish for 15 min, then I mixed in the bacon, topped it with Panko and parmesan cheese, and broiled it for 3-4 min, until lightly brown and crunchy. The Progresso starter is a new product, I think, b/c I had trouble finding it in the grocery store. I had to ask for help from an employee to find it, and I know my store pretty well!

This turned out really well! I followed the recipe to a T, except I used radiatore pasta. This is a creamier mac and cheese and the progresso recipe starter adds a lot of flavor to the dish. No real need to season it. I admit I was hesitant when I poured the mac and cheese into my baking dish as it was very runny. It thickens up during the baking time and comes out nice! The whole family loved it and I will make it again! *Disclosure: The information and free Progresso Recipe Starters products were provided by Progresso through the Allrecipes Brand Ambassadors Program.

The family specifically asked for me to make this and they were not disappointed! I was worried at first because the Three Cheese Cooking Sauce seemed so thin but after adding 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese (I didn't have any american cheese available), the sauce thickened right up. I did leave out the red pepper but the bacon gave the mac & cheese and nice crunch and saltiness. I also added a 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper so there was also a little heat to the sauce as well. I would make this again!

Another HUGE hit from Progresso! We thought this was a tasty and delicious mac and cheese. I did omit the red peppers and put the bacon on top with the breadcrumbs. It was quick and easy, which makes it a definite keeper in my house!

Everyone enjoyed this, and I enjoyed the ease of preparation! I haven't made mac and cheese in a while, so DH and DS were quite happy, and they would be thrilled for me to make this again! The bacon and peppers really helped to make this dish tasty. The only change I made was to use whole wheat pasta.

On Sundays I give my wife a break and I do all the cooking for us and our seven children (sometimes friends, too). When I give everyone a vote as to what I should cook, comfort foods always get a big holler. So when I did a search for mac 'n cheese I found this recipe and went with it. I didn't change a thing on this recipe (except tripling the servings)! Everybody loved it by polishing off both casserole dishes. This is a keeper. Looks like I'll have to quadruple the servings!

Sauce was very thin.

Very tasty and easy. I used 1 Cup of chopped frozen broccoli instead of the bell pepper and it was great!

Overall, a good recipe that I hope to make again. A few problems with the recipe itself: sprinkle with the bread crumbs before baking for 20 minutes in the oven. It will brown up nicely. Newer cooks might not know this the way the recipe is written. Also, I was not about to purchase expensive American cheese loaf(Velveeta) and open it for just two ounces when I can grate up fresh Parmesan cheese to add with the Cheddar cheese. I used cream instead of milk and increased the garlic to a teaspoon. I also used bell pepper from a jar and thick-cut bacon and wide egg noodles. This was not necessarily an "easy" weeknight. But when my wife took the first bite, she said it was absolutely delicious. She was delighted and the flavor punch of bacon and the pepper really gave a traditional standby a nice twist. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's leftovers.

My husband loved it but I felt it was mediocre.

Not being a macaroni and cheese fan and definitely not a fan of processed canned foods I was pleasantly surprised with this recipe. I was gifted some Progresso Recipe Starter cooking sauces to try and decided on this recipe. The cooking sauce seems a little runny but once baked it is perfect. Be sure to use good quality bacon. I made the mistake of buying cheap bacon and the flavor was awful. I baked this in smaller individual baking dishes and left the bacon out on some and I am glad I did. That isn't the fault of the recipe though. Overall, a pretty good recipe.

I love this quick mac and cheese! I was a little leery of garlic in mac n cheese but it was excellent! Will definitely do this again!

My family enjoyed this somewhat, but we all thought it was a little plain, even with a few modifications. I increased the garlic to a full teaspoon and added 1/4 teaspoon of salt and fresh cracked black pepper to the sauce. I didn't have bacon, so I substituted a can of Spam(r) with Bacon, diced and fried until it was crispy. We all agreed the Spam(r) gave the dish much more flavor than bacon would have. I've never seen American cheese in a loaf form, so I used Velveeta(r) and we really liked the creaminess that added. I had to improvise with the bread crumbs, because I couldn't find Italian style panko in any of the four stores I where I looked for that product. I combined plain panko with Italian seasoning. I also added 2 Tablespoons of melted butter to the panko and put the dish back in the oven for about 5 minutes after adding the crumbs. I left out the optional red bell pepper, because I didn't have any on hand, but I think I'll add it in next time. I'll probably sautee it with some diced onion until it's tender-crisp. I'm not sure I'd call this an easy weeknight dish and the "Ready In" time is way off. Prep time should include the amount of time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, which is at least 20 minutes. It took approximately an hour start-to-finish for me to prepare and serve this dish. I'll probably consider making it again, but I'll add more seasonings next time, including perhaps some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

This is a keeper. A little dry, but more milk should take care of that. Too much food for the two of us. Hoping it freezes well (we'll see.) It took a few more dishes to dirty and a bigger mess than the box stuff takes. Will jazz it up some next time I make it. Maybe a little more garlic (couldn't taste the single clove) and a little more bacon or maybe mix in some lean ground beef. Fried onion rings on top would be great. All-in-all, it is better than the box stuff.

I gave this 4 stars because it's a wonderful recipe to start from. I thought the Progresso sauce was really good. And with the added cheeses (I was afraid it may be too much cheese) it really accentuated the cheese flavor rather than make it TOO cheesy. I definitely went off recipe a bit. I added onions and instead of bacon nits, I cooked a full package of real bacon. These added ingredients really made for a less saucy sauce and I liked that. This is definitely a new household favorite!

I wish I could rate this one honestly, but like many other reviewers I had to change the recipe, so keep that in mind when reading this review. First I used quinoa elbows ( I have to have gluten free). I looked in four major grocery stores for the Progresso Recipe Starters and couldn't find it, so I used Campbell's Cheddar Soup and 1/4 cup milk. I also used Velveeta instead of the American slices since that's what I had on hand. I spiced up the cheese sauce with garlic powder, salt and pepper and cooked my own bacon and crumbled it. The boys loved it!

There were mixed reviews on this in my house...I thought it came out pretty good but my kids said it was just ok for them, they are used to moms mac n cheese and this just wasn't it! I subbed the cheese loaf for shredded mild cheddar and I fried and crumbled bacon. It was easy to throw together if you are looking for something quick.

This was kid-friendly, and the leftovers didn't last for more than 24 hours. I thought the bacon made it!

Love,Love,Love this recipe! I stayed true to the written instructions but I used FRESH grated cheese, fried up my own bacon, and used FRESH minced garlic because I believe it gives it a better flavor. I didn't have a red bell pepper, but I did have a FRESH off-the-vine green one and chopped that up and added it to the dish. The results? Fantastic! I think next time I make this I will use the red pepper, as the recipe calls for, and add in some roasted green chiles because I think it would give it a little kick. Very tasty recipe!

I'm not a Mac'n Cheese lover so I'm letting my husband rate this recipe. He gives it a four star rating. He liked it, no complaints really, but it's not his favorite. As far as making the recipe, like the recipe name it was a very easy. I only made a few changes... I used fresh garlic and cooked up the bacon myself. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Before baking the Mac'n Cheese it seems very running but in the oven it bubbles into a creamy cheesy consistency.

My family and I loved it. Great for a cold Friday evening in Pennsylvania! I used everything except the pepper....only because of my husband. I used the Panko instead of just using bread crumbs that I had. Easy to make which is nice after a hard, long week of work! I will make again.

This was pretty good. I used extra sharp cheddar and a pound of Cavatappi pasta instead of the penne. I also fried and crumbled bacon instead of using the bacon bits, and left out the red bell pepper. Diced onions would be a nice addition in here. For the topping I mixed a little bit of shredded cheddar in with the panko. Yummy.

DELICIOUS! I am not a fan of Mac 'n Cheese so this recipe was made especially for Hubby. I was certainly surprised with my first bite. I mentioned that it was pretty good and Hubby corrected me that it was REALLY GOOD! My only change was to use Velveeta cheese in place of the American & Cheddar cheeses as it was what I had on hand. I hesitated to add the red pepper but did anyway and I'm glad I did. I cooked six slices of bacon and crumbled them. After the dish was baked I sprinkled it with panko as instructed but was wondering if I should have done that prior to baking. Oh yes, I didn't have Italian style panko so I mixed plain panko with some Italian seasonings. The end result was DELICIOUS! Thank you Progresso Recipe Starters for sharing this recipe!

This made for a great "last minute" dinner idea on a busy Friday night. I used what I already had on hand, substituting casarecce for the penne pasta, medium cheddar instead of sharp and mozzarella for the American cheese loaf, 1 cup frozen peas/carrots for the diced red bell pepper (kids won't touch it!) and cooked the bacon instead of using pre-packaged. I also baked it for 15 minutes, then sprinkled on the panko bread crumbs, put it back in the oven to finish the remaining 5 to brown the panko a bit. The family loved it!

My family enjoyed this mac & cheese recipe. I don't make it at home because generally I avoid the 'processed cheese loaf' stuff. Because I don't use it, my mac & cheese is usually not as creamy as my kid would like it to be. There was a ton of sauce, so I used 4 cups of pasta and it was plenty 'saucy' enough. This would be a great recipe to double and feed a bunch of hungry kids at a potluck.

Genius. I've been searching forever for a good, creamy Mac n Cheese recipe that doesn't use Velveeta. I've had Cheddar Cheese soup in my cupboard for a while now, and I never even thought to try to make the sauce with it. I don't like bacon or bread crumbs, but the base for the sauce was fantastic. The only other thing was that the garlic was too strong--I think I'll leave it out next time.

The kids loved this! The bacon was what sealed the deal. It was rich and creamy! I followed the recipe as written but left out the red pepper since my kiddos aren't a fan.

I followed the recipe nearly exactly---used two fresh garlic cloves and several pieces of newly fried bacon. I ran out of panko so used Progresso Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top. We thought this was a good side dish. You could add leftover chicken or turkey to this to make it a main meal. Thanks, Progresso!

Not bad, but WOW, this needed sharper cheddar flavor.

All three of us really liked this. I used mini-rotini pasta (3 cups was about 10 oz, so don't use a full 12 oz or it may get too dry). The only other change I did was to mix up cheeses - for the sharp cheddar I used about 1/4c sharp cheddar, 1/4c mozzarella and 1c 3-pepper colby-jack (added a nice smocky kick). I didn't use the red bell pepper as I didn't have it on hand. Oh, and I added black pepper (I just always think mac & cheese needs it). Easier than making a traditional roux, this one we'll do again!

Good, simple and easy to make recipe. I used Velvetta for the cheese loaf because it was what I assumed they were talking about. Mixed with the sharp cheddar and the cheese sauce, it made a nice mix. Like others, I was highly concerned it was going to be too thin but it did firm up on baking. I put my panko crumbs on top and did not add the pepper. We did not have red pepper in the house and I thought our homegrown green ones would be way too strong. Overall, our family really liked it. I give it four stars because it tended to bind up at the end and there really wasn't any 'wow' factor. Thanks, Progresso, for an easy meal to make during a hectic week!

First time i made these they turned out rather dry but were still yummy. So the next time i made them i used 1 milk and used 1 and a half cans of the progresso recipe starters creamy 3 cheese cooking sauce...and bingo, they were perfect. Instead of using the packaged bacon bits, i cooked some bacon then crumbled it. Overall is a great recipe.

I followed the recipe exactly and really like this mac and cheese. I used Velveeta for the American cheese loaf and chose to use real bacon. This is my favorite Progresso Recipe Starter. The sauce is thin when you mix it all together, but it thickens up plenty as it bakes.

I thought the flavor on this was pretty good. I also think the ratio was off on the amount of pasta you need. I made a letter extra pasta and added almost another cup to the sauce and it was a good consistency. I also used fresh bacon instead of bacon bits. Honestly, this didn't seem any faster to me than making a mac and cheese homeade from scratch. My family would prefer the homeade and I am not using anything canned so I can control the sodium levels & not use a processed food. I don't plan on making this again.

I picked this recipe because i was having my neice over. She didn't like it...lol. BUt, all of us adults LOVED it! it was delicious. I also added cubed ham, and used bacon i cooked myself! it was delicious, and i will DEFINETLY be making this again!

Very good. Omitted the peppers due to picky eaters. Increased the pasta to 4 cups but shouldn't have because it made the dish too dry for my liking.

My son loves this recipe. The trick is the pasta to sauce ratio....too much pasta and its like a brick...too little and its a soup. I add twice the ammount of bacon...and top it with more cheese.

I made this mac n cheese with the whole box of noodles and did all the same instructions. It was great and my whole family loved it as the main dish for dinner. I even had enough two days later as a side dish. My family wants it again.

This recipe is super simple and if you are a busy mom with children (and adults) that like Mac' n Cheese, you'lll like this one. I'm not a fan of any prepared foods - I was VERY pleasantly surprised with this recipe. I took this over to my parents house one night when they were watching my son and all 3 of the gave it a thumbs up. And, for those wondering why not 5 stars - just can't do that with a canned product and personally, I thougt it could use a lot more seasoning and cheese loaf (yuck).

I threw this together after a busy day of baking, because I had little time and most of the ingredients on hand. I substituted medium pasta shells for the penne pasta, 1/2 cup more of the cheddar cheese for the "American cheese loaf," and I fried up and crumbled 8 slices of bacon instead of using pre-cooked, packaged bacon. I didn't have panko crumbs, so I topped it with pulled bread crumbs drizzled with butter before I baked it. My family loved it....there were only a couple of bites left.

I must admit my boys liked this recipe, my youngest son said it was the bacon that made it so good. Quick simple recipe to throw together on a busy week night.

Delicious and simple. I used different cheeses because I don't like american cheese, but otherwise it was perfect!

I didn't really enjoy this.

This is now my go to comfort food recipe! I couldn't find the Progresso sauce so I used Ragu cheese sauce. It was amazing! It took a little bit longer than I anticipated but was totally worth it. I am very glad I tried this.

This was a quick and easy mac and cheese that would be good on a weeknight. I used all cheddar cheese since that is what I had on hand and left off the bread crumbs because of personal preference. I would make this again.

I did not care for this & found that the cooking sauce was extremely thin. It was splashing out the pan quite a bit as I stirred & cooked it to boiling. I did not follow the recipe suggestion of removing the sauce from the heat to add in the cheeses. Instead I reduced the heat to med-low and stirred while melting the cheese to reduce & thicken the sauce. I used a whole box of pasta instead of 10 oz. The recipe calls for 6 oz of shredded cheddar, but I had an 8 oz package, so I reserved a handful to sprinkle on top before baking. I also topped with Panko bread crumbs before putting it into the oven so they crisped & browned. Don’t skip the bread crumb topping. Finally, I omitted the red bell pepper. The general consensus among my family was that it was just, “Okay.” We’re not the target family for this kind of a product as I am not a busy working mother who looks for shortcuts in preparing meals. Since I am a stay-home parent I generally prepare everything from scratch and do not use pre-packaged meals or meal starters. However, for someone who needs a helping hand, or who may just be starting out their adventures in cooking, these products will probably work well for you. If you’re not comfortable making a roux or cheese sauce from scratch then this recipe would be just the thing to get you started in the right direction

Really nice.. I cooked up my own bacon and added a bunch of fresh cracked pepper to the sauce. I also baked it with the crumbs instead of adding them when cooked as the directions instructed.. dont understand putting pale neked crumbs on mac and cheese??

I'll give this 5 stars due to flavor. I left out the "cheese loaf" since I don't have it in the house and added a bit more shredded cheddar. This is perfect for busy weeknights and got my daughter out the door for soccer with a full tummy and no complaints. Thanks, Progresso!

Cannot find Progresso Recipe Starters anywhere. I looked up the ingredients online and made my own version. Turned out very well but tasted the best the day I made it. Leftovers were not nearly as yummy

No one enjoyed it. I think it would be palatable as a chili mac type dish, but it didn't do anything for us at all. We won't be making this again.

This was just ok for us. Its definitely a pretty dish, the taste just wasn't something that suited us.

I made some big changes because I didn't have the cheese soup. I used 1/3 cup of a garlic Alfredo sauce with 3//4 cup milk. I also added a few chunks of regular cheddar cheese. I thought it was good and the kids liked it too. My boyfriend thought it was too garlicky.

Only thing different I did was add a 1/4 cup of Ale Beer to the cheese mixture before adding it to the Penne and used Sun Roasted tomatoes instead of Red Pepper. Added the garlic but a little garlic goes a long way so less is best in this.

I actually thought this was decent! I halved the recipe and used some random ditalini pasta and fresh garlic. Also, to the sauce I used all light Velveeta b/c it melts the best for me, and added in a little seasoned salt and black pepper. I omitted the red pepper, and chose to use the bacon on top w/ the panko (before baking), instead of mixing it in. This had a nice taste...although it will not replace my usual mac and cheese recipes, this was easy to make and was nice to try something new! Thanks for sharing. :)

Very kid friendly recipe. My two extremely picky eaters grandsaon gobbled it down. I entieced them with the bacon bits. I did add 3 extra garlic cloves, personal preferrence only. Thanks Progresso for another winning recipe!

This is a great recipe by itself or as side dish for chicken. As far as the comment regarding the sauce being very thin , you have the control of adding more cheese to thicken it up. I did add some parsely and tellicherry dustless pepper to it for additional flavor.

This would have been better with actual macaroni noodles I think. My family said they preferred the box variety so that isnt a good sign. I also thought the sauce was thin. Not great in the end.

Thought it would better than it was. May make it again but there are others that I like better.

Was good but think it lacked something. I added extra bacon to the top with the bread crumbs.

I’m not usually fond of mac and cheese, but we thought this was very good. I used rotini pasta to capture all the delicious sauce. Yummy.

This was amazing! Will definitely make it again. I didn't use the red bell pepper because I didn't have one and for bread crumbs I crushed up croutons and sprinkled on top. I thought it looked a little think so I just added a little more cheese than what it called for.

This turned out pretty good. The family all liked it. It was easy to make, and we all enjoyed it.

Super yummy! I couldn't find the progresso recipe starter so I got four cheese Alfredo pasta sauce, and I used Sharp Cheddar instead of American. Will definitely keep this recipe for later.

This is a quick, easy dinner that pleases.

Excellent dinner & came out thick and creamy (can easily serve on dinner plates without sauce running). Served with a side of lightly steamed broccoli & red bell pepper slices, tossed with soy sauce (Bragg's), olive oil, & sesame seeds. Made this as a "kid friendly" dinner for our daughter's sleepover tonight and found it was equally "adult friendly" - husband raved about it too.

This was very good and really easy. It is extremely rich though. I didn't have american cheese loaf, and it sounds really gross so I just used colby jack blend and shard cheddar. I also used 5 strips of thick cut bacon and omitted the red pepper. I didn't have panko bread crumbs so I used some Italian bread crumbs and put them on before I put the mac n' cheese in the oven. I will definitely make this again.

This is a solid mac & cheese. I halved the recipe, but used a good spoonful of garlic and used 2 slices of American in lieu of the "loaf" (gross. The word; I'm not judging you for using processed cheese, just for using something called "loaf"). Per prior reviewers expertise, I sprinkled real bacon bits on top w/the panko because I'm not a fan of slimy bacon. I baked for 15 minutes at 350 because the meatloaf muffins I was baking called for that temp. This was runny at first, but thickened nicely as it baked. Even if you don't end up LOVING this, you won't be disappointed. It's worth checking out if you don't have a tried and true fav...