Cheesy Mac 'n Beans

One of the great things about using beans as a protein substitute in a dish is that you get all the “good” stuff (protein, fiber, ripped abs) without all the “bad” stuff (fat, cholesterol, pot bellies). Now with all this butter, cheese, and bacon, we're not going to pass this Mac 'n Beans off as healthy… but it has half the noodles as normal (less carbs), and the beans add much healthier protein than say, 1 lb. of ground beef would… so that totally justifies it. Right?

Prep Time

25 minutes

Cook Time

3 hours

Servings

14

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Ingredients

  • 1 package Hurst’s Great Northern HamBeen’s®

  • 1 lbs grated cheddar cheese

  • 1 lbs grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

  • 5 cups milk (at least 2%)

  • 4 cups cooked pasta (any kind)

  • 1/2-1 cup shredded onion

  • 6 tbsp. butter

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

  • 1 lbs center cut smoked bacon

Cooking Directions

  1. Rinse the Northern beans with cold water for several minutes, removing any small debris or dirt that may be present.

  2. In a large soup pot, cover the beans with at least 2” of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 1.5-2 hours. Begin to check the tenderness of the beans at that point and remove when almost completely cooked through, but not falling apart.

  3. Drain off the excess water and add 4-5 cups of the cooked beans along with the cooked pasta into a large baking dish. Fold to combine.

  4. While the beans are cooking, begin the cheese sauce. The first step is to make a roux. In a large stock pot, melt the 6 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the 1/2 cup of flour. A thick paste should form and begin to bubble slightly after a few minutes. Continue to whisk for at least 5-10 minutes until the mixture begins to become more golden in color.

  5. When the roux is ready, begin to add in the milk one cup at a time while continually whisking the mixture. After several minutes, the sauce (considered a Béchamel at this point) will begin to thicken. It won’t reach it’s full thickness until the sauce heats to a low boil. Continue to stir, and just as you see it begin to bubble remove from the heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes. This will help prevent the cheese from separating in the next step, which can happen if added at too high of a temperature.

  6. Whisk in the cayenne pepper. Start adding the shredded cheese one handful at a time. Once melted, continue with the next batch until all the cheese is added and you have a thick, creamy sauce.

  7. Whisk in Hurst’s smokey Ham Flavor until fully incorporated into the sauce.

  8. Preheat the oven to 375°. Pour the cheese sauce over the Mac n’ Beans and fold to incorporate sauce throughout the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes (or until entire mixture is bubbling). Then remove the foil and turn the oven to broil. This will produce a delicious golden-brown top on the dish. Be sure to watch while broiling, as it is easy to burn at such intense heat.

  9. While the the Mac 'n Beans is baking, use a small amount of the leftover bacon drippings (or 1 tbsp. butter) to cook the shredded onion over medium heat. After several minutes (at least 10), they will begin to caramelize and develop a delicious sweet flavor. Set aside for topping.

  10. Allow the Mac 'n Beans to cool for several minutes before serving (helps to thicken the dish as well as prevent impulsive burnt-roof-of-the-mouth eating).

  11. Top each serving with a generous potion of bacon and caramelized onion. This can be served as a standalone entrée or (like I will this weekend) as an incredible addition to a plate full of Smoked BBQ Pork.