Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon

Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon is a yummy all in one meal! Creamy macaroni and cheese with bits of flavorful ham and bacon packed in makes for a tasty dinner.

This recipe makes for a crowd, so for my family, we make once, and are able to enjoy some leftovers.

Every year, the kids show a couple pigs in as part of their 4-H experience. They enjoy taking care of their pigs from early Spring until later Summer! Every day is morning and evening chores and working with them to prepare for show day at our county fair. They love to give them marshmallows for a treat.

We always feed one out to have processed after fair season for ourselves, to have a freezer full of different cuts of pork.

We like to cook a large smoked, bone-in ham in the slow cooker . With the large ham, we can use can enjoy it for several meals. We generally have the ham for dinner the evening its cooked in the crock pot, then any leftovers are fun to mix into other meals, like this Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon.

I am a big fan of cooking with cast iron and I am loving this new large cast iron skillet! It is great for making large meals.

This is a great recipe to use leftover ham. After you have enjoyed the ham after it is initially cooked, its nice to use any leftovers to incorporate into other meals. This Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon is a family favorite!! Including all 4 of our kiddos!! Plus it comes together pretty easily and quick! Win Win!!

Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon 

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon Ingredients

3 cups elbow macaroni 

2 cups of ham, cubed

1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped - about 4 slices of bacon

3 tbsp canola oil

2 cups cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

1 tsp Dijon Mustard 

Skillet Mac & Cheese with Ham and Bacon Directions

1. Add the salt and water to a large pan and bring to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni pasta to the large pot and cook, uncovered, for 1 minute less that the instructions on the box. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water when draining the pasta. 

2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the ham and bacon. Cook the bacon and chop or crumble to pieces and set aside. Cut the cooked ham into cubed pieces and set aside. You can also used precooked diced ham. 

3. Preheat the skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the oil to the skillet to heat up. Then add the flour and whisk it into the oil until there are no lumps and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. 

4. Slowly whisk in the milk, cream, cream cheese, and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then let it cook until it is slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat. 

5. Slowly whisk in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, working in batches, until they are fully melted. 

6. Add in the reserved pasta water and whisk it in to think out the sauce some. 

7. Add in the prepared cooked ham and bacon. Stir the meat into the pasta so it is blended in well. 

8. Top with panko breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are lighly toasted.


Other pork recipes from the Backroad:

Instant Pot Ham and Beans 

BLT Pasta Salad 

Grilled Herb and Garlic Pork Chops 

Country Quiche 

Crock Pot Cowboy Beans 

This post is sponsored by Indiana Pork, but my 

thoughts/opinions are always 100% my own.