Macaroni & Cheese Soup

Creamy, decadent Macaroni & Cheese Soup topped with crispy bacon is the ultimate cool weather comfort food!

I’ve got four words for you today, friends:

Macaroni and cheese SOUP.

The End. And now onto the recipe!

Okay, okay…just kidding. We’ll get to the recipe shortly. In the meantime, you wouldn’t want me to skip over the flowery descriptions and glowy photos of this deliciousness, now would you?!

So! Mac & Cheese Soup. It’s a thing, y’all. In fact, it’s a creamy, cheesy, decadent, mouthwatering thing. Now this is clearly not lightened-up health food, folks. However, it is fall/winter comfort food TO THE MAX. It’s hearty and filling and oh-so-yummy. And as if that’s not enough, let’s top it with bacon, shall we?

Macaroni & Cheese often garners a reputation for being bland…which is probably a big part of the reason it’s so beloved by kids. Regardless, I decided to infuse this Mac & Cheese Soup with some extra oomph. A dollop of tomato paste and a spoonful of dry mustard powder add a subtle boost of flavor, but not one that’s blatant enough for anyone to single out those specific ingredients.

As far as preparation, this recipe is easy enough to make. Boil and drain the macaroni and set aside. Make a roux-based sauce, thinned out with extra broth and milk to make it more ‘soup-like.’ Stir in the cooked noodles. Ladle into bowls. Top with crispy chopped bacon. Cover your ears to shield them from the deafening cheers emanating from the dinner table.

And that’s it! Macaroni & Cheese Soup is almost sinful in its scrumptiousness. The kids will love it…the adults will love it…the mac & cheese aficionados will go BANANAS for it. Yep…four little words never tasted so good. 

Macaroni & Cheese Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Creamy, decadent Macaroni & Cheese Soup topped with crispy bacon is the ultimate cool weather comfort food!

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dry elbow macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups milk (2% or whole), warmed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and diced or crumbled

Instructions

1. Set a medium pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In the meantime, set a large pot over medium heat. Melt butter. Use a whisk to stir in flour, whisking continuously until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk while slowly and gradually adding broth. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Cook while whisking until the sauce is smooth and thickened, between 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat. Add grated cheddar, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until completely melted and smooth before adding more. Once all cheese has been incorporated and cheese sauce is smooth, stir in milk, cooked macaroni, Parmesan, tomato paste, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with diced bacon sprinkled on top.