There's no better way to eat leafy greens than in mac and cheese with bacon and chard. For a gluten-free version of this mac and cheese with bacon and chard, use brown rice pasta and rice flour to thicken the sauce, and swap the bread crumb topping for more cheese.
Ingredients for Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Chard
1 lb elbow macaroni (regular, whole wheat or brown rice)
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed and leaves roughly chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola or olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3 cups grated Gouda or cheddar cheese, or a combination
Salt and pepper
Crumb Topping
2 slices bread, white or whole grain
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tbsp canola or olive oil
Directions for Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Chard
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Set aside.
In a large skillet or medium saucepan set over medium, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and onion is starting to turn golden. Drain excess fat. Add garlic and Swiss chard and cook for 2–3 min, stirring, until chard is wilted. Add bacon mixture to pasta.
Return empty skillet or saucepan to medium heat. Add butter and oil. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour and cook for 1 min.
Gradually whisk in 1 cup milk until smooth, then whisk in remaining milk. Cook, whisking often, until sauce comes to a gentle boil and thickens, about 3–5 min. Cook for another 1–2 min, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour cheese sauce over pasta mixture and stir until well combined.
In a food processor, pulse bread into crumbs. Add Parmesan and oil and pulse until combined.
Transfer pasta mixture to a 9 x 13-in. baking dish. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly overtop. Bake for 45 min, or until bubbling around the edges and golden on top.
