If you're familiar with the Longhorn Steakhouse menu then you are sure to know and love their Cavatappi Bacon Mac and Cheese recipe! This popular dish is one of my favorite restaurant copycat recipes and an absolute must-try, packed with five signature cheeses, and a delicious, crisp bacon topping! If you can't get enough mac and cheese, my creamy shells and cheese are an easier, equally delicious variation, and go perfectly with garlicky monkey bread!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful: This delicious recipe is full of flavor from the multi-cheese flavors, spices, and mustard. Along with the crunchy top of baked, crispy panko bread crumbs and bacon bits? Yum!
- Classic comfort food: Have a picky eater on your hands? This popular dish is the ultimate comfort food and is hard not to love. This cavatappi bacon mac and cheese will be your picky eater’s new favorite!
- Close to the restaurant version! Longhorn steakhouse is the home of many of my favorites (including crispy chilli glazed brussels sprouts). This mac and cheese recipe is super similar to what you would find at the restaurant, packed full of the crazy cheese blend they use, too! If you can't get enough copycat pasta recipes, my Olive Garden giant stuffed shells are always a good option, too!
Ingredients
- Cavatappi pasta - This specific pasta is a good shape to hold the sauce of your cavatappi bacon mac and cheese. The ridges cling to sauce too. It’s used in the restaurant version as well.
- Salted butter - This is the base of the roux and helps add to the creamy cheeses.
- All-purpose flour - Adding flour to most recipes will help thicken it. In this case, it will thicken the cheese sauce.
- Whole milk - Using this milk offers the right amount of fat and thickness to make a cheesy sauce. The cheese adds more than enough fattiness to the sauce, so you won't miss using a higher fat cream.
- Cheddar cheese - This is a classic mac and cheese ingredient. It’s great because it’s a melty cheese but mild in flavor.
- Provolone cheese - This is similar to mozzarella cheese with a little bit more pungent flavor.
- Gruyere cheese - Gruyere adds a nice nutty flavor to the cheese sauce, and it melts into a silky, smooth texture!
- Fontina cheese - This is another sweet, nutty flavor with a little bit of funk!
- Thick-cut bacon - This leaves nice pieces of bacon that add a crispy, meaty texture, while staying distinct.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Cavatappi pasta: You can use any kind of short pasta with ridges. However, you can use elbow pasta if you prefer.
- Whole milk: You can also use 2% milk, or add extra fat with a mix of whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream. This really helps assist in the creamy cheese sauce.
- Cheese: You can adjust the ratios or the cheeses you use based on what you like and have on hand. You can essentially use whichever cheese blend combo you prefer.
- Dry mustard: You can also use dijon mustard instead.
- Bacon: You can always use pre-cooked bacon bits; Pancetta or leave them off to make it vegetarian style!
- Breadcrumbs: Instead of using seasoned bread crumbs you can opt for Panko breadcrumbs.
Variations
- Smoked paprika - Adding this ingredient will help give the dish a smokey flavor but it is optional and not required.
- Toppings - If you want even more cheesy flavor, you can sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of your cavatappi bacon mac and cheese.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Preheat the oven to 400°F - This will make your cavatappi bacon mac and cheese cook much faster. That way, you'll have it ready to go by the time you’re ready.
Boil water - Put a large pot of water over medium heat.
Once the water has come to a boil, salt heavily. Add the cavatappi pasta, and boil until al dente. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the seasoned breadcrumbs with olive oil. Set aside. [photo 7]
Cut the bacon into lardons or bite-sized strips. Crisp up in a large saucepan, in the oven, or in the microwave. Drain on a paper towel, and set aside. [photo 1]
In an oven-safe large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour to the skillet. Combine until the butter and flour have mixed together and have formed a paste-like consistency. [photos 2 &3]
Slowly stream in the milk while stirring, to combine the roux with the milk. Keep the heat on medium-low, and let the sauce thicken while it comes to a simmer. Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally while it is coming to a simmer and thickening up. You should be able to coat the back of a spoon and draw a line through it with your finger. [photo 4]
Turn the heat to low, and slowly add in the cheese. Add them in one handful at a time, and stir in completely before adding in the next handful of cheese. Repeat until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce and the sauce is completely thick. Mix in the spices. [photo 5]
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, and stir it into the cheese sauce. Be sure to stir well so that the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. [photo 6]
Top the cavatappi bacon mac and cheese with the breadcrumb mixture and a little bit of crumbled bacon. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, and optionally broil on HI for 2 minutes to brown the top of the pasta. [photo 8]
Expert Tips
Use freshly shredded cheese! The key to a smooth cheese sauce is grating the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together. This also makes the sauce gritty, and not super smooth.
Use full-fat cheese! I know we are always looking for a good way to lighten up our favorite dishes. Truthfully, low-fat or fat-free cheese just does not melt the way you want for a restaurant-style mac and cheese.
Be mindful of the temperature of your pan! Sometimes when your pan gets too hot, it can break the cheese sauce and the cheese will not melt smoothly. Lower heat is best!
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead Instructions
If you make your cavatappi bacon mac and cheese ahead of time, it needs to be stored properly and eaten within the first five days. However, it will likely be best fresh out of the oven.
You can also boil the pasta ahead of time, and crisp the bacon in advance. Make the cheese sauce fresh, and assemble.
Storing Leftovers
If stored in an airtight container and in the refrigerator, your cavatappi bacon mac and cheese can last up to five days maximum.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! All you have to do is omit the bacon. You can always serve it as a topping on separate dishes for those who don’t mind eating meat.
That’s okay! You can omit it and just add more of one of the other cheeses in the recipe you do like.
More Pasta Recipes
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Cavatappi Bacon Mac and Cheese {Longhorn Copycat}
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cavatappi pasta
For the Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Salted butter
- 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 2 cups Whole milk
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Provolone cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Fontina cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dry mustard
For the Topping
- 4 slices Thick cut bacon
- ½ cup Seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Boil water: Boil a large pot of water over medium heat.
- Boil pasta: Once the water has come to a boil, salt heavily. Add the cavatappi pasta, and boil until al dente. Drain the pasta, and set aside.8 oz Cavatappi pasta
- Mix topping: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the seasoned breadcrumbs and spices, with the olive oil. Set aside.½ cup Seasoned breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ¼ cup Olive oil
- Crisp bacon: Cut the bacon into lardons or bite-sized strips. Crisp up in a large saucepan, the oven, or in the microwave. Drain on a paper towel, and set aside.4 slices Thick cut bacon
- Make the roux: In an oven-safe large skillet, or a pot, melt butter on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour to the skillet. Combine until the butter and flour have mixed together and have formed a paste-like consistency.2 tablespoon Salted butter, 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- Make the sauce: Slowly stream in the milk while stirring, to combine the roux with the milk. Keep the heat on medium-low, let the sauce thicken while it comes to a simmer. Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally while it is coming to a simmer and thickening up. You should be able to coat the back of a spoon, and draw a line through it with your finger.2 cups Whole milk
- Add the cheese: Turn the heat to low, and slowly add in the cheese. Add them in one handful at a time, and stir in completely before adding in the next handful of cheese. Repeat until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce and the sauce is completely thick. Mix in the spices.8 oz Cavatappi pasta, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, 1 cup Provolone cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup Gruyere cheese, ¼ cup Fontina cheese, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, 1 teaspoon Dry mustard
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, or to the pot, and stir it into the cheese sauce. Be sure to stir well so that the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
- Bake: Top the pasta in the skillet with the breadcrumb mixture and a little bit of crumbled bacon. If you are going to use a baking dish, instead, transfer the pasta to a baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs and bacon. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes covered with foil, and broil on HI for 2 minutes to brown the top of the pasta.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese! The key to a smooth cheese sauce is grating the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together. This also makes the sauce gritty, and not super smooth.
- Use full fat cheese! I know we are always looking for a good way to lighten up our favourite dishes. Truthfully, low fat or fat free cheese just does not melt the way you want for a restaurant-style mac and cheese.
- Be mindful of the temperature of your pan! Sometimes when your pan gets too hot, it can break the cheese sauce and the cheese will not melt smoothly. Lower heat is best!
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