BACON, LEEK, AND TOMATO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Bacon, Leek, and Tomato Macaroni and Cheese image

Surprising twist to a family classic! White cheese, bacon, and leeks. Yes, leeks--a less tangy onion! And this is a one-pot meal! No draining of the water. Super fun, quick, easy, and yummy!

Provided by dawn2376

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork

Time 35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

5 cups water
8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, or more to taste
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large leek
3 large plum tomatoes

Steps:

Bring water to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
Add macaroni, Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to the boiling water. Cover and let simmer vigorously for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the macaroni mixture cooks, trim dark green parts off leek and discard. Slice leek in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place in a bowl of cold water and swish to remove dirt. Drain leek and stir into the macaroni mixture.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove cores and scrape out seeds. Dice tomatoes; reserve 1/4 cup for garnish. Remove stockpot from heat; stir in remaining tomatoes and 1/2 of the bacon. Spoon macaroni into a serving bowl and garnish with remaining bacon and reserved tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 641.7 calories, Carbohydrate 62.5 g, Cholesterol 85.6 mg, Fat 29.3 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 31.1 g, SaturatedFat 16.3 g, Sodium 1964.9 mg, Sugar 4.3 g