This tasty cream cheese pasta bake is packed with bacon, onions, and a Ritz cracker crumb topping. Rich, creamy, cheesy, and filling this dish has everything for a perfect weeknight comfort meal.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp. Remove bacon, chop and set aside. Drain grease, reserving 2-4 tablespoons for later.
With the reserved grease, cook onions until caramelized, about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add in minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add in cream cheese. Stir.
Whisk in milk to combine. Bring to boil.
Add in elbow noodles and reduce heat to medium.
Boil 8 minutes or until al dente.
Add in salt, pepper, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, most of the bacon and ½ of the green onions.
Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish.
Top with crushed Ritz crackers, and the remaining green onions and bacon.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
Serve warm.
Notes
Recipe TipsDepending on the type of pasta used, it may absorb liquid faster than others. For this, I recommend adding up to a cup of water while the pasta is boiling. It's only needed if you notice the liquid running low and the noodles still aren't fully boiled.But you can toss it in for good measure either way. Adding the cup of water does take away a little flavor (in my opinion) so you don't want to add in too much more than that or you won't get the same desired results.You can use whole milk, half and half, or even heavy cream in this recipe and the results are all fabulous.StorageThese leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. For best results eat sooner rather than later.Make AheadYou can assemble the pasta recipe in advance by assembling it as directed, and just before the actual baking process, cover it with foil and place it in the fridge instead. Then let it sit there for no more than 2 days before baking in the oven until heated through.It might take a little longer to bake from cold, but it should still taste great. I also recommend not adding the ritz topping until ready to bake to prevent the crumbs from getting soggy.