Delia Smith Macaroni Cheese with Bacon Recipe

This creamy macaroni cheese with courgettes and bacon is made with Cheddar, double cream, nutmeg, and a crispy Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Grilled until golden, it is ready in 30 minutes and serves one. From Delia’s One Is Fun! cookbook, it is proper comfort food for a solo supper.

I first made this on a weeknight when nobody else was home and I wanted something fast and filling. A small Le Creuset gratin dish is perfect for this, straight from grill to table. It has been my go-to single-serving pasta dish since, especially with a handful of leeks swapped in during winter.

Macaroni Cheese with Courgettes and Bacon Ingredients

• The Pasta:
  • 50–75g macaroni (short elbow pasta)
  • Salt
  • A few drops of oil
• The Filling:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 110g courgettes, sliced with skins on
  • 50g bacon, chopped
• The Cheese Sauce:
  • 10g butter
  • 10g plain flour
  • 150ml milk
  • 40g mature Cheddar, grated
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 25ml double cream
  • Salt and freshly milled black pepper
• The Topping:
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan, grated
  • 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tomato, sliced

What You’ll Need to Make This

• Small gratin dish (15cm): A Le Creuset Heritage stoneware gratin dish holds one portion perfectly and goes from grill to table. Any shallow, oven-safe dish around 15cm works.
• Frying pan (20cm): A small non-stick pan for the courgettes and bacon. A Tefal 20cm pan heats evenly and makes cleanup easy.
• Small saucepan: For making the cheese sauce. Any 14–16cm saucepan with a heavy base will do.
• Microplane or fine grater: For grating nutmeg and Parmesan. A Microplane gives you a much finer result than a box grater, and it makes a real difference in the sauce.

How To Make Macaroni Cheese with Courgettes and Bacon

1. Boil the pasta: Bring a pan of salted water to the boil with a few drops of oil. Add the macaroni and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Drain well in a colander.
2. Fry the courgettes and bacon: While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced courgettes and chopped bacon. Cook until the courgettes are softened and lightly coloured and the bacon is crisp.
3. Make the sauce: In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce.
4. Add the cheese and cream: Let the sauce simmer gently for 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated Cheddar, a fine grating of nutmeg using a Microplane, and the double cream. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine everything: Return the drained macaroni to its pan. Add the courgettes and bacon. Pour in the cheese sauce and stir gently over a low heat until everything is well mixed and warmed through.
6. Assemble and top: Transfer the mixture to a 15cm shallow gratin dish. Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs together, then sprinkle evenly over the top. Add a pinch of cayenne and arrange the tomato slices over everything.
7. Grill until golden: Place the dish under a hot grill for a few minutes until the top is browned and bubbling. Watch it closely as it can catch quickly.

What Makes This Macaroni Cheese with Courgettes and Bacon So Good?

• Courgettes add freshness: The sliced courgettes bring a light, slightly sweet flavour that cuts through the richness of the cheese sauce. Keep the skins on for colour and texture.
• Double cream makes the difference: Unlike most basic cheese sauce recipes that rely on just milk and flour, this one finishes with double cream. It makes the sauce noticeably smoother and richer.
• Parmesan and breadcrumb crust: Mixing grated Parmesan with breadcrumbs before grilling creates a crunchy, savoury crust that you do not get from cheese alone.
• Grilled, not baked: This finishes under the grill in minutes rather than spending 30–40 minutes in the oven. Faster, and you get a better contrast between the crisp top and creamy filling.
• Scales easily: This recipe serves one from Delia’s One Is Fun!. To feed two, double all quantities and use a larger dish. The grill time stays roughly the same.

What Are the Best Swaps and Variations?

Delia’s original recipe note says the courgettes can be replaced with leeks, broad beans, or broccoli sprigs. Leeks and bacon is a classic British pairing that works especially well here. Slice them and soften in the olive oil the same way you would the courgettes.

If you enjoy Delia’s fish pie with leeks, you already know how good that combination is. Broad beans or broccoli also work well in spring and summer.

For a vegetarian version, swap the bacon for sliced mushrooms. The mushrooms pick up the nutmeg in the sauce nicely. Everything else stays the same.

What Should You Serve on the Side?

A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is all you need. The dish is rich enough on its own. For something more filling, add a slice of crusty bread to mop up the sauce at the bottom of the gratin dish.

Does This Store and Reheat Well?

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. The pasta will absorb the sauce and firm up. To reheat, add a splash of milk and pop it back under the grill until bubbling, or microwave on medium.

Freezing is not recommended. The courgettes release water when defrosted, which makes the sauce thin and watery. This is best eaten fresh.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 500 kcal (estimated)
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 22g
• Dietary Fibre: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (serves 1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use leeks instead of courgettes in this macaroni cheese? Yes, and the leeks give a milder, sweeter flavour than courgettes. They need an extra minute or two in the pan to soften properly before adding the bacon.

Can I make this macaroni cheese for more than one person? Yes, multiply all quantities and use a larger gratin dish. The grill time stays roughly the same whether you are making one portion or four.

Why is this macaroni cheese grilled instead of baked? Delia’s One Is Fun! recipes are designed for speed, and grilling takes a few minutes while baking takes 30 or more. The Parmesan and breadcrumb topping browns beautifully under a hot grill.

Can you freeze macaroni cheese with courgettes? Not recommended. Courgettes release water when defrosted, making the sauce thin. This recipe is best eaten fresh or stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

How does this compare to Delia’s souffled macaroni cheese? Completely different recipes. The souffled version uses whisked egg whites, Gruyère, and mascarpone for a light, risen texture, while this is a simpler gratin with courgettes, bacon, cream, and a breadcrumb crust.

You May Also Like:

• Delia Smith Macaroni Cheese Recipe
• Delia Smith Cheese Sauce Recipe
• Delia Smith Courgette Quiche Recipe