Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

5 from 1 vote

This Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese is a must-try! Ultra cheesy, slightly spicy pasta with jalapeños and bacon, topped with a crispy buttery layer and baked to perfection.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Dinner, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jalapeno mac and cheese, Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $15.46

Equipment

Large pot
9 x 9-inch baking pan

Ingredients

Pasta

3 packed cups cavatappi pasta see note 1
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sauce

4 slices thick-sliced bacon or 8 regular slices, diced
3 to 6 tablespoons finely minced jalapeño see note 2
1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 cloves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk or 3 cups whole milk
4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, brick-style
2 cups freshly shredded Cheddar cheese sharp or extra-sharp, see note 3
1 cup freshly shredded pepper-Jack cheese
Salt and pepper

Panko Topping

2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs see note 4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 jalapeño optional, for topping

US - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, subtracting 1 minute. Drain, shake off excess water, and immediately add pasta back to pot. Add butter and gently stir until butter is melted. Set aside to cool while making sauce. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Meanwhile, dice the bacon and cook over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottom pot (we’ll use this pot to make the cheese sauce) until golden and cooked to desired preference. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon onto a paper-towel-lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.
Reduce heat to medium and add in diced jalapeños. Sauté for 1–2 minutes and add garlic, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper; I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add butter, and once melted, add flour. Whisk constantly, cooking for 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk. Add very gradually so it can thicken. Cook for 5–7 minutes or until thickened properly (see note 5).
While sauce is thickening, add unwrapped cream cheese to the microwave. Microwave for 10 seconds, flip, and microwave for another 10 seconds. Flip and microwave once more or until very soft.
Add cream cheese to the sauce and briskly whisk until completely integrated and smooth. Remove pot from heat and add in Cheddar and pepper-Jack. Stir until smooth (it’s okay if it isn’t fully melted—we’re baking it!).
Optional: Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a medium pan. Add panko and salt to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon) and stir to coat. Continue cooking until crumbs become golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pour the sauce, scraping every bit of it over cooked pasta (it may seem super saucy, but this will keep it from becoming dry after baking!). Add in reserved bacon. Give everything a quick stir and a taste test—add more salt/pepper if needed. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9x9-inch pan. Sprinkle panko topping evenly over pasta, and if desired, add a thinly sliced jalapeño on top. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until slightly thickened at the edges and light golden brown on top (don’t bake too long or the cheese sauce will dry out!). Remove and serve immediately! Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: If you don’t have access to cavatappi pasta, you can try another pasta like rotini or macaroni. Use 8 ounces.

Note 2: Remove Jalapeño ribs and seeds (or leave them in for lots of heat). Add as much or as little as you’d like. When making for my kids, I use 3 tablespoons of very finely diced jalapeño. They can handle a bit of spice, but I’d say that is fairly mild. To increase spice, add more jalapeño and even a touch of cayenne pepper. To reduce spice as much as possible, use less jalapeño and replace pepper-Jack with Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese.

Note 3: White sharp or yellow sharp Cheddar—either works and they’ll taste the same. For a more Cheddar-y mac and cheese, use Tillamook’s extra-sharp Cheddar. Whatever you use, freshly shred it! Pre-shredded cheese has a cellulose coating that doesn’t melt as well in recipes like this one. To avoid a greasy mac and cheese, take the time to grate your own (or use a food processor with a cheese-grating attachment to do this quickly).

Note 4: Panko breadcrumbs are similar to regular breadcrumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. They can typically be found near other breadcrumbs or in the Asian food aisle in the grocery store.

Note 5: How to know when cheese sauce is thick enough: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir the sauce, lift the spoon, and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be cooked a bit longer.

Storage: Store leftovers in and airtight container in the fridge, though this dish is best enjoyed immediately. Mac and cheese is not a great candidate for freezing.

Nutrition