Description
This Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese combines creamy, cheesy comfort food with a spicy kick from fresh jalapeños and crispy bacon. Baked to golden perfection, it’s a flavorful twist on classic mac and cheese that’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Additional Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2–3 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Cook macaroni: Boil the elbow macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Make roux for cheese sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste without browning.
- Add milk and thicken sauce: Slowly whisk in the whole milk, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy, about 4–5 minutes.
- Incorporate cheeses and seasoning: Reduce heat to low and add softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, shredded Monterey Jack, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously until the cheeses melt together into a smooth sauce.
- Mix in jalapeños and bacon: Stir the diced jalapeños and crumbled bacon into the cheese sauce, reserving a small amount of bacon for topping if desired.
- Combine pasta with sauce: Add the cooked macaroni to the saucepan and mix gently to coat the pasta evenly with the cheesy jalapeño-bacon sauce.
- Assemble in baking dish: Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Prepare breadcrumb topping: In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with olive oil until lightly coated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Rest and serve: Remove from the oven and let the mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes before serving to set slightly.
Notes
- For extra heat, leave some jalapeño seeds in when dicing.
- To achieve a crispier topping, broil the mac and cheese for the last 2 minutes of baking, watching closely to avoid burning.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon entirely.
