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Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

Put a twist on a classic jalapeño popper appetizer with this easy jalapeño macaroni and cheese! An easy baked mac and cheese with white cheddar sauce, bacon, and bread crumbs.

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Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

CAN. WE. TALK. ABOUT. THIS. JALAPEÑO. POPPER. MAC. AND. CHEESE.

 

It’s my new favorite thing ever out of all the things ever.

And I’m going to need you to get JA-LA-PEÑ-THIS MAC AND CHEESE BUSINESS.

So that you can get some bites of this cheese-y, bacon-y, pasta-y heap o’goodness JALAPEÑO FACE.

fork sticking out of baked mac and cheese in a small metal baking dish on top of a blue linen napkin

Too much? I’ll stop.

 

havarti-spinach-mac-and-cheeseIt’s rare I love a new recipe so much it renders me speechless (err…”typed-words”-less? Stupid internet). But here we are.

I keep trying to tell you about this STRAIGHT UP MAGICAL jalapeño popper mac and cheese, but then I get distracted by these perfectly cheesy noodles ⬆⬆ (AAAAHHHHH) and switch from blog-post-writing mode to I-wonder-how-fast-I-could-make-more-of-this-mac-and-cheese-and-also-it’s-ok-to-eat-mac-and-cheese-for-breakfast-riiiiiight? mode.

But seriously. Mac and cheese = acceptable breakfast food? I think yes.

(Especially this mac and cheese! Because there’s bacon in it. Bacon = breakfast-y. Sooooooooo…)

Overhead photo of a fork sticking out of a metal baking dish filled with macaroni and cheese topped with bread crumbs and jalapeño slices

⬆⬆⬆ JUST LOOK AT THAT CHEESE SAUCE. ⬆⬆⬆

I’m pretty sure this recipe falls into the “where-have-you-been-all-my-life” category. I took the best parts of a jalapeño popper (actually, I guess I took pretty much all of the parts of a jalapeño popper) and put them on pasta. A perfectly creamy white cheddar and cream cheese sauce + crispy bacon + a nice kick from fresh jalapeños + buttery, crispy panko breadcrumb topping = bliss. Spicy, cheesy, bacon-y bliss.

fork sticking out of a small baking dish filled with baked mac and cheese on a dark background

PS – Need a little more training to perfect your mac and cheese? Get all of my best tips (plus a video!) for the perfect sauce, bread crumbs, and more in Mac and Cheese 101! 

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Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Jessie
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
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Description

Simple but delicious jalapeño popper macaroni and cheese recipe.

Scale

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTA:

  • 1 large jalapeno, sliced
  • 5 strips thick-cut bacon
  • 3/4 lb. cavatappi pasta
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbsp. flour
  • 2.25 cups milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
  • 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS:

  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

FOR THE PASTA:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Set aside about half of your jalapeño slices to use as a garnish on the finished mac and cheese. Dice up the remaining jalapeño slices and set aside. You’ll need 1 heaping tablespoon of diced jalapeño for the cheese sauce (use more or less depending on your spice preferences).
  3. Cook bacon in the oven or on the stovetop until crispy. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool, then dice into bacon-bit-sized pieces. Set aside.
  4. Cook pasta in very salty water until 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain and set aside.
  5. Return pasta pot to stove and melt butter over medium heat.
  6. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the diced jalapeño to butter and sauté for 30 seconds, just until jalapeño begins to soften.
  7. Add flour to butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for another 30 seconds.
  8. Slowly add milk to roux, whisking constantly to work out any lumps. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
  9. Whisk in salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
  10. Add cream cheese to sauce and whisk until cream cheese has melted and sauce is smooth.
  11. Remove pot from heat and stir in shredded white cheddar cheese.
  12. Reserve about 1/5 of your bacon pieces for garnish. Stir the remaining bacon into cheese sauce.
  13. Add cooked pasta to sauce and stir to combine.
  14. Divide mac and cheese into individual baking dishes (this is what I did) or put it all in one large casserole dish. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.

FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS:

  1. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add bread crumbs and stir to coat with the melted butter. Toast, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until breadcrumbs have just barely started to brown. Remove from heat.
  3. Spread bread crumbs over mac and cheese in an even layer, then bake at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until bread crumbs have browned up a bit more and pasta has just started to crisp up around the edges.
  4. Top mac and cheese with reserved bacon and jalapeño and serve immediately.

Notes

If you can’t find white cheddar cheese, just use a regular sharp cheddar.

This pasta has a nice kick to it – cut back on the jalapeño if you don’t love spicy food, or add a bit more pepper if you’re all about the spice!

Omit the bacon if you’d like to make this dish vegetarian.

This mac and cheese is easy to make ahead! Just prepare as directed, then let cool on the counter instead of baking right away. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to make it. Bring dish back to room temperature on the counter, then bake as directed (you may have to add a bit more time to make sure it heats all the way through – just keep an eye on it and use your judgment!)

Baking this mac and cheese is totally optional – if you’re not a fan of baked mac and cheese, just skip this step and serve it as stovetop mac and cheese!

Nutrition

  • Calories: 653

 

Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese | Put a twist on a classic jalapeño popper appetizer with this easy but gourmet jalapeño macaroni and cheese! Homemade macaroni and cheese recipe with creamy white cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, jalapeño slices, and bread crumbs. Baked casserole style or great on its own as a stovetop recipe. A loaded mac and cheese with a kick from jalapeños and baked in the oven.
Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese | Put a twist on a classic jalapeño popper appetizer with this easy but gourmet jalapeño macaroni and cheese! Homemade macaroni and cheese recipe with creamy white cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, jalapeño slices, and bread crumbs. Baked casserole style or great on its own as a stovetop recipe. A loaded mac and cheese with a kick from jalapeños and baked in the oven.

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Comments

  2. Made this for lunch one day and fell in LOVE with it!! Now it’s my go-to Mac ‘n Cheese, have taken it to a few BBQ’s.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  3. I made this jalapeño mac & cheese for my daughter and her friend two weeks ago when they came in from out of town . my daughter thought this was the best recipe that I’ve ever made .They were here over Labor Day weekend and requested this for every meal. It was that good !!! Needless to say there were no leftovers . if you like macaroni and cheese with a. bite to it this is by far the best recipe I’ve ever tried . Definitely a winner !!

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • I’m so happy you liked it, Deb! This is one of our FAVORITE mac and cheese recipes. Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!

      Reply

  7. Holly cow that looks good. I’ve been craving macaroni and cheese for a long time but haven’t made the effort to make it. I think I’m going to get my lazy butt up and try this because YUM.

    Reply