Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese has macaroni in a rich and creamy cheese sauce with bold, spicy jalapeno peppers, bacon and a crispy topping.
Servings: 8 -10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 jalapenos seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup American cheese cut into small chunks (or 8 ounces sliced cheese)
- ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ pound bacon cooked crisp and crumbled, a handful reserved for topping
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1-2 jalapeno thinly sliced, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish (3 quart/13x9-inch) with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook macaroni about 1-2 minutes less than the package directions suggest. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add diced jalapenos. Cook, stirring often, until softened; about 2-3 minutes. Add flour, ground mustard and garlic powder and whisk until the flour is cooked down and golden in color; 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually pour in the milk/cream, continuing to whisk until the sauce begins to bubble. Turn down the heat to medium-low, then stir in ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and cream cheese, until fully melted. Turn off the heat and move the pot off the burner. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir in Cheddar, Parmesan and American cheeses until they are completely melted and fully incorporated. Stir in most of the bacon (reserve some for topping) and the macaroni, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Combine 1 tablespoon melted butter with the panko and dried parsley in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the macaroni. Top with reserved bacon and the sliced jalapeno.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until pasta is completely heated through and top is crispy and golden. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
This recipe makes a fairly large amount, depending on how you plan to serve it. As a meal, it will easily serve 8 people. As a side you can feed 10-12.
Storage - Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating - Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven to crisp up the topping. If it seems dry, you can add a splash of milk or cream. If your microwave has the setting, I highly recommend reheating at 50% powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 831kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1218mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1533IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 594mg | Iron: 2mg
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