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Jalapeno Popper Macaroni and Cheese! ย This macaroni and cheese tastes just like a jalapeรฑo popper!! Loaded up with fresh jalapeรฑo. Bits of crispy bacon. And the homemade sauce is made ultra creamy by adding cream cheese! You will never want another macaroni and cheese again once you try this one!
Hey y’all! Serene from House of Yumm back with you again. And today I’m here to share this creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy Jalapeรฑo Popper Macaroni and Cheese! Anyone else have a fondness for jalapeรฑo poppers?? Jalapeรฑos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon. One of my favorite snacks. Mix the flavors of jalapeรฑo, cream cheese, and bacon with macaroni and cheese and we have a winner!!
Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food for me. So I made this dish EXTRA cheesy. It’s a homemade sauce that can come together super quick and easy. Loaded up with cream cheese to make it smooth and creamy. And white American cheese to make it ultra cheesy. I made a batch with a sharp white cheddar and it just wasn’t the same. Something about the white American cheese just makes this dish. If you’re thinking that you’ve never seen a white American cheese, I always get it from the deli counter in the local markets.
The best part about this dish is the jalapeรฑo of course. I’m a huge fan of a little spice. But to be honest some of my kids aren’t. Good news though, even those who aren’t fans of spice love this Jalapeรฑo Popper Macaroni and Cheese! I removed all the membranes and seeds from the jalapeรฑo, if you’re wanting more of a kick you can always leave the seeds in, or add more jalapeรฑo.
The hubs and I always make a macaroni and cheese as a side dish for Thanksgiving. And I have to say, I think this one is going to make an appearance on our table this year!
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Pin ItJalapeno Popper Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound cellentani pasta noodles, or noodle of choice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 diced jalapeรฑo, seeds and membranes removed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ยฝ cups whole milk
- 1 ยฝ cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ยฝ pound white American cheese diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 strips cooked diced bacon
- ยผ pound white American cheese sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized pot cook the 1 pound cellentani pasta noodles, according to the package directions. Remove from heat when the noodles are just before al dente (they will still have a slight bite to them). Drain noodles and set aside.
- In a large saucepan melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the 1 diced jalapeรฑo, and cook for about a minute. Whisk in the 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour to create a thick paste. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the flour mixture turns slightly brown.
- Gradually whisk in the 1 ยฝ cups whole milk and 1 ยฝ cups heavy cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3 minutes to thicken.
- Add in the 4 ounces cream cheese and stir until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Add in the ยฝ pound white American cheese diced , and continue stirring while the cheese melts.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon salt, ยฝ teaspoon ground white pepper, and ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin, and continue cooking the sauce until it's creamy and smooth and all the cheese is melted.
- Pour the noodles into the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Fold in the 6 strips cooked diced bacon.
- Pour half of the noodles into the preapred baking dish. Place a layer of ยผ pound white American cheese sliced down, then top with the remaining noodles. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you ever frozen this? What is the cooking time? Or did you thaw it first and then cook it?
I haven’t tried it, but you could freeze it in an airtight container and then, when you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Bake as directed on the recipe card once it’s thawed!
This was amazing! I took it to a church function and everyone loved it. It is definitely a keeper!
Amazing! This recipe stopped me mid-scroll on your blog. Why didn’t someone think of this recipe sooner? It’s a perfect blend of cheesiness + spiciness! Quick question though – how does removing the bacon affect the taste? Just wondering as vegetarians may prefer that option ๐