The BEST Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
The BEST Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese you'll ever try! Extra creamy, loaded with bacon, cream cheese, jalapeños, and kicked up a notch with TABASCO® Sauce, this delicious and easy mac and cheese is sure to be a new favorite!
Servings 12
Calories 760kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni cooked (or other tubular pasta)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 jalapeños seeded, membranes removed, and diced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 6 oz cream cheese cut into cubes
- 2 tsp TABASCO® Sauce
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 12 oz bacon cooked and crumbled
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside. Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
- Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot. Add diced jalapeños and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes.
- Whisk in cream cheese and TABASCO® sauce.
- Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another one and a half cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
- Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
- Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese, two-thirds of the bacon and then the remaining mac and cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Top with remaining bacon and slices of jalapeños if desired. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1410IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 513mg | Iron: 1.5mg