Bacon Jalapeno Mac and Cheese is loaded with tender pasta, a homemade luscious creamy cheese sauce with pops of flavorful jalapenos, and smoky bacon.
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With so much flavor, you really can't go wrong with any Classic Creamy Mac and Cheese Recipe, but this one takes regular classic mac n cheese and adds a whole new level of heat, smokiness, and kick to your plate. Adding the bits of bacon amp up the protein a bit while adding a new flavor for your tastebuds, just like my Lobster Mac and Cheese and my Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese recipes do.
Why This Recipe Works
It's a good recipe to scale to feed more people for parties or gatherings.
You can adjust the level of heat for your preferences. This cheesy pasta can be served as a side dish or add some more cooked protein and make it a full meal.
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta: I used macaroni. I've also used rotini before, but any type of pasta will work.
- Bacon: I used Cherry wood smoked bacon
- Jalapenos: diced: For another yummy flavor twist, try using Pickled Jalapenos.
- Dairy: butter, half n half, cheddar cheese, pepper Jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, and grated parmesan (for the topping)
- Flour: Helps to thicken the cheese sauce.
- Panko bread crumbs: Adds a delicious crunchy topping!
How To Make Bacon Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
- Step 1: Chop raw bacon into small pieces and add to a large skillet. Cook until chopped bacon pieces are crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and set onto a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
- Step 2: Using the same skillet you cooked the bacon in leaving some leftover bacon grease, add butter and diced jalapeno. Cook until soft.
- Step 3: Add flour and whisk to cook.
- Step 4: Add half and half and whisk so the flour isn't clumpy. Add shredded cheddar and pepper Jack cheese and whisk to help melt the cheese.
- Step 5: Place cooked bacon and cooked pasta in the cheese sauce. Stir and mix together. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Step 6: In a small mixing bowl, melt butter and add grated parmesan cheese and Panko breadcrumbs. Stir to combine.
- Step 7: Fold in mozzarella in the skillet with the mac and cheese.
- Step 8: Cover skillet with crunchy breadcrumbs mixture before baking until the top is starting to lightly brown and the sauce bubbles.
Recipe Tips
- If you don't have a cast iron skillet to make the sauce in, you can make this in a regular skillet and transfer everything to a baking dish before baking.
- Don't overcook the pasta initially, it will continue to cook in the oven, so be sure to cook it under al dente at first!
- The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The topping make a change in consistency if left with the cheese sauce for a long time.
Recipe Faq's
Yes, if you prefer to use all one kind of cheese or a few different kinds of cheese, different than I used, feel free to make that delicious change! Super cheese lovers know what kind of cheese you enjoy best and what you like to mix to make your taste buds sing.
You can reheat it in the microwave or stovetop. If it seems dry add in a tablespoon of milk.
Sure! Just prep everything and place into the baking dish or oven-safe skillet except the panko topping. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake. When ready to bake let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes to come to room temperature then add the topping and bake!
More Pasta Recipes
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Bacon Jalapeño Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta I used rotini
- 1/2 lb bacon I used Cherry wood smoked bacon
- 1-2 jalapenos diced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups half n half
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- 1-2 teaspoon Salt according to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Panko topping
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Cook pasta for 2 minutes under al dente. (It will cook more in the oven) strain and set aside.
- In a small bowl with melted butter add Panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, and butter mix and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Chop raw bacon up into bite-size pieces. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy and let drain on paper towels.
- In the same cast-iron skillet, drain all but 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add butter, diced jalapeno, and cook just until soft about 1 minute. Add flour and whisk together for about 30 seconds to cook the flour a bit. Reduce heat and add half n half and whisk until all clumps are out.
- Turn off heat and add shredded cheese and cooked bacon and whisk until combined. Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour mac n cheese into a baking dish, or leave in cast iron skillet fold in mozzarella cheese and top with Panko crumbs.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and the sauce is bubbly!
- Let set for 10-15 minutes and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Love it! What a delicious substitution!
I used 1 cup of warm beer in place of part of the half and half, added a sprinkle of smoked paprika. So so good! This is a recipe I will be repeating frequently!
Great recipe! Will be making this again!
The cheddar and jack cheese melts into the sauce. Adding the mozzarella before baking allows for the cheese pull presentation.
Am curious as to why you have the mozzarella cheese added just before baking rather than with the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Does it matter? This was delicious -- I'll be making it again. Thank you!
At the top of the comment section, you can click reviews. Not everybody leaves a comment with the review though.
it would be really nice if we could read the reviews on your website. I'm not sure if anyone can see them but I can't? Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place? Thx