This Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese recipe was inspired by fellow mom blogger Mom On Timeout! She probably has no idea I exist but she’s kind of a role model of mine. I follow her on Facebook and she has the most amazing food posts! I aspire to be a state-of-the-art chef like her one day. When I saw this specific recipe show up on my feed, I fell madly in love. You all know I need everything spicy!! Jalapeno Poppers are one of my favorite appetizers to make. Putting them into mac & cheese form seemed like a no brainer!

I changed a few things in my recipe which mostly include measurement alterations and slightly different ingredients. Instead of full on butter, I utilized the bacon grease yielded from frying my bacon. Bacon grease can usually be substituted in recipes that require butter or oil. It gives a boost of savory flavor to your finished product. This casserole style mac & cheese is rich and filling enough to have plenty of leftovers! And may I be so bold as to say that this dish is much tastier on the second day! I have no idea why, but it just is. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you all think! Full recipe for this Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese below!

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SPICY RECIPES BELOW!

Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese

Course: Main Course, Pasta & NoodlesDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

706

kcal

This casserole style mac & cheese is a twist on the classic jalapeno popper. It’s got all the same ingredients plus it’s rich and filling enough to have plenty of leftovers!

Ingredients

16 oz elbow macaroni
16 oz bacon
4 jalapenos (3 to mix in macaroni, 1 for topping)
1 Tbs butter
5 Tbs bacon grease (that you will yield from cooking bacon)
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 oz cream cheese, cut into small cubes
2 tsp hot sauce of your choice (you can use Tobasco, Sriracha, Tapatio, etc)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
FOR BREADCRUMB TOPPING
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
6 Tbs melted butter
½ cup Parmesan
½ tsp paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 casserole dish
Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (slightly undercooked)
Drain pasta and set aside to cool down for now
Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces. Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet on medium heat until brown and crispy
Remove bacon and set aside but keep the bacon grease in the skillet. I yielded about 5 tablespoons of grease and added 1 tablespoon of butter on top of it. If you yield less grease, just add more butter to make up for however many tablespoons are missing
Take 3 of the jalapenos and scoop out everything from the inside of them including seeds. Discard the insides. Dice the jalapenos into small pieces and add them to the skillet with the grease and butter. Heat on medium for about 1-2 minutes
Add the flour and whisk until it turns into a nice golden color
Add the milk and heavy cream. Mix until well combined. Continue to heat and whisk until it starts to bubble all over
Add the cream cheese and mix until it’s completely melted. Then add the hot sauce and mix
Add 3 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese to the skillet. Mix until completely melted
Remove from heat and add all the cooked macaroni to the skillet. Mix with a large spoon until the pasta is coated well with the cheese mixture
Start layering the mac and cheese into the casserole dish by doing the following: Pour HALF the mac and cheese into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup mozzarella. Then top with HALF the cooked bacon pieces. Then pour the remaining half of the mac and cheese on top.
For the last layer, you will mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, melted butter and paprika in a small bowl until well combined. Then pour it over the very top of the mac and cheese casserole, spreading evenly
Slice up the last jalapeno and spread the slices over the top of the casserole
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes
Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining bacon pieces
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Inspired by Mom On Timeout’s Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese
Calories & Nutritional Info may vary based on different brands and ingredients used. Nutritional Info below was calculated using Very Fit Well’s Nutrition Calculator.

Nutrition Facts

12 servings per container

Calories706

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Total Fat 46.2g 72%
- Saturated Fat 25.1g 126%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 972mg 41%

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Potassium 316mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 42.6g 15%
- Dietary Fiber 1.9g 8%
- Sugars 4.8g
Protein 30.1g 61%

Calcium 37%
Iron 14%
Vitamin D 73%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.