This tasty baked Mac and cheese recipe is bursting with bold jalapeño popper flavors!
Everything you love about spicy jalapeño poppers, plus comforting and rich Mac and cheese. It’s a culinary match made in heaven!
Y’all, this is the most epic Mac and cheese. If you’re a fan of jalapeño poppers, and love the comfort of Mac and cheese… then this is it. The one Mac and cheese recipe you need to try… immediately!
Ever since I posted this family favorite recipe back in 2016, I’ve been meaning to add more recipe like it… but time got away from me! Honestly, I just have SO many recipes that I’m dying to share, and things get pushed to the back burner.
I love that this jalapeño popper Mac and cheese is really versatile. Like things extra spicy? Maybe a little more mild. Want a vegetarian Mac and cheese? Or how about some extra protein? I’ve got you covered!
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING JALAPENO POPPER MAC AND CHEESE:
- Pasta can be cooked ahead of time. Just toss it with a bit of olive oil, stir if occasionally as it cools, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Panko can also be made ahead of time and stored on the counter in an airtight container.
- For a spicier Mac and cheese, leave the seeds in the jalapeño, and/or add more jalapeño. Alternately, you can buck tradition and add a Serrano or two. Swap out some of the cheese (either mozzarella or American) for pepper jack.
- For a more mild Mac and cheese, use less jalapeños, or use pickled (jarred) jalapeños (the mild variety).
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon completely.
- For a meatier version, add some extra bacon. Also, 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken makes a great addition to the bacon as well!
CAN THIS MAC AND CHEESE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Absolutely!
- Make as directed, minus the panko topping (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Top with panko and bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
The panko topping on this Mac and cheese is optional, but I really like it since it really brings home that “jalapeño popper” flavor and texture!
I hope you give this comfort food classic with a twist a try soon!
HELPFUL TOOLS:
- Deep saucepan – perfect for sauces of any kind!
- 9×13 baking dish – in case you’re looking for a new one, this one is inexpensive and I love the lid!
WANT TO TRY THIS JALAPENO POPPER MAC AND CHEESE?
PIN IT TO YOUR DINNER OR PARTY BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!
FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 box (16 oz) dried short cut pasta (cavatappi, elbow, rotini, penne, etc)
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2-3 fresh jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream (or half and half)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature (and cubed)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 cups shredded or diced white American cheese, divided (white cheddar can also be used)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon, divided
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp olive oil over MED heat. Add panko and stir around until coated and panko is starting to brown. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease a 3 qt baking dish (like a 9x13 pan), and set aside. Boil a large stockpot of water and cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain and toss pasta in a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add butter to a large saucepan and heat over MED heat. Add jalapeños and onion, and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add flour and stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Pour in heavy cream and milk, whisking to combine so lumps from the flour mixture are gone. Cook several minutes until thickened, stirring very often.
- Add in cream cheese and stir until it's melted into the sauce. Add in most of the mozzarella and white American cheese, stirring until it's all melted. Add spices (salt, pepper, cumin) and stir. If you notice the sauce getting TOO thick, add in a splash of milk and stir.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta, cheese sauce, and most of the bacon. Stir it all together and pour into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and white American cheeses and remaining bacon. Sprinkle with the toasted panko and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional sliced jalapeños, and parsley or cilantro if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
NEVER MISS A CHUNKY CHEF RECIPE:
FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST / TWITTER
Josie says
I like to make without bacon and a few different types of hot peppers. Best homemade mac EVER!
Concha says
Great recipe love every bite of it.
Hot House Wife 69 says
This scrumptious cuisine was a delightful surprise for our Sunday family dinner. The noodles, cheese, and chicken combined to perfection with a delightful crisp.I would recommend this to any family dinner.
Alaina says
This turned out sooooo delicious! I’m picky about mac and cheese and this was so flavorful and better than most restaurants. I’ll be making it again! I just used Kraft white American sliced cheese and it was the perfect touch. Thank you for this recipe!!
Autumn says
Wow…just wow! So amazing, best homemade mac and cheese I’ve ever had! Didn’t change a thing, perfect just the way it is!
John says
My son and I made this the other night and it turned out amazing! We only put in 2 Jalapeno’s but would do 3 next time. We did add a bit of pepper jack to spice it up a little more. Might do a couple extra strips of bacon as well. Overall, great recipe and fun/easy to do with a kid!
Heika says
This was a hit with my family! It was really, really good. I made it as written with one substitution. I used Velveeta instead of American cheese because I couldn’t find any American that was in a block. I used 3 jalapenos and wished I used more. This recipe says it makes 8 servings, but I found it was a lot more than that. I served it at a meal for 7 adults, and everyone had seconds of it. I still had almost half a pan left after the meal was over, and we are not light eaters. Absolutely a recipe I will return to over and over again!
Pam says
This needs about 8 stars! Oh my gosh, my family devoured it, even my picky girls that don’t like things too spicy. I don’t think I’ll ever go to a potluck again without this dish!
Chris says
I just made it for the family and it’s an instant favourite! I always make the chicken bacon ranch Mac, but I thought I would change it up this time.
I actually LOVED this recipe more which is shocking. I was worried that it was too thick at first, but it came out perfect.
Thank you so much!
Laura says
Yummy. Made some modifications but delicious. Added roasted broccoli and used sharp cheddar and cream cheese.
Galatia Binger says
Amazing recipe!! My family loves it!! I use pepper Jack cheese instead of American white cheese and it taste so good as well!!
Jill says
Do you think I could use the jalapeno cream cheese instead of the block style?
Amanda says
I’ve only tested this recipe as written. So without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Jen B says
Hi – do you think if I made ahead of time, stored it in the refrigerator, and baked it about 5-6 hours later it would turn out alright? It sounds delicious!
The Chunky Chef says
I think that would work just fine 🙂
Jen B says
Thank you! I made it tonight. Not ahead of time. Absolutely delicious. My husband said it was the best mac & cheese he’s ever had!
Sonia says
I’ve never reviewed a recipe before but this was delicious! Definitely my favourite baked mac and cheese I’ve ever tried. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe!
LiShan says
I made this for supper tonight and it was a hit out of the ballpark!! I added more jalapeños with seeds, garlic, and onions! I used white cheddar cheese instead of American cheese. I did need to add some milk when the sauce became too thick. The panko crumbs added a lovely crunch to this dish!!
Cheryl says
I made this and it turned out great! I made a double batch, but realized I only needed a single while cooking. I didn’t back the second batch… Can I freeze it?
Amanda says
Glad you love it! I’ve not tested freezing this recipe myself, but I think it would be okay 🙂
Phil Childerhose says
The recipe sounds great. I’m going to use it later this week. American cheese doesn’t exist in Canada, so I will use medium cheddar. I was wondering what percentage cream to use? 10%, 18% or 35%? 35% is whipping cream. Do you use the ripe mozzarella balls or the pre-shredded in a bag or do you shred from a mozzarella brick of cheese? These all have different textures, flavours and moisture contents.
The Chunky Chef says
Here in the US, heavy cream is the same as whipping cream, so I would use that. For the mozzarella, I buy a brick and shred it myself 🙂
Rachel Emerton says
My husband and I have made this twice now, for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. This is an amazing recipe! Very thick, creamy, and cheesy. We kept the jalapeno seeds in, which was just the right amount of heat, and we used white cheddar cheese instead of American. So good! The leftovers taste great too.
Alicia says
I used some white and yellow sharp cheddar instead of the American and used 3 large jalapenos. This was amazing! Had the right amount of heat and was super creamy and flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, will definitely be making again!
Sage says
Hi there! I swear by your creamy mac and cheese recipe. Everyone who I have made it for, even those who don’t really like mac n cheese (I don’t understand how not!!) , have absolutely loved it!
If I wanted to make it in advance I read below you suggested making extra sauce so the pasta doesn’t soak it all up over night. However, would you recommend making the pasta and sauce separately the night before and then mixing together the next day before baking?
Thank you!
The Chunky Chef says
I’m so happy to hear that you love that mac and cheese as much as we do! I’ve not tested keeping the sauce and pasta separate, but I think that would work well 🙂 The sauce may need an extra splash of milk when reheating prior to mixing it all together.
Pj says
One of the best baked Mac and cheese recipes I’ve tried. It wasn’t dry and grainy which happens sometimes nor was it soupy. It held together but still stayed creamy. If you don’t like creamy dishes you may not like this. I personally really like meals like that, 5 stars.