This Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese Recipe takes mac and cheese to a whole new level!
This mac and cheese recipe has all our favorite Jalapeno popper flavors in a delicious baked casserole dish. Jalapenos, bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese…yum! This is a tasty twist on traditional baked macaroni and cheese recipes. You can serve this as a main dish with a side salad or this can be an epic side dish for a dinner party.
Our Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese recipe calls for both croutons and cooked bacon. You can make both of these items at the same time in the oven while you are boiling the pasta if you wish. Here is how to make croutons and here is how to bake bacon in the oven. The croutons and a crunchy bite that is a nice counterbalance to the soft and creamy mac and cheese, but you can skip them if you wish or replace them with a thin layer of bread crumbs.
We use canned jalapenos in this dish. You can use mild, medium, or hot peppers depending on your family’s preference. We garnish our bacon jalapeno mac and cheese with fresh jalapeno pepper slices. If you want to reduce the heat, deseed the peppers. If you like it hot, leave the seeds in.
Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
This creamy baked Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese with bacon is a family favorite!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup jarred jalapeños, diced
- 1 pound cooked bacon, crumbled (How to cook bacon in the oven)
- 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 3 cups garlic and herb croutons (How to make garlic and herb croutons)
- 6 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 – 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish.
2. Prepare the macaroni noodles, al denté, as directed in the package.
3. Drain and return the cooked macaroni to the pan. Add the cream cheese and butter. Mix until the butter and cream cheese are completely melted.
4. Mix in the whipping cream and Monterey Jack cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
5. Fold in the diced jalapeños and crumbled bacon.
6. Add the macaroni mixture to a greased baking dish. Top with croutons.
7. Sprinkle the Colby Jack cheese over the croutons.
8. Bake for 35 minutes.
Plate and top with fresh Jalapeno pepper slices.
Printable Recipe for Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese
Jalapeño Popper Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup jarred jalapeños diced
- 1 pound cooked bacon crumbled
- 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 3 cups croutons
- 6 ounces Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 1 - 2 fresh jalapenos sliced
Instructions
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish.
- Prepare the macaroni noodles, al denté, as directed in the package.
- Drain and return the cooked macaroni to the pan. Add the cream cheese and butter. Mix until the butter and cream cheese are completely melted.
- Mix in the whipping cream and Monterey Jack cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Fold in the diced jalapeños and crumbled bacon.
- Add the macaroni mixture to a greased baking dish. Top with croutons.
- Sprinkle the Colby Jack cheese over the croutons.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Plate and top with fresh Jalapeno pepper slices.
More Jalapeno Popper Recipes
Jalapeño Popper Casserole Recipe
Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad Recipe
Baked Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe
Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Jalapeno Popper Turkey Chili Recipe
Katy says
The richness of the sauce contrasts wonderfully with the jalapeno and cruncb of bacon. I substitited barely cooked broccoli for the pasta-heaven!