Bacon jalapeno popper macaroni and cheese - just like bacon jalapeno poppers but with the addition of elbow pasta! Creamy, flavorful, spicy!
I am so excited to introduce my new favorite way to eat mac and cheese: with bacon and canned jalapenos! This dish is so good, I am speechless. I've been eating a whole pan of this mac and cheese for the last 3 days, and I can't stop - I just made another half a batch!
You can't go wrong with this combination of ingredients. Your taste buds will thank you. You will make your spouse moan. Your friends and co-workers will love you even more. What also makes me speechless is how easy it was to make the whole thing - the recipe takes only 30 minutes.
Here is how easy it is to make this bacon jalapeno popper mac and cheese:
- Combine and heat milk, cheddar cheese and a little bit of cream cheese on medium heat until creamy
- Add cooked elbow macaroni
- Add cooked bacon and diced jalapenos
- Cook the mac and cheese for a couple of minutes to heat up all the ingredients and infuse the flavors. That's it! You have one of the best mac and cheese's you'll ever taste!
I don't even have to say this, but: if you love bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers, you'll love this dish!
Bacon Jalapeno Popper Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 ⅓ cups milk (may use more milk if needed)
- 1 ⅓ cups sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
- ⅓ cup cream cheese , softened
- 10 strips bacon , cooked and diced
- ¼ cup jalapeno peppers , marinated, from the can, finely chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat milk in a large saucepan - add cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Without bringing the mixture to boil, heat it gently, constantly stirring until all cheese is melted. If the sauce is too thick - add more milk. If the sauce appears too watery - it's OK. Once you add the pasta, the pasta will absorb some of the liquid, which will thicken the sauce.
- In the mean time, cook elbow macaroni al dente - drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add macaroni to the sauce and continue cooking the sauce with the pasta in it, on medium heat, for a couple of minutes stirring constantly to coat well.
- Add cooked bacon (already chopped into small bits) and chopped jalapenos (from the can) and stir. Add more jalapenos if you like it spicier.
- Only after you added bacon and jalapenos, you can season with salt and pepper if desired - do not add salt until this point because the bacon and the marinated jalapenos will bring saltiness to the dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I just made this recipe tonight - and it turned out exactly like it sounds!
My fiance accidentally grabbed Fat Free Cream Cheese and Medium Cheddar Cheese (instead of sharp), and I probably used closer to half a cup of chopped jalapeno slices and the whole 2 cup bag of shredded cheese, so it came out really spicy and cheesy!
I was surprised that you didn't need to make a butter and flour roux (like most homemade recipes call for) and I plan on trying to make this into Baked Mac & Cheese balls tomorrow for a pot luck after chilling in the fridge overnight, so fingers crossed!
Thanks for the recipe, it turned out super yummy, and with very little added salt! 🙂
Christy, thank you for your sweet comment! 🙂 I am glad you liked this recipe! Yes, I make most of my mac and cheeses without the butter and flour roux - I think the roux makes the sauce too thick and harder to reheat. Mixing cheese and half and half (or milk in this case, plus the addition of cream cheese) usually does the job really well!
Did you say bacon jalapeño mac & cheese??????? And it's so quick to make???? Need. To. Try. This. NOW.
Drool...
My husband would LOVE this mac and cheese - bacon & jalapenos are two of his favorite things! It looks so creamy and delicious Julia!
Love this combo - yum! jalapeno and bacon were made for each other. I can eat this macaroni dish all day too. Thank you. 🙂
I am loving all of these mac n' cheese recipes at the moment... the choices are divine! I love a bit of chilli (in everything, just ask my husband!) so this sounds ideal for our next mac n'cheese adventure. Fantastic recipe. I love that it's a quick dinner, too! xx
Oh mercy, that looks amazing. 🙂 Pure comfort food, so savory and cheesy and warm and wonderful. 🙂
Julia, this mac and cheese of yours looks insanely good! We love adding bacon and heat to our mac and cheese. So, I just know we will love this dish! (I can't wait to see if I can tolerate dairy again, soon.) Thanks for sharing. Already pinned! 🙂
Definitely going to make this tonight. Thanks for the recipe Julia, it actually has almost every one of my favorites, but chocolate wouldn't work here. 😉
Oh my goodness! What a lush and creamy dinner recipe! A big batch must be madeas there must be leftover for lunch!
Jalapeño and bacon addition would be definitely welcomed around here! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 ela
I love mac 'n cheese with bacon. And jalapenos. So this is just the dish for me. I almost never make the stove top version, though, usually opting for the oven-baked kind. But this is so easy! I definitely need to try it. Thanks.
I love the add of bacon and jalapeno in this ultimate comfort treat! Looks irresistible!