Can I single-handedly undo all of the healthy things I accomplished with the Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos? Challenge accepted. (I know, it’s like I have split food personalities sometimes.) But how can you say no to something like Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese?? Once that’s in your head the only way to get it out is to actually make it.
This Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese is a super ooey-gooey white cheese mac with spicy jalapeños and zesty green chiles. It whips up really fast and doesn’t require a roux based cheese sauce, which can be tricky for new cooks (or just those new to cheese sauces). It’s super rich, so I estimated a serving to be just a cup. That’s all I needed before the cheese sensors in my brain quieted down and drifted into a satiated slumber.
Take it Up a Notch
You could make it more “popper” like by topping it with some buttered bread crumbs and baking it in the oven, but I’m a little impatient when it comes to mac and cheese and don’t have time to wait around for things to bake, so I left it well enough alone. I also contemplated topping it with bits of crisp bacon, but again that would have delayed my enjoyment of this creamy delight. But those are both tasty options if you’ve got time to spare.
Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese
Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese
Servings 6Ingredients
- 12 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni* ($1.80)
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.02)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1 cup milk ($0.25)
- 4 oz. cream cheese ($0.93)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan ($0.42)
- 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.43)
- 1 4 oz. can sliced jalapenos ($0.89)
- 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles (mild) ($0.89)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese ($1.25)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and then add the pasta. Let it continue to boil until it is soft (about 10 minutes).
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a medium sauce pot, cook the garlic in vegetable oil for about 1-2 minutes or just until soft and fragrant. Add the milk, cream cheese, and grated parmesan. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese is warm and softened. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth.
- Turn the heat down to low and then whisk in the sour cream. Drain the jalapenos and green chiles and then stir into the sauce. Taste the sauce and add 1/4 tsp of salt if needed.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander. Return the drained pasta to the pot (heat turned off), pour the sauce over top, and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle the shredded pepper jack over top and then stir in. The heat from the sauce and noodles should be enough to melt the cheese. Serve hot!
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Notes
Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
First get your pasta cooking (I forgot to take a picture of that), then begin the sauce. Saute a clove of minced garlic in vegetable oil over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes or just until it softens a bit.
Then add the milk, cream cheese, and parmesan. Stir and cook this mixture over medium heat until the cream cheese is warm and softened enough to whisk into the milk. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Then turn the heat down to low and whisk in the sour cream.
Drain the liquid from the jalapenos and chiles (my chiles didn’t really have any excess moistures, but if they do, go ahead and drain them). Stir the jalapenos and chiles in the sauce.
Then it will look like this. Give it a taste and add a little (1/4 tsp) of salt if needed.
When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander and then return it to the pot with the heat turned off. Pour the sauce on top and stir until combined.
Lastly, add the shredded pepper jack and stir it in until the heat from the pasta and sauce melts it.
And then it’s as ooey and gooey as it gets! Enjoy (but not too much)!
…I think my next recipe better be a big salad. :P
You could also toast the breadcrumbs up in a frying pan with a little butter then just sprinkle them over the top if you don’t want to bake the dish.
I make a similar (non roux) mac and cheese in a double boiler with just heavy cream and shredded cheese(s) of choice, along with a little bit of mustard powder.
I’ve heard that putting a little cream of tartar in it as well will help keep the cheese from separating.
Awesome!! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out, Samantha! :D
So I did end up making this tonight. And it was delicious! I used the Greek yogurt and fresh chiles/Jalepenos, as well as light cream cheese and skim milk, and added some chopped broccoli (a la your broccoli shells and cheese!) just to make it as healthy as humanly possible :P I used 4 diced and de-seeded chiles and 2 chopped and de-seeded Jalepenos. That gave it the perfect kick! However, in the future, I will probably either chop the Jalepenos smaller or maybe leave them really big so I can eat around them. I really hate the taste of peppers (bell, hot peppers, whatever) but I like the hotness they add.
Samantha – all good questions, but I’m afraid I don’t have solid answers! Fresh jalapenos and chiles not only have a different heat level, but they have a different flavor because they’re not pickled like the canned varieties. So, they’ll likely give a completely different flavor to the dish. I’d start with a very small amount as they’re usually quite a bit hotter. I haven’t done a lot of cooking with Greek yogurt, but it doesn’t make up a large part of the sauce, so I suspect it will still work well.
This looks amazing! I want to make it for dinner tomorrow, but I do have a few questions. If I were to use fresh chiles and Jalepeno instead of canned (I have a fabulous little Asian market right by me and they always have such things) how much should I substitute? Also, would you Greek yogurt work as a sour cream replacement? I usually use Greek yogurt for all my sour cream-y needs but I’ve never cooked with it! Thanks :)
Anonymous – It will taste best if you mix the bread crumbs with some melted butter first (that way it won’t taste dry). Take a look at the method that Alton Brown used in this recipe.
This looks and sounds divine. I am planning to crack this out for a potluck later this week. I would really like to go all-out and bake it with bread crumbs, but I’ve never baked macaroni before. Is it really as simple as throwing the final product in a pan, topping it with bread crumbs, and baking it in the oven?
This was amazing! I love jalapeno poppers and am always looking for new ways to utilize their flavor.
Anon – I would increase the milk by 1/2 cup and use a whole block (8 oz.) of cream cheese… to replace the sour cream.
I’m not a huge fan of sour cream-any ideas for replacements?
What a great combo of flavours! This is perfect for this time of year – spicy and comforting!
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How funny! We had the Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos last night, which were a delicious hit. This morning I announced that we were going to balance out the healthy with meatloaf and mashed potatoes tonight.
you are evil. that looks delish!