Loaded Nacho Mac and Cheese with Tortilla Chip Crunch

Why choose between two comfort food favorites when you can combine them into one epic dinner? This loaded mac and cheese takes inspiration from nachos, featuring twirly cavatappi noodles in a queso-style, creamy spiced cheddar sauce. It’s everything you love about both dishes in every bite.

Of course, no nachos are complete without toppings. Here, we’ve got crumbled blue corn tortilla chips for crunch, melted Mexican cheese, smoky red pepper crema, scallions and a dash of hot sauce. Your dinner companions will be fighting over the last bite.

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Ingredients

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Cavatappi PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon FlourView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup White Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Corn Tortilla ChipsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler to high. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Core, deseed and dice green pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince garlic. In a small bowl, combine smoky red pepper crema with water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add cavatappi to boiling water and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain.
3. While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add green pepper, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add southwest spice blend, scallion whites, garlic and butter; cook until butter melts and scallion whites soften, about 1 minute.
4. Stir flour into the pan until smooth and incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in ½ cup water until fully combined. Add cream cheese and cook, stirring, until fully incorporated and sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in white cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir drained cavatappi into the sauce until coated. If too thick, add a splash more water. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture to a baking dish. Crush tortilla chips and sprinkle evenly over mac and cheese. Top with Mexican cheese blend. Broil until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
6. Drizzle smoky red pepper crema over the mac and cheese. Top with scallion greens and hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, any short pasta like elbow macaroni or shells works well in this recipe.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

It’s best served fresh, but you can prepare the sauce and pasta separately, then combine and broil just before serving.

What can I substitute for the smoky red pepper crema?

You can use a mix of sour cream and smoked paprika or a store-bought chipotle crema.