Spiced Panko Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese with Bacon

If you thought you were craving ordinary mac and cheese, think again. This recipe combines all the gooey, melty goodness of a classic mac with the rich, savory, spicy flavors of a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper. The result? The comfort food you never knew you needed.

It’s got it all: twirly cavatappi noodles tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Salty crumbles of fresh bacon. A crispy, spiced panko crust for crunch. Sliced jalapeño slices for heat. And to top it all off, it’s all ready in just 35 minutes-what more could you want?

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Ingredients

6 ounce Cavatappi PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce BaconView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cream Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon FlourView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil (use a large pot for 4 servings). Add bacon to a large, dry pan over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Carefully discard all but a thin layer of bacon fat from pan (you’ll use this to cook the aromatics later).
2. While bacon cooks, wash and dry all produce. Halve jalapeño, removing ribs and seeds for less heat; thinly slice one half and finely dice remaining. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince garlic.
3. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain. While pasta cooks, place 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) in a small microwave safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Stir in panko and 1 tsp Southwest Spice (2 tsp for 4). (You’ll use the remaining Southwest Spice later.) Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat pan with reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add sliced jalapeño; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a second small bowl and set aside. Add scallion whites, diced jalapeño and garlic to same pan. Cook until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add 1 TBSP flour (2 TBSP for 4 servings) to pan with aromatics; whisk until thoroughly coated. Cut top off carton of cream sauce base to open fully; pour contents into pan. Using a spoon or spatula, scrape any remaining sauce from carton into pan. Whisk in cream cheese, ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4) and remaining Southwest Spice; reduce heat to low. Simmer, whisking, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Whisk in Mexican cheese and Monterey Jack until melted and creamy.
6. Heat broiler to high. Roughly chop bacon. Stir bacon and drained cavatappi into pan with cheese sauce. (TIP: If your pan is not large enough, carefully transfer everything into pot used to cook pasta.) If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until cavatappi is coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Transfer mac & cheese to an 8-by-8-inch baking dish (for 4 servings, use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish). Sprinkle with spiced panko and sliced jalapeño. Broil until panko is browned and crispy, 2-3 minutes. (TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.) Sprinkle with scallion greens. Divide between plates or serve directly from baking dish.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, any short pasta like elbow macaroni or shells will work well.

How do I make this dish less spicy?

Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño or use only half the jalapeño.

Can I prepare this ahead of time?

You can assemble the mac and cheese (without the panko topping) and refrigerate. Add the panko and broil just before serving.