Jazz up your macaroni and cheese by adding in a little spicy jalapeño. It’s the perfect change to your borning weeknight dinner.
This spicy mac and cheese is going to be your new family favorite. Filled to the brim with cheesy goodness and lots of sauteed peppers. This is not your normal boring mac and cheese.
Spicy jalapeño mac ‘n cheese
Yields 9 x 13-inch pan
Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 (depending on size) fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1-1/2 pounds shredded cheese (We like a mix of sharp cheddar, colby jack and pepper jack)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan by spraying with nonstick spray.
- Add a large pot filled with water over medium heat and bring to boiling.
- Once boiling, add a pinch of kosher salt and add pasta. Cook until al dente, following box directions.
- While pasta is cooking, place a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add in olive oil and let heat.
- Once oil is hot, add in chopped jalapeño peppers, serrano pepper, onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Drain pasta once cooked and start making the sauce.
- In a large skillet, add butter over medium heat. Let the butter melt and then whisk in flour until you get a paste-like texture.
- Slowly add in milk and whisk to combine. If you do not do this slowly enough, you will end up with flour chunks. This steps takes several minutes since you want the mixture to be very smooth.
- Once all the milk is in the pan, whisk and let the mixture start to thicken. Once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add in 1 pound of the shredded cheese. Stir until smooth.
- Stir in pasta and pepper mixture. Save a few slices of jalapeño for the top of the dish.
- Pour into prepared pan, top with a few slices jalapeño and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 15 minutes in order to heat the dish through and melt the cheese on top.
More mac and cheese recipes
Crawfish mac and cheese recipe
Roasted poblano mac and cheese recipe
Four cheese mac and cheese cups recipe
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