Creamy Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 pound noodles

  I used cavatapi, but you can use similar noodles
• 8 slices bacon

  chopped
• 3 jalapeno peppers

  chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup crema or sour cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce

  or more, as desired!
• 8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese

  shredded
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese

  shredded
• FOR GARNISH: Extra jalapeno slices, spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

• 1 Cook the bacon and jalapeno peppers in a pan until the bacon becomes crispy,
  about 6-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve, saving the bacon
  grease in the pan.
• 2 While the bacon and jalapeno peppers are cooking, boil the noodles in salted
  water until al dente, about 10 minutes or so.
• 3 Stir the butter into the pan and let it melt with the rendered bacon fat over
  medium-low heat.
• 4 Stir in the flour until a roux forms. Cook it about 5 minutes, until it starts
  to brown.
• 5 Add the milk and sour cream and stir until it thickens up, only a few minutes.
• 6 Add the cream cheese, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and hot sauce and swirl
  until the cream cheese melts through.
• 7 Add the shredded cheese a bit at a time, swirling until all of the cheese is
  incorporated.
• 8 Drain the noodles, then stir them and the reserved bacon and jalapenos into the
  pan until they are completely covered.
• 9 Garnish and serve!

Nutrition Info