An easy mac and cheese recipe with spicy jalapeño peppers, salty bacon, and shell noodles tossed in a creamy Pepper Jack cheese sauce. This is a small batch recipe that makes 2-3 main course servings, or about four side dish servings.

I hosted a cooking class a couple of years ago where I showed everyone how to make a Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese, but always kept the recipe tucked away in the depths of one of my recipe notebooks for whatever reason. It was a huge hit, and everyone kept asking for the recipe after they tried it. This is a super similar dish, but scaled down to feed just two people.

This version is also modified to use a fresh jalapeño, and depending on the heat level of your jalapeño pepper, it can be pretty spicy. Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeño you use, and leave the seeds in if you’re really looking for some heat. As mentioned before, this is a small batch bacon jalapeño mac and cheese recipe that makes about a quart of mac and cheese; perfect for 2-3 larger servings, or as a side dish for 3-4.

A plate full of creamy bacon and jalapeno mac and cheese with a fork resting in it. A small bowl of jalapenos and another plate of mac and cheese rest nearby.

I love taking comfort food recipes to a new level, and I feel like this one totally delivers. Combining mac n cheese with the flavors of jalapeño poppers is *chef’s kiss*, and we really loved it around here! Pepper Jack cheese is my preferred cheese choice, but you can absolutely use your favorite soft cheese in this recipe. I recommend another Jack cheese for their melting qualities (like Monterey Jack or Colby Jack), but you can also toss in some Cheddar cheese, Muenster cheese, or whatever you’re feeling.

Ingredients

2 strips Crispy Bacon
6 oz. Medium Shell Pasta
1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Half and Half
1 medium Jalapeño Pepper, finely chopped (about 2 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Mustard Powder
1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked Black Pepper, plus more to taste
1 1/4 cups shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

Crispy Bacon

I wouldn’t leave you hanging without telling you my favorite way to cook bacon. I’m an oven bacon girl; cooking it on a foil-lined rimmed bacon sheet at 375 degrees Farenheit is absolutely my go to, and I just cooked four packages of bacon for a photoshoot last week, so I promise this isn’t just a suggestion on a whim. Cooking bacon in the oven delivers a consistently cooked slice of bacon, and is much easier to clean up.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lay the bacon slices onto the prepared baking sheet: they can be lined up right next to each other. Place the baking sheet in the oven (as it is still pre-heating), and set a timer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, check the bacon, and if it isn’t quite crispy, continue cooking it in two minute intervals until it is cooked to your preference.

Medium Shell Pasta

Medium shells are great for macaroni and cheese, IMO. Their little shell shapes allow the creamy cheese sauce to pool inside of them, and they usually have ridge exteriors that allow the cheese sauce to also nestle into them, too. You can use elbow macaroni for a more traditional take, or penne pasta, bowtie pasta, orecchiette, or cavatappi. Or whatever you want. 🙂

Half and Half

I go back and forth with this one. Half and half makes the cheese sauce richer, and thickens super quickly in this recipe. It is more caloric, which if I’m eating bacon mac and cheese I’m not super concerned about, but maybe you are. Whole milk is a great substitution, or even 1/2 cup whole milk (or 2% milk) and 1/4 cup half-and-half would be a fantastic ratio if you want to use less half and half. I don’t recommend going with heavy cream, as it’s just a lot. If you do want to use some heavy cream, do the same ratio with milk: 1/2 cup whole milk (or 2% milk) with 1/4 cup heavy cream). If you’re not based in the U.S. and don’t know what the hell half and half is, it’s really just half cream and half milk that comes mixed in the same container.

Jalapeño Pepper

Jalapeño pepper is an important part of this recipe. I recommend removing the seeds and membranes to prevent your mac and cheese from being too spicy, or leaving just a few seeds in if you want the heat. We grew a ton of jalapenos again this year, and man, they are HOT. To test the heat of your jalapeño, you can cut a small slice and barely touch it to your tongue. This should let you gauge the heat and then add or remove the seeds from it based on your preference. If your pepper isn’t hot but you want more heat in this recipe, add 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper along with the other spices, and a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese sauce before folding in the pasta.

Pepper Jack Cheese

As mentioned before, this can be substituted with another cheese. Jack cheeses are great in macaroni and cheese because of their melting qualities, so Monterey Jack or Colby Jack would be ideal substitutes. If you have a soft cheddar cheese (mild, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese), that works, too. You can also use Havarti, Muenster, Fontina, Jalapeño cheeses, or a blend of whatever you feel would taste great.

Hopefully some of the following tips and tricks can help you make this bacon jalapeño mac and cheese successfully, but if you have any other questions, feel free to email me anytime! 🙂

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use Good Bacon: Applewood smoked bacon is my jam. The flavor is really great, and it’s the tiniest bit sweet, which pairs really well with the spicy and salty flavors of this macaroni and cheese. Feel free to use your favorite bacon, use my oven-cooked-bacon method mentioned above in the “Ingredient Notes” list, and let it cool before grinding it in your food processor. If anything, don’t use bacon bits. You deserve better. If you’re feeling kinda lazy, fill a large to-go ramekin full of bacon at your grocery store’s salad bar (as long as it’s real bacon).
Salt Your Pasta Water: For the love of everything on this Earth, PLEASE salt your pasta water more than you think you need to. Adding flavor to the actual pasta makes a big difference in the end result. I use about two teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt per two quarts of water for any pasta recipe.
Shred Your Own Cheese: Pre-packaged shredded cheese contains an anti-caking agent that prevents it from melting as smoothly into cheese sauces. Buy a block of cheese (usually cheaper anyway), and use the large holes of a box grater to shred your own cheese for this recipe if you can.
Pay Attention to the Cheese Sauce: Using only half and half will make the cheese sauce thicken quickly. It won’t take much time at all for your sauce to be ready – so keep a close eye on it and remove it from the heat once it’s thickened, so it won’t continue to cook.
Save the Starchy Pasta Water: If the cheese sauce seems thick once the pasta is mixed into it, add a few splashes or starchy pasta water to loosen it a bit and help it cling to the pasta.

Directions

How to Make Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

Step One: Boil the Pasta in Salted Water. In a large saucepan (at least 4 quarts), combine two quarts of water and two teaspoons of salt. Stir the salt into the water, then set the saucepan over high heat to bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the dry pasta and cook according to the package directions, minus one minute, so it is al dente. Once the pasta is ready, reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water and drain the rest. Set both the al dente pasta and the pasta water aside (separately) until ready to use.

A woman's hand holding a spoonful of ground bacon over a mini food processor.

Step Two: Grind the Bacon into Bacon Dust. While the pasta boils, cut two strips of crispy, cooled bacon into halves. Place the four halves into a mini food processor, and blend until the bacon is very finely chopped. Set the bacon aside until ready to use.

A woman's hand whisking a pot full of flour and butter over a burner.

Step Three: Make the Roux. In a large nonstick saucepan (or a pot), melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook for about two minutes, whisking frequently, to cook out the raw flour taste. (The flour should be bubbly and turn a slightly darker shade).

A glass measuring cup of half and half being poured into a saucepan.

A small dish of seasonings being shaken into a saucepan of sauce.

Step Four: Make the Cheese Sauce. Stir the chopped jalapeños, garlic powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, and salt into the butter and flour mixture (roux). Cook for about one minute, then turn the heat beneath the pan to “low”. Pour in the half and half, and whisk until the liquid has thickened slightly.

A woman's hand sprinkling shredded cheese into a saucepan of sauce.

A woman's hand whisking a saucepan full of sauce.

Turn the heat off from beneath the saucepan, and stir in the cheese one handful at a time until totally melted and blended into the sauce.

A large slotted spoon of pasta adding the pasta to a large saucepan of cheese sauce.

A large spoon stirring creamy Mac and cheese in a large saucepan.

Step Five: Stir in the Pasta, Bacon, and Black Pepper. Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, followed by half of the ground bacon and all of the freshly cracked black pepper. Taste a noodle and season with more salt if needed, and if the sauce seems too thick, add a few splashes of pasta water and stir until it is to your liking.

Serve! Serve your bacon jalapeno mac and cheese with the remaining bacon and and a few cracks of black pepper on top. Enjoy!

Make this Mac and Cheese Recipe Yours!

Customize this Recipe:

Use your Favorite Small Pasta Shape: Elbow macaroni, penne, cavatappi, or orecchiette are some fun shapes to try!
Switch up the Cheese: Havarti, Muenster, Cheddar, or really whatever cheese you love!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Storing: Leftover bacon jalapeño mac and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator.

Reheating: Reheat leftover mac and cheese in a small nonstick saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of half and half or water to loosen the sauce if necessary, and stir frequently until the noodles are coated in sauce and warmed through.

More Cheesy Small Batch Recipes

What to Serve with Bacon Jalapeño Mac and Cheese:

Toss in Grilled Chicken Breast or Pulled Pork to make it a meal!
Roasted Broccoli (or other roasted veggies)
Salad: like a fresh salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, green onions, and this Maple Balsamic Dressing

Wine Pairings

Lightly Oaked (or Unoaked) Chardonnay: Think Sonoma or Oregon for this one, and avoid any buttery California Chardonnays.
Dry Rosé: You know I can pair just about anything with dry rosé. 🙂 But truly, when in doubt, rosé is a great wine to pair with most foods: it carries both fruit and acid, and it’s chilled quality makes it refreshing (especially when paired with richer foods). Avoid anything sweet, and go with some sparkling rosé if you’re feeling festive.
Grenache: Grenache is a medium-bodied red wine that usually carries some fruit flavors (but NOT sweet) and moderate tannins, so it can pair well without overwhelming the mac and cheese.

Can I Bake this Bacon Jalapeno Mac?

Sure! You can transfer this to a small ceramic baking dish, top it with more cheese (and some panko breadcrumbs), and pop it in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. Let it rest for about five minutes before serving.

Want to make more than two servings? Increase the amount you want to make in the recipe card; there is a little slider bar near the “servings” section on the recipe card if you’re on a desktop, or if you’re on your phone, touch the number of servings on the recipe card (it will be a number, and colored dark red). You can adjust the slider bar that way instead of doing the calculations on your own! 🙂

If you make this Jalapeño Bacon Mac and Cheese recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.

xx Sara