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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.

Bacon Jalapeño Mac and Cheese (for Two)

Sara
A creamy mac and cheese recipe with fresh jalapeños, bacon, and spicy Pepper Jack cheese sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 cups
Calories 443 kcal

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 Jalapeno 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
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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 holding a spoonful of ground bacon over a mini food processor.
  • 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 woman's hand whisking a pot full of flour and butter over a burner.
  • 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 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 woman's hand sprinkling shredded cheese into a saucepan of sauce.
  • 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.
    A large saucepan of Mac and cheese with chopped bacon.
  • Serve! Serve your bacon jalapeno mac and cheese with the remaining bacon and and a few cracks of black pepper on top. Enjoy!

Notes

Bacon: Stovetop Cooking Method: Cook bacon strips in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, flipping them occasionally, until crispy. Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel, and let cool for about fifteen minutes before grinding. Alternatively, cook a lot of bacon in the oven at once: Oven Cooking Method: 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: Use penne, bowtie, cavatappi, orecchiette, or elbow macaroni as substitutes.
Half and Half: This can be substituted with whole milk, or a blend of heavy cream and milk. If using just milk, the cooking time will increase, as the milk needs more time to thicken.
Jalapeño Pepper: A couple tablespoons (or more if you really like it spicy!) of chopped pickled jalapeños will work perfectly as a substitute for fresh jalapeño.
Pepper Jack Cheese: This can be substituted with cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or a Jalapeño cheese. I recommend getting a block of cheese and shredding it yourself on the large holes of a box grater. It will melt into the sauce better than pre-shredded packaged cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 443kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 18gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 555mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 870IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 327mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Bacon Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
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