Yes to Yolks

a food journal

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policies

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar

February 11, 2015 by Molly 14 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

Cheese is basically its own food group in my world.

Cheddar, goat, brie, fontina, parmesan, gruyere, mozzarella, smoked gouda, havarti…you name it. Each and every one has a special place in my heart. When I don’t feel like cooking dinner, I have a plate of cheese and crackers. With the occasional sliced pepperoni accompaniment. Or the not-so-occasional glass of wine. Or both.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

Cheese plates for dinner happen far more than I care to admit. But, here I am, sharing that with you all. My deep, dark secret.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

When I’m craving comfort, grilled cheese sandwiches or cheesy pastas top my list of must makes. Mac and cheese is no exception. While my mom’s version still tops the list as my favorite, I do like to tweak things here and there. Or in this case, spice things up. Because life gets boring otherwise.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

This mac and cheese is flowing with sharp cheddar flavor and studded with salty bacon and the punch of sliced jalapeños. Creamy, cheesy, salty, and a touch spicy…it’s like a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper in pasta form. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

And when it comes to crunchy breadcrumbs on top, I’m a huge fan. Like, an obsessed fan. I live for those crusty bits.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

And I live for incredible mac and cheese dishes like this one. And cheese plates. For dinner.

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar | Yes to Yolks

It’s like a warm cheese hug. And that’s something I can definitely get behind. Just like those cheese plates…for dinner. Multiple times a week.

No shame (OK, maybe a little shame…but I think you guys will forgive me).

 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Jalapeño-Bacon Mac & Cheddar


  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb short pasta of choice (elbows, shells, penne, etc)
  • 4 strips of bacon, diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced (seeded if you like less heat)
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2½ cups whole milk
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water liberally and then cook the pasta to el dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, crisp the bacon in a large cast-iron skillet.** Remove the bacon and reserve.
  3. To the drippings, add the butter and when melted, add the onions and jalapeños. Cook for a couple minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
  4. Whisk the flour into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk very slowly, and then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Cook until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Add in the grated cheeses and stir until melted and creamy. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the bacon and pasta and toss to coat everything in the sauce.
  6. Top the pasta with the breadcrumbs and drizzle lightly with oil. Place under the broiler for 1 minute, watching closely, until the breadcrumbs are toasty and golden. Serve immediately.

**Note:

  1. If you don’t have a large oven-safe skillet, make the sauce in a saucepot and once the pasta is tossed with the sauce, transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Proceed with the breadcrumbs as noted above.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

Related

Filed Under: Pasta, Pork, Recipes, Side Dishes Tagged With: bacon, cheddar, comfort food, jalapeño, mac and cheese, pasta

« Orange-Cardamom Brownies
Friday Faves »

Comments

  1. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    February 12, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    I am so craving a bowl of this comforting mac and cheddar right now – it looks amazingly chees-y, creamy and delicious.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      February 13, 2015 at 11:50 am

      It is definitely creamy, cheesy, AND delicious! Perfect for February weather. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Alice says

    March 29, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    What size skillet did you use? I have a couple of different large skillets, I think you may have used my smallest large skillet 😀

    Reply
    • Molly says

      March 30, 2015 at 7:35 am

      hi Alice! I think it was a 10-inch skillet.

      Reply
  3. Jade says

    April 2, 2015 at 8:20 pm

    I’m definitely cooking this tonight! This looks perfect for a cold night.

    Reply
  4. April says

    April 4, 2015 at 7:25 am

    Do you think it would be okay to use mozzarella instead?
    I live in Rome and, unfortunately, it is impossible to get cheddar or jack cheese here 🙁
    I can get mozzarella, gouda, emmental and parmesian. What do you think? Worth trying?

    Reply
    • Molly says

      April 8, 2015 at 11:08 am

      Hi April! I definitely think you could sub in mozzarella cheese. Maybe mix it with another melty cheese like gouda or fontina? Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  5. Erin says

    May 13, 2015 at 6:36 pm

    SO delicious! Another fantastic Recipe Molly 🙂

    Reply
    • Molly says

      May 14, 2015 at 9:12 am

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. Kimberly says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    What do you mean when you say “To the drippings”

    Does that mean you use the bacon grease after cooking the baking? Or does that mean in a separate pot, put the butter, onion, etc in?

    Reply
  7. Kimberly says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    bacon* – apologies

    Reply
    • Molly says

      November 25, 2015 at 6:48 am

      Hi Kimberly. Yes, I mean you use the bacon grease. It has amazing flavor, and as long as you aren’t using super fatty bacon, it’s nice to sometimes cook with the drippings. This recipe was written so that the sauce all happens in one pan. Hopefully that answers your question!

      Reply
  8. Kathy B says

    November 21, 2016 at 12:29 pm

    Loved this! I used cream instead of milk because that’s what I had – skipped the panko and the broiling. Froze the leftovers and it worked great – thaw out, then cook over low heat, adding milk/cream to get to the consistency you want – at least that’s how I did it.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 38 Mac and Cheese Recipes says:
    October 16, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    […] yestoyolks […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi there. I’m Molly. Welcome to my little space devoted to all things FOOD! More about me...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Crispy Halloumi & Peach Toasts
  • Greek Salad Panzanella
  • Elotes Creamed Corn
  • Salmon Grain Bowls with Bok Choy & Spicy Mayo
  • Watermelon Gin & Tonics
  • June Favorites

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Connect

Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg! Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Copyright © 2022 Yes to Yolks