Spicy Mac and Cheese

This spicy mac and cheese combines pasta with an easy cheese sauce flavored with jalapeños and hot sauce for a creamy, fiery baked pasta favorite.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 634 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 7 ounces elbow macaroni
• 4 slices canned jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 3 dashes hot sauce, or to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.25 cup butter

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Mix bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons butter, and parsley together in a bowl; spread over macaroni and cheese.

Step 4

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 5

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir flour into melted butter and cook until smooth and bubbling, about 1 minute. Mix milk, cream cheese, jalapeno peppers, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt into flour-butter mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Mix macaroni and Cheddar cheese into sauce; pour into a 2-quart casserole dish.