Spicy Peppadew® Pepper Mac and Cheese

Rich and creamy mac and cheese with a little spicy kick! I use the hot variety of the Peppadew® peppers, but the sweet variety would be delicious also. Cavatappi is a nice, hardy pasta with lots of nooks and crannies to trap and hold the cheese.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 649 Calories

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 ½ (8 ounce) packages shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• ½ (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) package cavatappi (corkscrew macaroni)
• ½ cup chopped hot pickled red peppers (such as Peppadew®)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat butter over medium-low heat in a Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add onion and kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook cavatappi in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 4

Stir flour into the sauteed onion; increase heat to medium and cook for 1 minute. Pour in milk and heavy cream in a steady stream, stirring or whisking to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook until thickened, about 8 minutes.

Step 5

Stir Cheddar cheese, Neufchatel cheese, hot pickled red peppers, and Worcestershire sauce into the milk mixture until fully melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta and toss carefully to coat. Pour into a large casserole dish.

Step 6

Combine Parmesan-Romano cheese, bread crumbs, and olive oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over mac and cheese.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and the top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes.