Stop what you’re doing right now and make this irresistibly creamy, tangy, spicy pepper jack mac and cheese. Serve it stovetop style, or try my broiled variation with a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs, cheese, and pickled jalapeños.
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Without a doubt, mac and cheese was my favorite comfort food growing up. It’s creamy and cozy (like a warm hug)!
I’ve made a lot of different homemade mac and cheese recipes over the years, but, being a spicy foods lover, I wanted to develop a spicy twist to offset the richness of the cheese, like with my jalapeño cheese buns or jalapeño artichoke dip!
Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Combining whole milk and heavy cream yields an extra creamy sauce and reduces the chance of curdling.
- Dried pasta: Feel free to use whatever mac & cheese shape you like. The best noodles for this recipe are shells, cavatappi, and fusilli, but you can also use a classic macaroni shape.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese contributes to a super smooth sauce. I recommend using the standard Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Cheese: Use your favorite brand of pepper jack, and make sure to grate your own cheese! Pre-grated cheese often has additives that can prevent it from melting properly.
- Pickled jalapeño peppers (optional): Pickled jalapeños add a nice spicy kick to the final dish. You can use any hot peppers you like!
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Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
This easy pepper jack mac and cheese recipe is mildly spicy, ultra creamy, and features a crispy, crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- 8 ounces dried, short pasta, such as cavatappi, medium shells, or fusilli
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, freshly grated
- ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated
Broil (Optional) with Breadcrumb Topping:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 8 pickled jalapeños, drained of any pickling liquid then chopped
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Set a large pot of water to boil for cooking the pasta. Once the water is boiling, salt generously and add 8 ounces dried, short pasta. Cook according to package instructions until just barely al dente. Drain, then toss with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and set aside.
Make the Bechamel:
- Set a 2.5 quart dutch oven or pot over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
- Make the roux: Once the butter is melted, slowly add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, whisking vigorously to incorporate the flour into the butter and remove any dry clumps. Continue whisking, about 2 minutes, or until a paste begins to foam, the flour no longer has a raw smell, and the color is a light golden brown.
- Add the liquids: Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the 1 ½ cups whole milk and ½ cup heavy cream, adding just a little bit at a time.Note: Don't be alarmed if the mixture seizes up and the roux clumps; it will smooth out again.
- Simmer: Once all of the liquid has been added, continue whisking frequently and bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes.Reduce the heat to low, then continue whisking until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Season with kosher salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon mustard powder, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Add the cheese: Remove the pot from the heat, then slowly stir in 4 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, and ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, whisking frequently until melted. Stir in the cooked pasta, and season again as needed.Note: If you plan on broiling the mac and cheese, set aside 1 ounce of the grated pepper jack cheese for topping.Serve hot, or proceed to the optional broiling step if desired.
Optional Broil with Breadcrumb Topping:
- In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and place in the microwave in 15-second intervals until melted. Stir in the ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs until coated.
- Adjust an oven rack to be 5 – 6 inches below the broiler element. Turn the broiler on to 'HI.'
- Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray or butter. Transfer mac and cheese to the skillet in an even layer. Top with chopped pickled jalapeños and the remaining pepper jack cheese. Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping on top.
- Place under the broiler in 2 minute intervals, rotating once a minute to ensure even browning. Broil until the top is evenly browned and crispy, about 4 – 6 minutes total. Remove from the broiler and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- For a spicier mac and cheese, add some cayenne pepper to the bechamel. You can also add some finely chopped pickled jalapeños to the cheese sauce.
- Slowly add the liquids. Do not add the milk and cream all at once. Instead, while whisking continuously, slowly pour in the liquid a little bit at a time, whisking away any lumps as you do.
- Use a spatula if needed. Sometimes, bits of flour will stick to the corners of the pot. Switch to a flexible spatula if needed to prevent any small lumps of roux from forming.
- Add the cheese off the heat. High heat can curdle the melting cheese, so make sure to add it off the heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 796kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1316mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2118IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 834mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
My family loved this for Thanksgiving! It is extremely creamy and has the perfect bite from the pepper jack. We also added crispy jalapeños to the bread crumb topping which was tasty. I like that you can either serve straight from stovetop or broil for a crunch.