Bacon Jalapeño Mac & Cheese
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Bacon Jalapeño Mac & Cheese

Bacon Jalapeño Mac & Cheese

with a Crispy Panko Topping

So long ordinary mac and cheese! Here, we combine the gooey, melty goodness of a classic mac with the rich, spicy flavors of a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper. The result? The comfort food you never knew you needed. It’s got it all: twirly cavatappi noodles tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Salty crumbles of bacon. A crispy, spiced panko crust for crunch. Jalapeño slices for heat. And to top it all off, it’s all ready in just 35 minutes—what more could you want?

Tags:
Spicy
Allergens:
Wheat
Milk

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

Total Time35 minutes
Prep Time10 minutes
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

serving amount

6 ounce

Cavatappi Pasta

(Contains Wheat)

4 ounce

Bacon

4 ounce

Cream Sauce Base

(Contains Milk)

1 unit

Jalapeño

¼ cup

Monterey Jack Cheese

(Contains Milk)

1 cup

Mexican Cheese Blend

(Contains Milk)

2 tablespoon

Cream Cheese

(Contains Milk)

1 tablespoon

Flour

(Contains Wheat)

1 tablespoon

Southwest Spice Blend

1 clove

Garlic

¼ cup

Panko Breadcrumbs

(Contains Wheat)

2 unit

Scallions

Not included in your delivery

1 tablespoon

Butter

(Contains Milk)

Salt

Pepper

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Nutrition Values

/ per serving
Calories1140 kcal
Fat71 g
Saturated Fat36 g
Carbohydrate85 g
Sugar7 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Protein38 g
Cholesterol165 mg
Sodium1330 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.

Utensils

Large Pan
Medium Pot
Paper Towel
Small Bowl
Strainer
Whisk
Baking Dish

Instructions

Cook Bacon
1

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil (use a large pot for 4 servings). • Heat a large, dry pan over medium heat. Add bacon*; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. • Carefully discard all but a thin layer of bacon fat from pan (you’ll use this to cook the aromatics later).

Prep
2

• While bacon cooks, wash and dry produce. • Halve jalapeño crosswise, removing ribs and seeds for less heat; thinly slice one half into rounds and finely dice remaining. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince garlic.

Cook Pasta & Mix Panko
3

• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain. • While pasta cooks, place 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Stir in panko. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook Aromatics
4

• Heat pan with reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add sliced jalapeño; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a second small bowl and set aside. • Add scallion whites, diced jalapeño, and garlic to pan. Cook until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Make Sauce
5

• Add flour to pan with aromatics; whisk until thoroughly coated. • Whisk in cream sauce base, cream cheese, half the Southwest Spice Blend (all for 4 servings), and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4); reduce heat to low. Simmer, whisking, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. • Whisk in Mexican cheese blend and Monterey Jack until melted and creamy.

Mix Mac & Cheese
6

• Heat broiler to high. • Roughly chop bacon. Stir bacon and drained cavatappi into pan with cheese sauce. (TIP: If your pan is not large enough, carefully transfer everything into pot used to cook pasta.) If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until cavatappi is coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & Serve
7

• Transfer mac & cheese to an 8-by-8- inch baking dish (for 4 servings, use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish). Sprinkle with panko and sliced jalapeño. • Broil until panko is browned and crispy, 2-3 minutes. (TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.) Sprinkle with scallion greens. • Divide between plates or serve directly from baking dish.

Bacon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.

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