Cheesy Bacon & Ranch Cavatappi
with Monterey Jack & Cheddar
- Wheat
- Milk
- Eggs
We hear you, there’s nothing better than a big bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese. That’s precisely why we take “Mac of the Week” very seriously in the EP Kitchen. To showcase our gratitude for a big bowl of comforting creaminess, we created this extra-savory version. Monterey Jack and cheddar melt together for a lusciously rich effect with a swirl of tangy ranch dressing and generous sprinkle of crisp, smoky bacon bits. Bonus round: Instead of tossing it all with “just average” macaroni, we doubled the twirls with twisty cavatappi. Get ready to s-MAC those lips!
Ingredients
1 unit
Scallions
1 unit
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
4 ounce
Bacon
1 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
1 unit
Shredded Monterey Jack
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
(Contains: Milk, Eggs)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Flour
(Contains: Wheat)
Nutrition Values
Cooking Steps
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens; mince whites. Once water is boiling, add pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain. Toss drained pasta with a drizzle of oil and set aside.
Add bacon to a large dry, preferably nonstick, pan in a single layer; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out pan. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for bacon over medium heat. Add scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in 1 TBSP flour (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until well combined. Whisk in reserved pasta cooking water; bring to a simmer.
Add stock concentrate, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, half the cheddar, and half the ranch dressing to pan; stir to combine. Add pasta; stir to evenly coat. Stir in half the bacon. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
Top pasta with scallion greens, remaining cheddar, and remaining bacon. Drizzle with remaining ranch dressing and serve family style.
Bacon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
