Epic Nacho Mac ’n’ Cheese
with Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta & Smoky Crema
- Wheat
- Milk
- Sesame
- Eggs
Why choose between two comfort food dishes when you can combine them into one epic dinner? This week, our chefs give mac ’n’ cheese the nacho treatment, stirring twirly cavatappi noodles into a queso-style, creamy spiced cheddar sauce. Of course, you can’t have nachos without the toppings—here, we’ve got crumbled blue corn tortilla chips for crunch and more cheeses for melt factor, plus smoky red pepper crema, scallions, and hot sauce. Your dinner companions will be fighting over the last bite.
Ingredients
ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
1 cup
White Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1.5 ounce
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
(Contains: Sesame)
6 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
2 tablespoon
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
(Contains: Milk)
7 ounce
Gluten-Free Fresh Fusilli Pasta
(Contains: Eggs)
1 unit
Long Green Pepper
1 clove
Garlic
2 unit
Scallions
1 tablespoon
Flour
(Contains: Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Southwest Spice Blend
½ cup
Mexican Cheese Blend
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon
Hot Sauce
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
2 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Cooking Steps
Heat broiler to high. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.
Core, deseed, and dice green pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and mince garlic.
Place smoky red pepper crema in a small bowl. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain.
While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium, preferably ovenproof, pan (use a large, preferably ovenproof, pan for 4 servings) over medium heat. Add green pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes.
Add Southwest Spice Blend, scallion whites, garlic, and 2 TBSP butter (3 TBSP for 4); cook, stirring, until butter has melted and scallion whites are softened, 1 minute.
Stir flour into pan until smooth and incorporated, 1 minute. Gradually stir in ½ cup water (¾ cup for 4 servings) until fully combined.
Add cream cheese and cook, stirring, until fully incorporated and sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes.
Turn off heat; stir in cheddar until melted and smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Stir drained cavatappi into pan with sauce until coated. Taste and season with salt if needed. If mixture is too thick, add a splash more water. TIP: If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture now to a baking dish.
Using your hands, crush tortilla chips and evenly sprinkle over mac ’n’ cheese. Top with an even layer of Mexican cheese blend.
Broil until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Divide mac ’n’ cheese between bowls; drizzle with smoky red pepper crema. Top with scallion greens and as much hot sauce as you like. Serve.
