Bacon-Jalapeño Mac and Cheese
By Kelly SongPublished on September 26, 2025
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1 pound cavatappi ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup panko bread crumbs 3 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed and chopped fine (¾ cup), divided3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2¾ cups heavy cream 2¾ cups whole milk 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeño chiles, plus 2 tablespoons brine8 scallions, sliced thin
Before You Begin
We prefer cavatappi here for its shape and texture, but you can substitute elbow macaroni. If you don’t have enough bacon fat in step 4, make up the difference with vegetable oil.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add 1 pound cavatappi and 1 tablespoon table salt and cook until pasta is al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
- Add 1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, to now-empty pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain bacon in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl; reserve bacon and fat separately (you should have about 6 tablespoons fat).
- Chop one-quarter of bacon fine and transfer to second bowl. Stir in 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh jalapeños, ¼ cup reserved bacon fat, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
- Return remaining 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat to now-empty pot. Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Whisk in 2¾ cups heavy cream and 2¾ cups whole milk; bring to boil; and cook until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, and cook, whisking constantly, until cream cheese is mostly melted (some small lumps may remain), about 1 minute.
- Off heat, stir in 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeños plus 2 tablespoons brine, 8 thinly sliced scallions, remaining bacon, remaining ½ cup finely chopped fresh jalapeños, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until cheese is just melted, about 30 seconds, then stir in cooked pasta. Transfer pasta mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and spread into even layer.
- Sprinkle panko mixture evenly over pasta mixture. Set dish on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
- To Make Ahead: Panko topping, prepared through step 3, and pasta mixture, prepared through step 5, can be refrigerated separately, covered, for up to 2 days. Follow step 6 as instructed, increasing baking time by 18 to 20 minutes.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
1 pound cavatappi
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed and chopped fine (¾ cup), divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2¾ cups heavy cream
2¾ cups whole milk
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeño chiles, plus 2 tablespoons brine
8 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound cavatappi
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed and chopped fine (¾ cup), divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2¾ cups heavy cream
2¾ cups whole milk
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeño chiles, plus 2 tablespoons brine
8 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound cavatappi
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed and chopped fine (¾ cup), divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2¾ cups heavy cream
2¾ cups whole milk
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeño chiles, plus 2 tablespoons brine
8 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Crisped and rendered bacon is the foundation of the dish, providing a rich backbone to the sauce and topping. The silky sauce is built directly in the bacon fat, relying on a mixture of milk and cream for richness and viscosity. To achieve an ultra-velvety coating, we used both cream cheese (a callback to the snack and excellent for melting) and sharp cheddar (a nutty and complex companion). For pronounced “popper” notes, we used a combination of fresh and pickled jalapeños for heat and brightness, along with a splash of flavor-packed brine and scallions for a fresh, aromatic flourish. Finally, the assembled pasta is showered with a colorful, crunchy topping—panko bread crumbs take a tumble with bacon fat, bacon bits, and minced jalapeños, which all sizzle and toast beautifully in the oven.
Before You Begin
We prefer cavatappi here for its shape and texture, but you can substitute elbow macaroni. If you don’t have enough bacon fat in step 4, make up the difference with vegetable oil.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add 1 pound cavatappi and 1 tablespoon table salt and cook until pasta is al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
- Add 1 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, to now-empty pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain bacon in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl; reserve bacon and fat separately (you should have about 6 tablespoons fat).
- Chop one-quarter of bacon fine and transfer to second bowl. Stir in 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh jalapeños, ¼ cup reserved bacon fat, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
- Return remaining 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat to now-empty pot. Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Whisk in 2¾ cups heavy cream and 2¾ cups whole milk; bring to boil; and cook until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, and cook, whisking constantly, until cream cheese is mostly melted (some small lumps may remain), about 1 minute.
- Off heat, stir in 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup finely chopped jarred jalapeños plus 2 tablespoons brine, 8 thinly sliced scallions, remaining bacon, remaining ½ cup finely chopped fresh jalapeños, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until cheese is just melted, about 30 seconds, then stir in cooked pasta. Transfer pasta mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and spread into even layer.
- Sprinkle panko mixture evenly over pasta mixture. Set dish on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
- To Make Ahead: Panko topping, prepared through step 3, and pasta mixture, prepared through step 5, can be refrigerated separately, covered, for up to 2 days. Follow step 6 as instructed, increasing baking time by 18 to 20 minutes.
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