Creamy Jalapeño Popper Pasta (Printable)

Creamy penne with roasted jalapeños, crispy bacon, and melted cheese sauce. Spicy, decadent comfort food ready in 40 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Bacon

02 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables

03 - 4 large jalapeños, halved, seeded, and sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Cheese Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 1/4 cup toasted panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Place jalapeño slices on a baking sheet and broil on high for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly charred. Set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
04 - Add onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Stir in the butter and let it melt. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
06 - Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, approximately 3 minutes.
07 - Lower the heat and whisk in cream cheese, cheddar, Monterey Jack, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and melted. Add salt to taste.
08 - Add roasted jalapeños and half the bacon to the sauce. Stir in the cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
09 - Serve immediately, topped with remaining bacon, toasted panko breadcrumbs, and chopped chives if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers all the flavor of jalapeño poppers without the frying mess or finger burns from stuffing peppers.
  • The creamy cheese sauce coats every piece of pasta so you get richness and spice in every single bite.
  • You can dial the heat up or down depending on your mood or who you are feeding.
  • It comes together in under an hour and uses ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
02 -
  • If you skip salting the pasta water generously, the noodles will taste bland no matter how flavorful the sauce is.
  • Whisk the milk in slowly and constantly or you will end up with a lumpy sauce that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • Don't add the cheese on high heat or it will break and turn grainy instead of melting into a smooth sauce.
  • Roasting the jalapeños is not optional, it changes the entire flavor profile and keeps the dish from tasting one-dimensionally spicy.
03 -
  • Toast the panko in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, it only takes two minutes and adds a huge texture boost.
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded because the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining, then use it to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick when you toss everything together.
  • Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before adding it so it melts faster and blends in without clumping.
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