Jalapeno macaroni and cheese in a clear dish

Creamy jalapeño white cheddar macaroni & cheese

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An easy, weeknight classic enriched with zippy pickled Jalapeños and topped with crackers. Double the recipe for amazing leftovers.

Makes 6 servings (1 casserole). 30 minutes prep time plus 35 minutes bake time.

If you’re like me, you’re as much a fan of the fixin’s as the meat.

I don’t think it matters if I’m on the road and pull over at a Cracker Barrel, or settled into a tiny booth in Nashville. As much as I look forward to my “meat” in my “meat’n three” or the hot chicken pieces on a slice of white bread, I dream about the accompaniments I’ve deliberated over. Waffle fries? Dumplings? Biscuits and gravy? Buttered grits? Collard greens? Mac’n cheese? Yes please!

This macaroni & cheese recipe balances the rich cheddar sauce against the brightness of the pickled Jalapeños. And yes, there’s Velveeta! Some call it “almost cheese”, but I call it heaven. And in some supermarkets in the states, you shouldn’t be surprised to see at least 12 feet of shelves devoted to this product: in bricks, in tubs, and in pouches. This ingredient keeps the sauce creamy and smooth.

Don’t feel like you have to stick to white cheddar. I used it because it was on sale and because the cheddar crackers already give the dish an electric-orange-Cheeto appearance.

Creamy Jalapeño White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese
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Creamy Jalapeño White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Recipe by Tiny Kitchen CravingsCourse: Main, Sides, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

  • 2 cups uncooked dried elbow macaroni

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 tsp. ground sweet paprika

  • 1 cup Velveeta, cut into 1/2″ cubes

  • 1 1/2 cups old white cheddar, shredded

  • 1/4 cup drained pickled jalapeños, chopped (or adjust amount to taste)

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Topping

  • 2 tbsp. butter, cut into small chunks

  • 20 cheddar flavoured crackers, like Ritz Cheddar, crushed by hand

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Heat 8 cups of water to boiling in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tsp of salt.
  • Cook macaroni to al dente (check package for cooking time – usually 7-9 minutes). Drain the macaroni in a colander but do not rinse. Place macaroni back into the medium saucepan and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour, cook and whisk for 2 minutes until flour is blended into the butter, and the mixture smells toasty. Do not allow the flour to brown.
  • Continue to whisk the flour mixture and pour milk into the sauce pan in a slow, steady stream. A smooth sauce should result. Increase the stove temperature to medium.
  • Add nutmeg, paprika and Velveeta, stirring until Velveeta is melted. Add cheddar and jalapeños. Cook until sauce is bubbling.
  • Pour cheese sauce into the macaroni, stirring to coat. Pour macaroni and cheese into a 7″ x 9″ x 3″ casserole dish and level.
  • Sprinkle crushed crackers over top and dot with chunks of butter.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.