Spicy Mac & Cheese
A classic with a kick. If you are anything like me, at one point in your life you lived on mac ‘n cheese - namely ages 6-12 and 18-21 (nothing hits like some easy mac from your college dorm microwave). As I began elevating my cooking game a bit my love for this classic food did not abate and thus this recipe was born.
Now before I get to the ingredients - I want to call out that this is a great recipe for modifications. The version I’m sharing is just one of the ways to create it. While the core elements (ie. noodles & cheese) remain unchanged - feel free to swap out veggies/meat based on your preference. For example in the version pictured I didn’t add sausage but did include broccoli to make it a bit healthier. Another substitution I have made a few times, when I couldn’t find serrano peppers at the grocery store, is using 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper instead for a similar kick.
1 lb pasta
8 tbsp butter (1 stick)
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1 small/med yellow onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg
16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 serrano peppers
2 jalapeno peppers
1 bell pepper (your choice in color)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Recommended Additions:
12 oz spicy sausage (pre-cooked)
12 oz broccoli
Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Servings: 8
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Use 1 tbsp of butter to grease 3 qt (13x9) casserole dish
In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta until just al dente
Chop peppers and onions. Jalapeños and serranos should be diced finely to avoid getting an unpleasant bite of spice. Bell pepper and onion can be chopped to your preference - I usually do about 1/2-1 inch pieces.
Chop sausage, broccoli or any other additions into bite sized pieces.
In a second, smaller pot, melt 4 tbsp of butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard, continue moving until free of lumps (a few minutes).
Add milk, paprika, and half the onion to mixture and continue whisking to avoid settling on the bottom. Bring to a simmer for ten min. (I recommend keeping this moving with the whisk occasionally, if you let it sit for the full ten minutes it will likely get stuck to the bottom).
Add salt, black pepper, egg and 12 oz of the cheese to the pot and mix until the cheese is melted and the mixture is creamy.
In a large bowl mix together the pasta, peppers, remaining onion, cheese mixture, and any other additions.
Pour into the buttered casserole dish
In a small bowl, melt remaining butter (3 tbsp) and stir in the panko bread crumbs
Top casserole with remaining cheese (4 oz), then the buttered breadcrumbs
Bake for 30 min, let sit for 5-10 min before serving
