Spicy Mac and Cheese with poblanos and jalapeños is a bold and creamy dish that adds a kick to the classic comfort food. The smooth, cheesy pasta is infused with the smoky flavor of roasted poblanos and the fiery heat of fresh jalapeños.
Serve as a side dish or main meal! This is one of our family favorites at Thanksgiving, along with Old Fashioned Pimento Cheese!
Both poblanos and jalapeños aren't necessarily super hot peppers, and you can change it up a bit based on using seeds and membranes. This poblano mac and cheese recipe has an irresistibly creamy cheese sauce that has everyone craving more!
You can always use less inside the dish and serve extra peppers or even hot sauce on the side. Pair this up with some quick veggies plus Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
If you'd rather a dish without the heat, try out my Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta. For even more flavor but without peppers, Garlic Chicken Pasta fits the bill.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The spicy peppers can be adjusted up or down in quantity to adjust spice levels, just like in this spicy guacamole recipe. Leave the peppers out completely for more of a classic mac if you're having guests that don't like spicy foods.
- This is an easy recipe and the cheese sauce can be made ahead of time then reheated!
- The spicy cheese sauce is super creamy!
- Homemade cheese sauce always tastes better than any box or prepared meal you can find.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pasta: Pick a short cut pasta that will "hold" onto sauce. Shells, elbows, rotini, penne, cavatappi pasta, etc.
- Cheese: Always shred your own! Using a blend of cheeses like pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese gives a depth of flavor. Use any cheese you have in your fridge to use up anything that might be languishing in the cheese drawer. Try making cheesy cauliflower casserole to use up cheese too!
- Peppers: Poblano peppers and jalapeños add just the right level of heat to this poblano mac and cheese. Adjust jalapeño peppers to get the right amount of spice for yourself.
- Milk: Combining whole milk and half and half creates a sauce that is creamy without being overly rich.
- Sodium Citrate: What? Yes! The main ingredient in Alka Seltzer is also useful in cooking! This next level tip will make your cheese sauce smoother than you thought possible and avoid clumping.
- Seasoning: While the peppers add spice, we still need some other easy pantry seasonings to keep things interesting. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is my go-to, along with coarse ground black pepper. Fiesta brand Season All adds an extra kick to this spicy macaroni and cheese recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Feel free and swap out the cheese, but I always recommend a blend of 2-3 types. Cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese is almost a must for that classic taste, but then always add in something like gruyere, Swiss, parmesan or gouda.
- No whole milk on hand, 2% will be fine. This is also again a great way to use up leftovers.
- Try out different peppers. I love a poblano mac and cheese but if you really love heat, go ahead and use your favorite fresh hot chiles or crushed red pepper flakes. Try serrano peppers, a small amount of habanero peppers or Calabrian chiles. Use half as many peppers if you don't want the heat.
- Use any type of pasta you'd like. Regular elbow macaroni, cavatappi or gemelli pasta all work well.
- Try adding this jalapeño mac to a dutch oven, topping with a cup of cheese and panko breadcrumbs then baking to get a more traditional recipe of baked mac n cheese. Bake just a couple of minutes until cheese melts and seasoned bread crumbs brown.
- Add a little Cheeto, Hot Cheeto or cayenne pepper for an extra kick!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Poblano Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Roast poblano peppers and jalapeno peppers in the oven.
Step 2: Steam peppers to loosen skins. Peel, stem and seed peppers.
Step 3: Melt butter over medium heat then Sauté raw peppers. Add garlic and continue cooking another 20 seconds.
Step 4: Add flour to make a roux and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 5: Slowly whisk in the half and half and milk to the roux.
Step 6: Allow to thicken by bringing up to a simmer; blend in roasted peppers and sodium citrate.
Step 7: Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. While cheese sauce cooks, boil a large pot of water and cook pasta al dente, according to package directions.
Step 8: Combine spicy cheese sauce with cooked pasta and serve poblano mac and cheese.
Expert Cooking Tips
- You can steam the peppers by placing in a plastic bag, or setting in a mixing bowl and covering tightly with plastic wrap.
- Wear food safe gloves when peeling the peppers and chopping them so you don't get a burning sensation.
- This spicy mac and cheese recipe gets layers of flavor and color from using both roasted and regular peppers.
- Order Sodium Citrate on Amazon! This is the best kept secret for a smooth mac and cheese sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This is the smoothest cheese sauce ever, and it reheats perfectly. You can make the cheese up to a few days ahead of serving this, and then make fresh pasta when ready to serve. I don't necessarily love reheating pasta, so prefer to serve it from fresh the first time.
If you don't think you'll eat the entire batch in a single meal, don't mix it all together at once. The cheese will soak into the pasta in the fridge, making the dish lose some of that creaminess. Store the cheese and pasta separately in airtight containers, and reheat the cheese over low heat. Dunk pasta in hot water for 10 seconds and drain or microwave your pasta and then combine to serve again. Storing spicy mac and cheese that has already been mixed is also an option. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I love a combination of cheeses for this comfort food favorite. Start with a base of great melting cheese such as cheddar or Velveeta. Add a flavor booster such as Colby cheese or pepper jack. Finish off with a strong flavor such as gruyere, gouda, parmesan or Swiss. And always, always shred your own cheese! For the smoothest sauce, you don't want any anti-caking agents that are in pre shredded cheese.
Reheat this spicy mac and cheese recipe in a sauce pot over medium heat with a splash of whole milk or heavy cream. Stir frequently until warmed and creamy. Add a bit of the creamy sauce if you have any extra.
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📖Recipe
Spicy Mac And Cheese
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
- 14 oz poblano peppers divided
- 2 large jalapeno peppers
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 22 oz half and half
- 2⅓ cup whole milk
- 33 grams sodium citrate to prevent clumping
- 8 oz sharp cheddar
- 8 oz gruyere cheese
- 8 oz pepper jack
- 4 shakes season all Fiesta brand
- 2 lb pasta shells medium sized shells
Instructions
- Set half of poblanos aside for later use. Preheat oven to 425°F then line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Place poblanos and jalapenos on the sheet tray then roast for 25-30 minutes or until blackening and bubbling of skin occurs. Jalapenos may cook faster than poblanos.
- Remove peppers then add them to a plastic grocery bad and tie it shut. Allow peppers to sit for 15 minutes then peel skin and remove seeds and stems
- Dice remaining raw poblano into a small dice and set aside
- Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add raw poblanos to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and allow to cook about 20 seconds
- Whisk flour and salt into butter mixture. Turn heat down to low-medium and continue stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Watch closely as the flour can burn
- Whisk half and half into pan. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in milk then allow to come to temperature while stirring
- Once mixture begins to thicken add sodium citrate, roasted poblanos, jalapenos and blend with immersion blender until smooth
- Whisk in cheeses and season all. Once cheese becomes melty, use immersion blender until fully smooth
- Boil a pot of salted water while making cheese sauce. Cook pasta according to package directions then drain thoroughly. Stir in cheese sauce, adjust salt level according to taste and serve
Krista
The creamiest most delicious and spicy Mac and cheese I’ve ever had!
Hillary
Hands down best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had. This will be my go to from now on
Krista Stechman
Thanks!!