Poblano Mac & Cheese

Poblano Mac & Cheese

Cavatappi shaped noodles covered in a creamy, cheesy, pepper-filled sauce topped with the yummiest crispy breadcrumb topping?  Yep!  Mac & cheese doesn't get much better than that!

I love macaroni and cheese.  It is just one of those comfort foods that I can't get enough of.  Whether it is cooked in the Instant Pot, stovetop, or oven-baked, or whether it is made with cheddar, white cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, or other cheeses, pasta in a cheese sauce is simply yummy.

A couple recipes ago, I used cauliflower florets and a poblano pepper to make Cauliflower Mac & Cheese, and it was delicious.  So when I had another poblano pepper, I decided to try making the same recipe but with cavatappi shaped noodles instead of cauliflower.  While using pasta instead of cauliflower is not as healthy, it sure does taste good!  The sauce is creamy, cheesy, and so flavorful from the sauteed poblano pepper.  Highly recommend!  Recipes below!

Poblano Mac & Cheese (Before Topping and Baked)

Poblano Mac & Cheese (Baked)

Poblano Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

12 (ish) oz of cavatappi shaped pasta

2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
1 poblano pepper deseeded and diced
Sprinkle of dried chili flakes
Sprinkle of garlic salt
Sprinkle of black pepper

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated

2 Tbs. parmesan cheese
3 Tbs. panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil.  Following package instructions, cook pasta to al dente (about 9ish minutes).  Drain and set aside. 
2. In a medium pan, melt 2 Tbs. butter over medium heat.  Add deseeded and diced poblano pepper and cook until soft.  About 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in chili flakes, garlic salt, and pepper and stir.  
4. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute.  Add milk and whisk until thick (about 2 minutes).  Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 375.
5. Take pot off the heat and add grated cheddar cheese.  Stir until smooth.  Add more milk if mixture is too thick or more cheese if mixture is too thin.
6. Add pasta into sauce then pour into a greased 8x8 pan.
7. In a small bowl, combine parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle over the top of mac and cheese.
8. Bake on 375 for 15-20 minutes until breadcrumbs are toasted and mac and cheese is bubbly.  If needed, turn on broil to brown top.
9. Let cool a bit then enjoy! 

Box #10: Here

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese: Here
Box #8: Here