Jalapeño Popper Pasta
This jalapeño popper pasta is deliciously creamy! A fun twist on the classic appetizer.
The Starting Five
Five things to know before making this dish!
Don’t skip the step of sautéing the jalapeños. The char gives them such nice flavor, and since the pasta doesn’t bake for that long, you want them to soften up!
Use your favorite pasta here. I love the way the cheese sauce hugs the rotini, but just use what you have or love!
Keep a close eye on the broiler. I broil for about 4 minutes, but things can quickly go from good to bad if you let it sit for too long.
You can add some more ingredients here if you wish! Buttered bread crumbs are a great one to mix in with that top cheesy layer. I couldn’t do it because, well, Six Ingredient Feast just isn’t as catchy.
Once you make this, it will keep in the refrigerator for about five days. But it probably won’t last that long!
Jalapeño Popper Pasta
Ingredients
4 servings of pasta
2 jalapeños
[A splash of olive oil]
1 cup of light cream
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup of cream cheese
[Salt & pepper to taste]
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions.
2. Slice the stems off the jalapeños, then slice them in half horizontally. You can remove the seeds and membrane to reduce the spice, or leave them.
3. Add a splash of oil to a large pan, and add the jalapeños to the pan skin-side down. Let the jalapeños cook in the shallow oil on low heat until they start to char, about 5 minutes. Remove the jalapeños, chop them up, and set them aside.
4. Wipe out the pan, then add the cream. Let it heat on low until hot, about 3-4 minutes, then add the cream cheese, whisking occasionally until it's fully melted in.
5. Whisk in 1 cup of cheddar until fully melted, then season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper, and let it sit on the lowest heat until the pasta finishes cooking. If the sauce is too thick, reserve some pasta water, and add it in, whisking, until the sauce thins out a bit.
6. Drain the pasta, then add it to the pan with the cheese sauce. Add the jalapeños to the pan, too.
7. Transfer the pasta to an oven-safe dish. Top it with 1-inch dollops of cream cheese, followed by the remaining 1 cup of cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese layer gets bubbly and starts to crisp. Let it cool 5 minutes before serving.
