Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese with Chorizo for an absolute flavor bomb of a meal that’s sure to be a hit. Great for game day! Gluten free.
*This post is sponsored by Tresomega Nutrition who generously provided me with delicious Gluten Free Quinoa Elbows Pasta.
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese with Chorizo.
Wow, that’s a mouthful.
A delicious mouthful.
So this recipe really boils down to three main components:
1) Mac & Cheese
2) Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
3) Chorizo
I’m a big fan of chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers so instead of adding the chorizo into the jalapeno poppers, I’m just putting it directly in the Mac n’ cheese.
I’m putting all the flavor combos of jalapeno poppers inside the Mac n’ cheese and then also topping it with full jalapeno poppers for a fun presentation. If you’d rather, you can just chop all the ingredients up and add it directly into the Mac and cheese but I think it’s more fun this way.
This mac is made with quinoa from Tresomega Nutrition and is wheat and corn free so you can feel good about it too. You can check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or check out more of their products on their website.
This would make a great dish for game day, the super bowl, or just a random Tuesday in December where it’s chilly outside and you need a nice bowl of something warm. I can directly attest to that last one.
Enjoy!
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese with Chorizo
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 box 8 oz. Elbows Pasta (I used Tresomega Quinoa Elbows Pasta)
- 5 slices bacon (each cut in half)
- 5 jalapeños (4 whole, 1 finely diced)
- 1/2 lb chorizo (ground or sausages)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
- 6 tbsp cream cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 yellow onion (approx. 1/2 cup chopped onion)
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat microwave to 450 degrees.
- Follow directions on pasta box to cook pasta.
- While pasta is cooking, in a pan (I used cast iron) over medium heat add butter and allow to melt then add in chopped onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add in diced jalapeño (as much or as little as you want). Cook for another 3 minutes until onions and jalapeno are starting to soften.
- Add in chorizo. If using sausages, break up with a spatula. Mix everything together and continue allowing to cook.
- While the chorizo is cooking, slice the four jalapeños in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Use 3 tbsp cream cheese to stuff jalapeños with. Wrap each jalapeno half with half a slice of bacon.
- Place on a baking sheet and cook at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Once chorizo is cooked, add in creamy cheese, heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Stir to mix until creamy and cheese.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and add Mac n’ cheese to the cheesy chorizo mixture. If cooking in cast iron, you can leave it in the pan, otherwise put it in an oven safe dish. Spread out evenly.
- Take jalapeno poppers out of the oven and add on top of the Mac n’ cheese.
- Cook at 450 degrees for another 15-20 minutes until bacon is cooked through. If desired, broil for 5-10 minutes for cheese to get crispier.
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