Creamy Stovetop Jalapeño-Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy, smooth and delicious stovetop mac ‘n cheese with a kick from jalapenos and bacon! Super easy, super cheesy and made without any butter or oil. Try it tonight!

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeño-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese – Creamy, smooth and delicious stovetop mac 'n cheese with jalapenos and bacon! Super easy, cheesy and made without ANY butter or oil. | thecomfortofcooking.com

I’m pretty easygoing overall, but I tend to make a lot of fuss about some things. Breakfast at my table? A feast of eggs, toast, bacon, fresh fruit and hot coffee. Decorating for the holidays? The house has to be dripping with Christmas cheer, or it’s just not done right… don’t ask me where I store all that stuff, I’m still not sure. My comfort food, however? No fuss, or no cook. Especially when it comes to macaroni and cheese!

I believe that you should get a good mac method down-pat, then feel free to throw whatever the heck you please into the pot. And wouldn’t ya know it, I did just that with heaps of spicy jalapeno and crispy bacon!

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeño-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese – Creamy, smooth and delicious stovetop mac 'n cheese with jalapenos and bacon! Super easy, cheesy and made without ANY butter or oil. | thecomfortofcooking.com

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeño-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese – Creamy, smooth and delicious stovetop mac 'n cheese with jalapenos and bacon! Super easy, cheesy and made without ANY butter or oil. | thecomfortofcooking.com

This super cheesy, creamy macaroni and cheese is the definition of simple scrumptiousness. No roux necessary, just toss in your flour and butter, and in minutes you’ll have a smooth, thick béchamel begging for big handfuls of cheese! No oil, no butter, and absolutely no skimping on flavor.

Did I mention hardly any cleanup, too? This is a one-pot wonder, baby!

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeño-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese – Creamy, smooth and delicious stovetop mac 'n cheese with jalapenos and bacon! Super easy, cheesy and made without ANY butter or oil. | thecomfortofcooking.com

Toss in whatever cheese you like, but in my opinion, a good cheddar-Monterey Jack blend is best. Really brings out the tangy, spicy Tex-Mex flavor in this mouthwatering mac! Sky’s the limit on pasta, too – just use your favorite. Shells make me feel like a kid again for some reason… or maybe that’s just the nostalgic “blue box blues” talking.

You’re gonna absolutely love this luscious macaroni and cheese! It’s velvety smooth and dreamily creamy, with a slight bite from the jalapeno and salty crispness from a sprinkle of bacon. A sinfully good stovetop favorite, without all the fuss or calories!

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeno-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese

Creamy Stovetop Jalapeno-Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese

Yield: 4 to 5

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. dry pasta, shells, elbows, rotini, etc.
  • 1 1/2 cups milk, I used fat-free
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar, Monterey jack or Colby, or a mix
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4-5 slices bacon, cooked ‘til crisp and crumbled

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Set the same pot to medium heat; add milk and flour. Whisk until milk thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add cheese, jalapeno, salt, dry mustard and cayenne. Stir until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Add pasta and stir to coat evenly. Stir in crumbled bacon. Serve warm.
  3. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

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Join the Conversation

  1. This looks heavenly! So rich and creamy, and I bet it wouldn’t even need the bacon (which says a lo..I mean, s’bacon we’re talking about!) I definitely should get around to making some mac’n’cheese soon :D x

  2. Georgia, this looks incredible! So much creamy goodness going on here. LOVE it!

  3. Oh my gosh, this looks insanely good! I’m so sold on cheese, bacon, and jalapenos!

  4. This looks soooo yummy! Mac n Cheese is my ULTIMATE comfort food, and this recipe looks super simple and delicious!

  5. Your cream sauce looks amazing! I like my foot with a little heat, so I appreciate the jalapenos!

  6. I love stovetop mac and cheese. This looks sensational!

  7. Love the jalapeño and bacon, mac and cheese is always a favorite!

  8. Love one pot meal and this looks fantastic!

  9. Hi Georgia,

    Your mac ‘n cheese looks so yummy. I like the fact that you have used milk and flour instead of heavy cream. A good way to get a creamy texture. I’ve never thought about it.
    Thank you for sharing

    Chantal

  10. You have definitely jazzed up regular mac and cheese here! Looks so yummy!

  11. Yes, please! Just made Mac and Cheese last night on a whim (read: crave) and threw in some bacon. Didn’t have any peppers, but now we need to try your recipe. As always, love the photos. Thanks for sharing, Georgia. Will pin to group boards at Pinterest!

  12. What a great stove top version! I like a cheddar and Monterey Jack mix, too, and sometimes splurge with gouda.

  13. Love how creamy this mac and cheese is! The bacon and jalapeno is perfect!

  14. I love the combination of ingredients in this mac and cheese! Looks so delish!

  15. Yum, this sounds fantastic! I love the saltiness from the bacon, the spiciness of the pepper and the creaminess of the cheese, just yummy all the way around!

  16. how wonderful! my parents visited last week and we’re still working through the big pan of baked mac & cheese my mom and i made, but this will be the recipe to try next time. :)

  17. I love one pot meals and comfort food – this is a perfect mix!

  18. Love the quick method…and the addition of bacon!

  19. Too good to be true. This looks amazing! :)

  20. I’m sorry. All I read was macaroni and cheese + breakfast. YEEEES! :D

  21. Spice in my grilled cheese sounds good to me!! And I’ve always preferred skillet to baked mac and cheese. The cheese just stays so gloriously gooey that way!

  22. now that is the ultimate mac and cheese! WOW! Move over Kraft:)))

  23. You had me a cheese and bacon. This is some seriously gooey mac. Love it!

  24. I love using shells too – there’s just something about them! And this looks so so good – my husband would love this – bacon and jalapenos – two of his favorites!

  25. Yummy looking! My family would love this. Bacon, caught my attention. All of my children love bacon. :)

  26. This looks insanely good!

  27. Oh my….I am drooling! Wow! So in love with that combo, Georgia! Gorgeous pictures as always!!!

  28. Tried this recipe last night. And oh my, absolutely delicious!! (I subbed shallots/ broccoli for the jalapeño/bacon, but everything else I followed to a tee.) This will definitely be my go-to mac and cheese recipe from now on! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes :)

  29. Made this tonight (sans bacon) and it was quite good!

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