Chipotle macaroni and cheese with bacon
I’m roasting chiles and frying up bacon. What am I making, you might ask? What everybody wants to eat after being ill for a few days: chipotle macaroni and cheese. With bacon, of course.
OK, so this might seem a bit heavy for a re-entry into the land of the normal eating, but let me tell you—I’m hungry! And while the best thing I can say about not feeling well is that your skinny jeans are suddenly a viable option in your wardrobe, in the end I’d rather be well than ill. Though who wouldn’t? But let’s talk about chipotle macaroni and cheese, shall we?
My family, much like yours I reckon, has always made homemade macaroni and cheese. Sure, we’d have the box stuff on hand for after-school snacks or donations to the church food pantry, but in my house the real, homemade stuff was what was preferred.
Mom makes her macaroni and cheese in a variety of ways, but my favorite is a casserole of pasta suspended in a luscious sauce comprised of egg yolks, cheese and heavy cream. And just when you think it couldn’t be any more extravagant, she throws in diced, thick ham and tops it off with buttery breadcrumbs.
Yes, this is an excellent dish, but because of its richness I only advise serving it on special occasions. When it comes to a more everyday, simple macaroni and cheese, I turn to a method I learned in the New York Times.
This recipe requires little effort besides pouring cottage cheese blended with milk over dry pasta, tossing in some shredded cheese and baking it for an hour. No endless stirring a sauce or boiling a batch of pasta, which makes it a cinch to make. The Times version kept it plain, but I’ve made it my own by adding chipotle and garlic. And I top it with bacon and cotija, which adds contrast to the oozing cheese and soft pasta.
I realize that my macaroni and cheese may appear as decadent as my mom’s, but feel free to convince yourself that it’s a touch more healthy due to the cottage cheese and all. I do. But you know what? We’re nearing the end of a long, cold winter and sometimes you just need to pamper yourself. And for me, comfort comes clothed in chipotle chiles, cheese, and bacon.
Chipotle macaroni and cheese with bacon
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow pasta
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- Pinch cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 pieces cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese (optional but delicious!)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375° F.
- Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch square or round baking pan with the butter. Add the dry pasta.
- In a blender, mix together the milk, cottage cheese, chipotle chile, mustard powder, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper until it’s smooth. Pour mixture over dry pasta and stir until sauce is evenly distributed.
- Combine the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, then stir in two cups of the shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil and stir the macaroni and cheese a couple of times. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese, chopped bacon, and butter, and cook for another 25 minutes uncovered or until brown and bubbling.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with cotija and serve.
Made this last night! It was SO easy and the Hubs went crazy for it. Do you think the addition of any herbs would compliment the dish? Our herb garden is teeming over and I've got to use some of it up. I'm thinking cilantro – any other ideas?
Ok Cathy posted this on our site and I can't wait to try it for myself. It sounds fabulous :D. Thanks for sharing it with her … who in turned shared it with me :D.
This is the second recipe I have made from your website and again very successful conclusion. I loved how the mac and cheese came out! I am used to the boxed versions and this recipe changed my perception on mac and cheese. Plus, anything made in cast iron is always better in my opinion.
Thanks for this awesome recipe! Beats the pants off any other macaroni I've had. So easy, too. Between this and your chipotle sweet potato soup, of which I've made two batches in the last couple weeks, I've gone through a lot of chipotles lately! YUM!
This recipe is incredible and much easier than most mac and cheese recipes I've made or seen. I made it this weekend and can't wait to make it again.