Description
Spicy and creamy jalapeno popper pasta salad delivers bold southwestern flavors in a chilled side dish. Rich cream cheese, crispy bacon, and tangy jalapeños blend perfectly to create a crowd-pleasing summer recipe you’ll crave at potlucks and backyard gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta (elbow, bowtie, or rotini)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup jalapenos, diced (fresh, pickled, or mix, adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup green onions or chives, chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water vigorously, cook pasta until al dente. Quickly rinse with cold water to stop cooking, then drain thoroughly.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream until smooth. Blend in garlic powder, smoked paprika, seasoning, and pepper to develop a rich, harmonious flavor profile.
- Ingredient Integration: Fold cooled pasta into creamy sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Gently mix in chopped jalapenos, cheddar cheese, bacon fragments, and green onions, distributing ingredients evenly for maximum flavor distribution.
- Flavor Maturation: Refrigerate in sealed container for at least one hour, allowing flavors to meld and intensify. Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Garnish with additional bacon, cheese, or green onion tops for visual appeal and extra crunch.
Notes
- -Prevent Pasta Mushiness: Rinse pasta with cold water immediately after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent overcooking, ensuring a perfect al dente texture.
- -Manage Jalapeno Heat: Remove seeds and membranes from jalapenos to control spice level, allowing people with different heat tolerances to enjoy the dish.
- -Cheese Melting Technique: Let pasta cool slightly before adding cheese to prevent complete melting, maintaining distinct cheese pockets for better texture and flavor distribution.
- -Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare the salad a day in advance to allow flavors to fully develop and integrate, resulting in a more complex and delicious final dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg