Spicy Southwest Macaroni and Cheese – spicy jalapeno and Hatch chile combine with cooling avocado and a tangy cheese sauce for a creamy dreamy bowl of comfort!
Mmm, melty cheese.
So, I recently heard there is such a thing as corn pasta. Did you all know about this already? I looked in several stores, and ended up ordering it online because I needed to try it. Never mind that we don’t really have too much pasta in this house. When I want pasta, I want pasta.
Plus, there is the thing about me having to try every single product out there.
You think I’m kidding.
So, I originally wanted to call this recipe tamale pasta, after seeing my friend Curt talk about this mysterious corn pasta, and his recipe for cumin lime pasta with beans. Yum.
…and because my friend Curt was the inspiration, I grilled the peppers.
Spicy Southwest Macaroni and Cheese
dairy and gluten free, vegan
serves four
INGREDIENTS:
1 sweet onion, caramelized
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, roasted
1 orange bell pepper, roasted
1 small can diced Hatch green chiles
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
pinch sea salt
4 servings corn pasta (macaroni shape)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, roast the peppers (I did this in the oven) and caramelize the onion. Add the roasted peppers, green chiles, beans and spices to the caramelized onion. Drain cooked pasta and add that also, combine.
I served the pasta like this, then poured the cheese sauce over the top. With the leftovers, I combined the pasta and the cheese sauce like a traditional mac and cheese. Keeps in fridge several days (most of ours was gone within two).
Spabettie’s Cheese Sauce
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked several hours / overnight
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, soaked several hours / overnight
juice of 1 lemon
a few shakes of hot sauce (Tabasco, about 1 tablespoon)
12 ounces sauerkraut brine (1 1/2 cups)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add soaked cashews and macadamia nuts to blender, blend on high alone to an almost creamy consistency.
Add lemon juice, hot sauce, and one cup of the brine – continue processing until smooth.
While processing, add garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, and salt, stopping to scrape sides. Continue adding brine until desired consistency is reached – more water for sauce, less for dip.
We topped this with avocado, green onions and more fresh jalapeno.
printable recipes:
- 1 sweet onion, caramelized
- 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, roasted
- 1 orange bell pepper, roasted
- 1 small can diced Hatch green chiles
- 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- pinch sea salt
- 4 servings corn pasta (macaroni shape)
- Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, roast the peppers (I did this in the oven) and
- caramelize the onion.
- Add the roasted peppers, green chiles, beans and spices to the caramelized onion. Drain cooked pasta and add that also, combine.
- I served the pasta like this, then poured the cheese sauce over the top. With the leftovers, I combined the pasta and the cheese sauce like a traditional mac and cheese. Keeps in fridge several days (most of ours was gone within two).
- 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked several hours / overnight
- ½ cup macadamia nuts, soaked several hours / overnight
- juice of 1 lemon
- a few shakes of hot sauce (Tabasco, about 1 tablespoon)
- 12 ounces sauerkraut brine (1½ cups)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch sea salt
- Add soaked cashews and macadamia nuts to blender, blend on high alone to an almost creamy consistency.
- Add lemon juice, hot sauce, and one cup of the brine – continue processing until smooth.
- While processing, add garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, and salt, stopping to scrape sides. Continue adding brine until desired consistency is reached – more water for sauce, less for dip.
Love all that cheese and the Southwest twist ~ fun to use all that avocado too!
thanks, Marla – I’ve added green chiles to my mac before, but never all the rest, it really goes well together, I think! and yeah, that avocado just makes it perfect!
Oh can’t wait to hear more about that house after you’ve seen it! And that dish looks so good – ooey gooey yummy
we are going to see it today!! I can’t wait! 😀 we are seeing SIX houses today, whew long day but SO fun!!
Do praytell, did you like the corn pasta better than any other GF pasta out there? I’m curious now–this is the 2nd time I have heard about it. Now I need a review 🙂
You have my vote in for that house. I will pitch in $20/month for my rent, vocal lessons, and upkeep 🙂
actually, no. 🙂 we like the quinoa pasta best, have you had that one? it’s in a teal box, Ancient Harvest brand. SO good. this was fine, though. if you can find it in a store, yeah, go for it. I don’t know if I’d order it online again… (I heard Trader Joes has some??)
we are looking at that house TOOODAAAAAY! can’t wait. 😀
um, YUM. this looks like the most divine concoction!!! WANT! 😉
ooohhh I love the sound of this mac & cheese! Such a perfect spin-off, and the addition of avocado is just amazing. Yes, I have had corn pasta! I do really like it, though my fave is still brown rice pasta 🙂
Char, I’m with you on the brown rice pasta. my favorite is still quinoa pasta, but we like the brown rice too. yeah, the avocado just completes this for me!
Great recipe for cheese sauce and love the SW flavors and avocado in this mac n cheese!
Wow, that looks amazing. Creamy, fresh, and delicious!
i love this spin on classic mac! wow, great idea!!
it is SO good, Janetha! I have added green chiles to my mac before, but that’s where I stop… all these flavors really go great together!
I’ve heard of this ‘corn pasta’ stuff, but have yet to try it. I did make vegan mac and cheese this weekend, with brown rice noodles. It was amazing, and 100% different from this recipe. Which is fantastic because that means I have to make vegan mac and cheese, again, but with this recipe. I’m not complaining, nope, not 1 bit. I’ll use ANY excuse to make and eat more mac!
oh, darn, you have to make MORE mac & cheese!?!? 😉 I had never heard of it either, but it’s pretty good! my favorite is still the quinoa pasta, and brown rice always takes a very close second.
I’m drooling!! That looks incredible. Avocado and cheeziness are winners in my book. 🙂
it really was perfect. 🙂
This is a fusion of so many things I love. Must make.
“fusion of so many things I love” < -- yes! me too. I hope you like it!
is that the corn pasta from traders? I made minestrone soup with it!
I never liked mac n cheese because I’m one of the rare humans that doesn’t like cheese. But I have a soft spot for avocados so this might work.
no, I found it online somewhere (after looking at EVERY store EXCEPT Traders gaah!) 😉 it was good, I still prefer my quinoa pasta. this WOULD make a great minestrone!
fantastic! making this week. xo
Yum, corn pasta sounds delicious. I will have to look for it!
I actually just wait WAY too much brown rice pasta tonight, so I have a ton left over. Mac n cheese time!
*wait = made … I should proofread my comments but you know, I’ve got a dish of candy calling my name. 😉
that darn candy can be SO distracting…
it’s pretty good, my favorite is still my quinoa pasta… 😀
haha – was just saying to john that when i see pasta i just neeeeeed it!
p.s. corn pasta???
Well…you know me and cheese (even vegan cheese). I love love love that you added avocado!!! This looks like a bowlful of cheesy goodness!
Mmm, Krista you would LOVE this then! 😉 the avocado just made this complete!
That looks delicious – as usual! Was the corn pasta fairly inexpensive? I haven’t seen it before but I would love to try it!
Ashley, I can’t remember exactly, but I think it was around $3-4 a box? I had to look a bit to find “singles” to buy, amazon wanted to sell me a whole case! do you have a Trader Joes near you? I hear they have some? (I bought mine at vitacost I think…) it was pretty good, my favorite pasta is still the quinoa pasta. 🙂
Oh yum, everything about this sounds delicious. Especially avocado. With cheese sauce. I’d eat a bowl of just that! I want to try corn pasta too, though. Although I was seriously disappointed by rice pasta the one time I gave it a go. Buckwheat (soba) noodles remain my favorite–even for non-Asian dishes. I get made fun of for putting tomato sauce on them–but YUM, I don’t care.
Awesome house, too! I can’t wait to see what you guys end up with–finding the right house is such a good feeling!
oh, yes, I know you definitely know about finding the right house! 😀 It’s definitely an exciting time for us right now. we are looking at SIX today, including this one that I cannot wait to see!
ha, I could totally do avocado and cheese sauce. (I actually roasted some broccoli + cauliflower the next day and made more of this cheese sauce… Mmm!)
I love soba noodles… I need to use them more. and yeah, I’d do tomato sauce too!! 😀
Oooh, I can’t wait to hear how the viewings go! Good luck!
thank you!! out of the six, we REALLY like two… and one now has an accepted offer. *sigh* but the other we really like too… we shall see! 😀
Yum! I top chili with avocado, but never thought about adding it to macaroni and cheese. What a delicious addition!!
I will definitely be adding avocado to pasta more often… actually, the list of what I WILL NOT add avocado to is getting smaller all the time 😉
Thanks for the mention and link Kristina! I just started noticing traffic coming in from here and checked a little closer.
I’m glad to know I can inspire someone of your talent. Great to have friends, ain’t it!?
it is indeed, Curt! thanks for letting me know of the corn pasta!
fingers crossed toes crossed eyes crossed!
and, uh…
Oh My God!
So clever… i will try this!
My spice drawer is evolving quite nicely thanks to you 🙂
thank you Thank You THANK YOU!! this house hunting thing is… a roller coaster! fun, frustrating all in one – we find one we love and AN OFFER GETS IN BEFORE WE RETURN HOME!! crazy. this has now happened twice. pfff. 😉 onward!
we had this for dinner last night, it was perfect!! thanks for an original recipe, just found you from tastespotting and am loving your creativity.
🙂 Corrie
Hi, my dad, Curt, from Smoked ‘N Grilled sent me here. I’ve been on a crazy restrictive diet and was dying for some mac and cheese! Real comfort food! Any way I made this, but I used Feta since thankfully it’s allowed on my diet (made from sheep)! I have to say both me and my 1 year old son really enjoyed this! I’m sure my husband would have as well but he’s on the Weight watcher’s diet at the moment lol. Thanks again, especially for making it with hazelnut milk, I just didn’t know what to do with that! 🙂
hello Misty! thanks for stopping to say hello, so happy your Dad sent you here! I’m glad you found something that works with your diet, that is not usually easy to do! Feta sounds like it would taste great with these flavors. Cheers, hope you have a great week!
made this today, thank you! wife is newly dairy free and the rest of the house is following too. came here from greatist, found several recipes already thank you!
Corn pasta…… WHAT???! I’m a total gluten lover, but I would still totally try that! And that cashew macadamia cheesy sauce sounds awesome.