Description
Jalapeno Popper Pasta Salad is a creamy and flavorful cold pasta salad perfect for easy lunch or quick lunch. This cream cheese pasta salad is packed with bacon, cheddar, and jalapenos, ideal for lunch ideas and BBQs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise divided
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz diced jalapenos undrained
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 fresh jalapenos diced
- Chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Prepare the elbow macaroni following the package instructions, then drain well without rinsing.
- In a large bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Mix the warm pasta into the cream cheese mixture, stirring to coat and melt the cheese into the noodles.
- Fold in the canned jalapenos including the liquid, the rest of the mayonnaise, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and the fresh diced jalapenos. Stir until evenly combined.
- Cover the salad and place it in the refrigerator for no less than 2 hours. Before serving, give it a stir and add fresh chives or extra jalapenos on top as garnish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g + 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg