Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Hatch Chiles
Four cheese mac and cheese with Hatch chiles takes this macaroni and cheese recipe to a deliciously spicy new level! If you like mac and cheese with a kick, you’ll love this dish!
Does this picture of creamy, spicy and delicious mac and cheese with Hatch chiles make you want to make some?
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Disclosure: Although this post is not sponsored, I did receive some Hatch green chiles from The Hatch Chile Store without any conditions whatsoever. I’m simply sharing this recipe because I love it.
I truly hope so because this is such a fabulous dish that I want everyone I know to give it a try! Of course, many of you around the world won’t be able to get Hatch Chiles where you live as they only come from Hatch, New Mexico, so I apologize in advance. (Maybe you could try using a type of hot pepper that is available to you?)
I came up with this original four cheese mac and cheese recipe from looking at the ingredients used in Trader Joe’s Diner Mac and Cheese. It was a huge copycat recipe success and I’ve been making it ever since. So when I had some Hatch Chiles last year, I added some to the cheese sauce and honestly, I was dancing around the kitchen it was so good! If you’re not familiar with them, you’re probably asking:
What are Hatch Chiles?
Hatch chiles are a type of hot pepper that are only grown in Hatch, New Mexico. They are grown on a family farm and harvested in summer. Although they can be used in any manner, they are typically roasted first, which gives them an even more wonderful flavor. Four types of Hatch chiles are grown, ranging from mild to very hot. Most of the Hatch chiles are harvested when green, but some are picked when they have turned to red.
Which Hatch Chiles Should I use for this Recipe?
Given that the lowest level (1904) of Hatch chiles is very mild, I would suggest using all, but this one. Using Joe Parker – medium, Big Jim – medium hot, or Sandia – hot, would be the best options. See the link below to order from The Hatch Chile Store.
Experiment with different shapes of pasta: I’ve used orrecchiete, elbow macaroni, fusilli, farfalle, shells, anelli Siciliani, and mini penne!
I hope you try this recipe and love it just as much as I do, and if you do, I would truly appreciate a click on the 5 stars in the printable recipe card below!
Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Hatch Chiles
adapted from my own recipe serves 10
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- butter
- flour
- Cheddar cheese
- Havarti cheese
- Gouda cheese
- Swiss cheese
- salt
- milk
- white pepper
- nutmeg
- Hatch chiles
- pasta
Directions
PLEASE NOTE: This recipe makes enough sauce for TWO pounds of pasta. I always make this amount as the sauce freezes extremely well, and that way I only have to make the sauce once for every two meals.
Prepare the Hatch Chiles
Defrost, remove the skin and drain them in a sieve or colander, saving the liquid (you can add it to the sauce for more flavor.)
Next, slice the chiles into small pieces.
Make the Cheese Sauce then add Hatch Chiles
Cook the Pasta and Mix in Half of the Cheese and Hatch Chile Sauce – Serve and Enjoy!
Don’t Forget to Refrigerate or Freeze the Rest of the Cheese Sauce!
To order your own Hatch green (or red) chiles, click the link below!
The Hatch Chile Store
Four Cheese Mac and Cheese with Hatch Chiles
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 oz white cheddar cheese grated, good quality
- 3 oz Havarti cheese grated, good quality
- 2 oz Gouda cheese grated, good quality
- 1 oz Swiss cheese grated, good quality
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- ⅛ tsp white pepper to taste
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg (a dash)
- 4 to 8 Hatch green chiles roasted (your choice of heat level)
- 1 lb pasta made in Italy, good quality
Instructions
- Place the Hatch chiles in a sieve or colander so the liquid drains out, then slice into small pieces.
- Start making the cheese sauce, but if the pasta water comes to a boil before you add the cheese to the sauce you are making, turn it down.
- Melt the butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat, then add the flour and stir well. Continue to cook while stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes, but do not let it brown. (Cooking the flour well is important because the sauce will have a “raw-flour” taste if it isn’t cooked long enough.
- Have the milk closeby in a jug that is easy to pour from, and add a little drop of milk. The milk should sizzle and steam immediately, if it doesn’t, turn up the heat a little. Once the milk does sizzle, begin adding a little at a time, and stirring quickly to keep the sauce smooth. Start with about 2 tablespoons of milk, then 2 more, then a little more each time. Once the sauce begins to form, you can add more milk each time. Just make sure all the milk has been absorbed after each addition, before adding more.
- Once the sauce is finished, add salt, nutmeg and white pepper to taste, and lower the heat.
- At this point, cook the pasta.
- Stir the white sauce so it doesn’t stick. Now, add the grated cheeses to the white sauce, and stir until it is melted, adjusting the heat if necessary. Stir constantly or it will stick.
- Add the sliced Hatch chiles and stir well
- When the pasta is ready (al dente), drain and return to the pot. Add HALF of the cheese sauce, if you made the full recipe. Serve hot!
- Don't forget to freeze the other half of the cheese sauce.
Notes
- The secret to not having lumps in white sauce is to gradually increase the amount of milk you add each time; if you add too much at once, especially early on, chances are you will end up with lumpy sauce (which is completely reparable with an immersion blender!)
Nutrition
More popular Hatch Chile recipes ~
Low Carb Hatch Chile Rellenos Casserole
Hatch Chile Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
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In your recipe you said 4-8 hatch chilies (your choice of heat)
Green chilies have no heat. The can says MILD. Heat would be with jalapeños or Serrano peppers. Do your homework before posting.
Wow, you’re going to regret posting your comment! :) Clearly, it’s not ME who needs to do my homework. Here are the hot green chiles if you’d like to expand your culinary repertoire. And if you don’t care to click, this is from the Hatch Chile site, “Our roasted, frozen hatch green chile is available whole (flame-roasted and hand peeled) and chopped (flame-roasted, hand peeled, then de-seeded, de-stemmed, and chopped in small squares) in Mild, Medium, Medium-Hot, and Hot.” You’re very welcome!
Wow, you’ve never had a hatch Chile with those comments. I buy mild to medium hatch chiles bcuz I would never be able to handle med to hot, and I LOVE THE HEAT!! Order hatch chiles, you’ll never look back. Also, kindness goes a long way
Thanks, Anne! Agree on all your points. :)
Not sure what world you live in that green Chile has no heat. Green peppers don’t, but seeing as I’m from the green Chile capital of the world, it’s you that needs to do your homework. I can give you some green chile that one bite would leave you drinking a gallon of milk to remove the heat. What a tacky comment without you being the one to do your homework.
Thanks for the backup, Garcia!
Hi all. Big TIP, ignore step one in this recipe. Never ever never strain the juice off of your fresh roasted, peeled and seeded chiles and pour down the drain!!!! We actually covet the juice, especially that which remains when you buy fresh roasted in bulk by the bushel. We always freeze the chiles with the blistered and blackened skins on them as it creates a wonderful, intensely flavored “Chile liquor.” We take any left over after juice from the fresh roasted bushel and pour it into ice cube trays and use it in everything from white chili to tortilla soup to mac and cheese to green chile stew just to name a few. We refer to it as “Chile liquor” or “green chile au jus.” The Chile liquor will literally elevate most dishes you add it to, to next level.
Thanks for the tip, Dana! I didn’t know that about the liquid! Good to know!
Really great recipe to use up our chilies. Our markets are spilling over with the harvest. I use the medium fire roasted and keep the juice. The cheese sauce tempers that heat down a bit. We usually pour it into a casserole crock, add some shredded hatch cheese and bacon and broil it for a nice golden top.
it’s funny – i made a white sauce today for a lasagne to take over to our 90 year old neighbour. i was saying to hubby that white sauce seems to scare some people but it’s actually so darn easy to make. i use a hand whisk and never have any lumps. i like the idea of four cheeses.
cheers
sherry
Isn’t it so easy!? How lovely of you to feed your neighbor! Bless you! Stay safe! :)
What an interesting take on the classic dish, Christina! I like the idea of a little kick to my mac and cheese. Stay well!
Thanks, Frank!
Chiles combined with cheese combined with pasta? Count me in!
Right? Can’t lose with this combo!