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You are here: Home / Pasta, Potatoes, Rice & Grains / Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

September 21, 2017 7 Comments

Hatch Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese Served on a White Plate with Tomatoes and Sausage

This Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese is smooth, creamy and flavorful with the subtle bite of Hatch Green Chiles.

Hatch Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and CheeseGreen Chile Macaroni and Cheese

I’ve mentioned on these pages that my first introduction to chiles in Colorado were Jalapeño and I kept my distance. I’ve had a lifetime aversion to green bell peppers and moving to Colorado meant being introduced to a wide variety of green peppers and I presumed that my disdain was necessary for all of them and it would only be multiplied if they were hot.

I spent over thirty years living in the Midwest and South; neither of them known for having a culture that included foods with ‘heat’ so I had quite the learning trajectory. Over the years I did learn though and now I love a wide variety of peppers from jalapeño to poblano to serrano and in the past several years the list has grown to include the peppers from Hatch, New Mexico. Still, no green bell peppers for me; nope, that will NEVER change!

Hatch Green Chiles

Chiles grown in and around Hatch, New Mexico, are called Hatch chiles, but no one type of chile is specific to that area. The peppers grown in the valley, and along the entire Rio Grande, from northern Taos Pueblo to southern Isleta Pueblo, are a signature crop to New Mexico’s economy and culture.The chile pepper is also New Mexico’s state vegetable.

The New Mexico green chile pepper flavor has been described as lightly pungent similar to an onion, or like garlic with a subtly sweet, spicy, crisp, and smoky taste. When ripened, the red pepper retains the flavor but adds an earthiness and bite while aging mellows the front-heat and delivers more of a back-heat. The spiciness depends on the variety of New Mexico chile peppers. I get a bushel full roasted every year at a roadside stand and varieties aren’t mentioned, simply Hot, Medium, or Mild. I’m a Medium!

Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

A full bushel will equal about 12 lbs of roasted chiles so I package and freeze about half of that and neighbors eagerly buy the remaining ones. Someone asked what I did with them and the list was easy and endless. Add to scrambled eggs, salsa, chicken dishes, salad dressings, pork marinade, and more. For me, I NEED to make this Chile Relleno Casserole; it is simply amazing. I first tried this a bazillion years ago at a Broncos football game and that activity remains a perfect time to offer it to guests.

If they are not offered in your area; simply find a green chile with medium heat, an Anaheim or Poblano for instance. Roasting them is easy…either set them directly on top of a burner on a gas stovetop, under the broiler element inside your stove (watch carefully!) or on top of the grate of a gas grill and char them all over. After they’re charred, remove them and put them into a plastic bag and zip it or tie it up tightly to allow the steam and heat to loosen the outer charred membrane. Once they’ve cooled, it’s easy to clean off the char, cut them open and clean out the seeds before using. Or keep the seeds if you want to up the heat quotient…but be careful!

Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is one I’ve had for so long I don’t know where it came from; I think a neighbor must have shared it with me when I lived in North Carolina. It’s simple but a great blend of ingredients (and I usually double it too…it disappears!). It is super cheesy, what my kids used to call ‘goopy’ mac and cheese and we like it that way. If you like a drier version; just bake it longer and add the bread crumbs halfway through baking. For my version, I made the crumbs separately and spoon them on top after it’s baked in the oven; I love the contrast of texture between the smooth creamy Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese and the super crunchy topping. Absolute perfection!

If you LOVE mac and cheese like I do; try this Smoky Gouda with Bacon version sometime too. It’s equally delicious.

PIN IT! ‘Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese’

Hatch Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese Served on a White Plate with Tomatoes and Sausage

Yield: 4 -6

Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Hatch Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and CheeseGreen Chile Macaroni and Cheese

 This rich, creamy, stovetop macaroni and cheese is seasoned with Hatch green chiles and topped with crispy crackers, it's divine!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For Topping

  • 3/4 sleeve coarsely crumbled crackers, Ritz style
  • 1 Tbsp Butter

For Macaroni and Cheese

  • 3 cups uncooked macaroni
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 10 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 8-10 oz. Mexican Shredded cheese, grated
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Hatch Green Chiles, roasted and cleaned
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. To make the crumb topping, melt the butter in a medium saucepan until melted. Add the crumbs and cook on medium heat until just toasted; 4-5 minutes.
  2. Cook macaroni as directed until just al dente; drain and set aside.
  3. Lightly grease the inside of an oven proof baking dish.
  4. Beat eggs until combined and add milk, ricotta cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and Mexican cheese blend and stir until thoroughly combined. Add macaroni and chopped Hatch green chiles and mix until well blended.
  5. Pour mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. (See
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and serve.

Notes

The amount of Hatch chiles varies depending on the heat of your chiles and your taste. I liked mine with a lot of them but cooked this recipe with a minimal amount to insure it would satisfy all palates and then served it with a a bowl of chopped chiles on the side for those who wanted a stronger flavor.

We also like our mac and cheese to be saucy but if you prefer yours firmer; bake an additional 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Creative Culinary
Category: Pasta, Potatoes, Rice & Grains

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Comments

  1. Pamela Cox says

    October 21, 2017 at 2:36 pm

    You list Mexican shredded cheese as an ingredient. What kind of cheese is that exactly? There is no mention of it in the instructions. Is it added to the beaten eggs along with the other ingredients or is it used to top the casserole?
    Reply
    • Creative Culinary says

      October 21, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      I buy a Kraft Product Pamela that is labeled as Mexican Cheese; it's a combination of four cheeses. If it's not available to you; just use either Cheddar or a combination of Cheddar and Monterey Jack. http://www.kraftrecipes.com/products/kraft-mexican-style-four-cheese-4934.aspx The shredded cheese should be mixed with the other ingredients; eggs, milk, ricotta, etc. I've fixed that mistake on the recipe...my apologies, that's a biggie! Hope you enjoy it...now I'm craving it again!
      Reply
    • Pamela Cox says

      October 21, 2017 at 5:17 pm

      I know the cheese combination you're referring to and will add it accordingly. Have had lots of success with your recipes and green chile is abundant now, perfect for tomorrow's dinner.
      Reply
      • Creative Culinary says

        October 22, 2017 at 8:56 am

        Oh how I love hearing that! I've got a ton of them on hand now too; just had a full basket roasted and gave half to neighbors and another half are frozen in 1 lb packages for future use. I have a seriously decadent recipe that I use them for; it was served at a football game party I went to many years ago when I hadn't been in Denver long. I stayed clear of most green chiles because I didn't like green pepper and it opened the door for me to recognize how different they are from a bell pepper. It might be something that appeals to you too? https://creative-culinary.com/chili-relleno-casserole/
        Reply
        • Pamela Cox says

          October 24, 2017 at 7:33 am

          You did send that out recently and I'm planning to make it soon. I live in NM and we put green chile on just about everything, so always on the lookout for new recipes.
  2. Debra Bartels says

    September 21, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    I will try this. I'm in Vegas and we can only get the hatch peppers in September. I got a box roasted and put them in the freezer. Also bought some to dry to make pepper dust. My husband is a big fan of HOT! Thanks for sharing tne recipe.
    Reply
    • Creative Culinary says

      September 22, 2017 at 9:33 am

      I freeze a bunch too; we just love the flavor of them. And you're welcome...hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
      Reply

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