Olive oil Breadcrumbs Dried pasta elbow (preferred) or penne Butter Jalapeños seeds and veins removed, diced Onion Garlic All-purpose flour Whole milk Cream cheese softened to room temperature (and cubed) Shredded mozzarella cheese Salt Ground black pepper Ground cumin Ground oregano
Heat olive oil and add bread crumbs. Stir continuously until golden brown, then set aside for later use.
Boil water and cook pasta until just 1 minute shy of al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and toss pasta in a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Melt butter, sauté the jalapeños, onion and garlic, until they soften. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. Slowly pour in whole milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Add in mozzarella cheese, stirring until it’s all melted. Then, add the spices (salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano) and stir.
Top with remaining mozzarella and sprinkle the top with toasted breadcrumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
To make it a hearty meal, add some cooked ground beef or ground turkey. You can serve it with tortilla chips for extra crunch.