# Creamy Spicy Mac and Cheese

## Description
A quick and easy recipe for creamy, spicy mac and cheese, featuring a rich cheese sauce infused with hot sauce and a blend of cheeses.

## Quick Facts
- Calories: 720 per serving
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: easy
- Cuisine: American
- Health Score: 4.5/10

## Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 720
- Protein: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fat: 47g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1080mg

## Dietary Information
This recipe is: Vegetarian, Nut-Free

## Ingredients (4 servings)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Stay Spicy by DIG.)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (dry, cooked according to package directions)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley (for garnish)

## Instructions
1. In a large skillet or pan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1 medium diced yellow onion, and sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Pour in 2 cups of heavy cream and add 0.5 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of hot sauce to the simmering cream mixture and whisk well to combine until the sauce turns a uniform orange color.
4. Stir in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Continue whisking until the cheese is fully melted and incorporated into the sauce, creating a smooth, creamy consistency.
5. Add the cooked 2 cups of elbow macaroni to the cheese sauce. Stir thoroughly with a spatula or spoon, ensuring all the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy sauce.
6. Top the mac and cheese with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of dried parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.

## Allergen Information
Contains: gluten, dairy

## Tags
pasta, comfort-food, cheesy, spicy, quick

## Machine-Readable Data

### Recipe Metadata
```json
{
  "id": "9b2502f2-2e85-460b-ba11-65352bf525f8",
  "youtube_id": "W1mceX7uJeg",
  "title": "Creamy Spicy Mac and Cheese",
  "cuisine_type": "American",
  "meal_type": [
    "lunch",
    "dinner"
  ],
  "difficulty_level": "easy",
  "servings": 4,
  "prep_time_minutes": 10,
  "cook_time_minutes": 15,
  "total_time_minutes": 25,
  "health_score": 4.5,
  "created_at": "2025-07-10T07:26:10.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-07-10T07:26:10.000Z"
}
```

### Ingredients Data
```json
{
  "servings": 4,
  "ingredients": [
    {
      "name": "unsalted butter",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "garlic",
      "amount": 3,
      "unit": "cloves",
      "notes": "minced"
    },
    {
      "name": "yellow onion",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "medium",
      "notes": "diced"
    },
    {
      "name": "heavy cream",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "hot sauce",
      "amount": 3,
      "unit": "tablespoons",
      "notes": "such as Stay Spicy by DIG."
    },
    {
      "name": "shredded mozzarella cheese",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "elbow macaroni",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "cups",
      "notes": "dry, cooked according to package directions"
    },
    {
      "name": "shredded cheddar cheese",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "red pepper flakes",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "black pepper",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "salt",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "dried parsley",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "for garnish"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Nutrition Data (per serving)
```json
{
  "calories": 720,
  "macros": {
    "protein_g": 24,
    "carbs_g": 49,
    "fat_g": 47,
    "fiber_g": 3,
    "sugar_g": 5,
    "sodium_mg": 1080
  },
  "dietary_tags": {
    "vegan": false,
    "vegetarian": true,
    "gluten_free": false,
    "dairy_free": false,
    "nut_free": true
  }
}
```

---
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