Mexican Mac and Cheese
Taco Mac and Cheese combines two family favorites in 30 minutes or less. There's no boxed mac and cheese in sight, just homemade goodness using fresh or leftover taco meat.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces elbow macaroni noodles 1 1/2 cups
- ¾ pound ground beef
- ½ cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 5 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained 14.5 ounces
- 1 can diced green chiles, drained 4 ounces
- 4 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- Crushed tortilla chips, sliced green onions, salsa and sour cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook noodles according to package instructions for al dente. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, add beef and onion to large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until meat is cooked through, using spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Spoon out and discard any excess grease in pan. Use slotted spoon to transfer beef mixture to medium bowl.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in same skillet. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. While whisking, add milk in steady stream and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat. Add taco seasoning and whisk until well combined. Add tomatoes, chiles, cheese, pasta and meat. Stir until well combined and cheese is melted.
- Serve topped with with crushed tortilla chips, sliced green onions, salsa and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
- I’ll always remind you to salt your pasta water. Salt it generously! If you don’t do this, your finished taco mac and cheese will taste bland. If you’re new to salting pasta water, Taste of Home has a great article on How to Salt Pasta Water the Right Way.
- Drain the canned tomatoes and green chiles very well, as you don’t need any extra liquid added to this hamburger mac and cheese.
- Buy cheese in a block and shred it yourself for the best melting for this taco mac recipe. That pre-shredded stuff is easy, but just never melts as well, and never tastes as good, either, in my opinion.
Calories: 637kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 528mg, Potassium: 806mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 827IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 352mg, Iron: 4mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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