When comfort food and Mexican flavors collide, magic happens. Beef taco macaroni and cheese is an epic culinary creation that combines the gooey goodness of mac and cheese with the savory flavors of taco meat, creating a dish that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice cook, this recipe is a surefire hit that will become a staple in your kitchen. So, fire up your stove, grab your ingredients, and prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will transport you to flavor town.
Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!
EASY TACO MAC AND CHEESE
This is a simple macaroni and cheese recipe with a taco twist. There are multiple ways to mix it up and leave out or use ingredients that you do or don't have. Would love feedback on ways you have mixed it up and what tasted best! Thank you for using. When serving, you can also top the dish with lettuce, tomato, onions, and sour cream.
Provided by Sarah Jayne Jeffries
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 1h1m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add salsa, corn, and taco seasoning. Season meat sauce with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in pasta and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
- Combine the meat sauce, pasta, Colby-Jack cheese, and green onions in a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 379.8 calories, Carbohydrate 30.8 g, Cholesterol 66.1 mg, Fat 19.9 g, Fiber 2.5 g, Protein 21.4 g, SaturatedFat 11.2 g, Sodium 965.5 mg, Sugar 4.3 g
TACO MAC 'N' CHEESE
Provided by James Briscione
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 8 to 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place a large saute pan over high heat, add the ground beef and taco seasoning, reserving 1 tablespoon of the mix for the Perfect Cheese Sauce. Mix thoroughly. Cook, stirring often using a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into small crumbles. Continue cooking until the meat releases its liquid, and then cook further until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Combine the Perfect Cheese Sauce and cooked pasta in a large bowl. Pour in the cooked meat and stir to combine. Pour into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Level the pasta with the back of a spoon or spatula. Scatter the grated Cheddar over the pasta. Bake until browned and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool 5 minutes.
- Immediately before serving, scatter the sour cream, lettuce and fresh tomato over the mac 'n' cheese.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring often, until a thick paste forms and turns golden brown. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook 30 seconds more.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, adding 1 cup at a time. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer before adding the next. It will be extremely thick at first and will thin with each addition. When all the milk is added bring the sauce to a simmer and cook 5 more minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the Cheddar and Parmesan and whisk until smooth. The sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for 6 months. If using from cold, carefully bring the sauce back to a boil before serving.
ONE-PAN TACO MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: olive oil, ground beef, small white onion, garlic, taco seasoning, small macaroni, water, beef stock, shredded white cheddar, tomato, green onion
Provided by Iris Tian
Categories Dinner
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a 4-quart chicken fryer, heat approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the onions until they begin to soften.
- Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Using your spatula, break up the ground beef and stir until cooked. Drain the excess liquid from the pan.
- Add water, beef stock, pasta, tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning back to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring twice to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Increase heat to medium after 15 minutes, and stir pasta until most of the liquid is gone.
- Turn off heat and add the shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted.
- Top with green onions.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1023 calories, Carbohydrate 81 grams, Fat 49 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 52 grams, Sugar 13 grams
CHEESY TACO MAC & CHEESE
Salsa and ground beef plus our secret (now your secret) blend of spices stirred into everyone's favorite mac and cheese: best thing east or west of the Rio Grande.
Provided by My Food and Family
Categories Home
Time 20m
Yield 3 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Prepare Dinner in large saucepan as directed on pkg.
- Add remaining ingredients; mix well.
- Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 520, Fat 24 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Sodium 890 mg, Carbohydrate 52 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 9 g, Protein 24 g
MACARONI TACO BAKE
Comforting mac and cheese with a touch of taco flavoring and tortilla-chip crunch-no wonder everyone loves it! It's a fun change of pace from regular macaroni. -Elizabeth King, Duluth, Minnesota
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 45m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Stir in salsa; set aside., Spread macaroni into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with beef mixture, chips and olives; sprinkle with cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° until heated through, 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 597 calories, Fat 33g fat (17g saturated fat), Cholesterol 105mg cholesterol, Sodium 991mg sodium, Carbohydrate 48g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 28g protein.
TACO MACARONI
From Marissa Undercofler of Howard, Pennsylvania, this dish uses three different applications of tomatoes. And it's a hearty way to warm up, and fill up, this winter!
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. , Stir in the tomatoes, soup, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until thickened., Drain macaroni; stir into meat mixture and heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutrition Facts :
TACO MAC & CHEESE
I came up with this recipe on a night when I was super exhausted after work but wanted to at least attempt to cook something for dinner. This is quick, easy, and delish!
Provided by megs_
Categories Cheese
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make box of macaroni and cheese as directed.
- Meanwhile, brown ground beef and drain.
- Add taco seasoning/water.
- Simmer meat mixture for 5 minutes.
- While simmering, add 1 tbsp hot sauce and 1 tbsp butter. Mix well.
- Drain meat.
- Add meat to macaroni and cheese, mix well.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese, mix gently 'til melted.
- Serve! YUM!
TACO MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH BURGER
This is one of the recipes I "adopted" and as soon as possible, I'm going to "tweak" this and repost it.
Provided by Chef shapeweaver
Categories Cheese
Time 35m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Brown and drain ground beef and set aside.
- Cook and drain macaroni and set aside.
- In a pan, big enough to hold macaroni and burger plus, melt margarine over medium heat.
- Slowly add flour while stirring (try not to get lumps).
- Very slowly add water while stirring.
- Slowly add milk while stirring.
- Add taco mix and stir very well.
- Add the cheeses and stir constantly until cheese is melted.
- Add sour cream and cream of mushroom soup, stirring well.
- Add the macaroni and ground beef, stirring well, until warmed all the through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 908.3, Fat 60.3, SaturatedFat 27.1, Cholesterol 166.5, Sodium 1743.5, Carbohydrate 43.8, Fiber 1.3, Sugar 6.5, Protein 46.2
TACO MACARONI SKILLET
A Mexican take on classic mac & cheese! This creamy beef and noodle dish is perked up with green chiles, taco seasoning, and tomatoes. Perfect for taco night or any day of the week.
Provided by Ortega
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 40m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook beef in a large skillet, stirring frequently, until brown; drain.
- Stir in water, tomatoes with juice, chiles, and seasoning mix. Cook until mixture comes to a boil.
- Add pasta; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 14 to 16 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Stir in evaporated milk. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Cover; let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 198.6 calories, Carbohydrate 13 g, Cholesterol 47.3 mg, Fat 8.6 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 15.9 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 550.9 mg, Sugar 4.9 g
TACO MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: lean ground beef, kosher salt, taco seasoning, Kraft® Macaroni and Cheese Blue Box Original, unsalted butter, milk, Kraft® Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Cholula® Hot Sauce, small tomato, green onion
Provided by KraftHeinz
Categories Dinner
Yield 3 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring 6 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the macaroni and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.
- While the macaroni is cooking, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, until browned. Mix in 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Drain the macaroni in a colander (do not rinse), then return to the pot over low heat. Add the butter, milk, cheese sauce mix, ¼ cup (25 G) Kraft® Shredded Cheddar Cheese, and the remaining tablespoon of taco seasoning and stir well until creamy. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Heat the broiler to high.
- Fold the ground beef into the mac and cheese, then transfer to a medium oven-safe container. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup (100 G) Kraft® Shredded Cheddar Cheese on top.
- Broil the mac and cheese for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle with the Cholula® Hot Sauce, then top with the tomato and green onion. Serve warm.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 703 calories, Carbohydrate 46 grams, Fat 40 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 35 grams, Sugar 8 grams
BETTER CHOICE TACO BEEF AND MACARONI SKILLET
Light sour cream and extra-lean ground beef make this taco mac and cheese skillet dish a better-for-you version of a favorite.
Provided by My Food and Family
Categories Home
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings, 1-3/4 cups each
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add seasoning mix, water and Macaroni; mix lightly. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 7 min. or until macaroni is tender and liquid is almost completely absorbed.
- Stir in sour cream and Cheese Sauce Mix until blended.
- Top with tomatoes, lettuce and tortilla chips.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 440, Fat 11 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 85 mg, Sodium 1110 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 33 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the mac and cheese will be. Use a good quality cheese, macaroni, and beef.
- Cook the macaroni al dente: This means that the macaroni should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. Overcooked macaroni will make the mac and cheese mushy.
- Use a flavorful cheese blend: A combination of different cheeses will give the mac and cheese a more complex flavor. Use a combination of cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Don't be afraid to add some spice: A little bit of spice can help to balance out the richness of the cheese. Add some cayenne pepper, chili powder, or cumin to taste.
- Top it off with your favorite toppings: Mac and cheese is a great dish to customize with your favorite toppings. Some popular toppings include bacon, breadcrumbs, and diced tomatoes.
Conclusion:
Beef taco macaroni and cheese is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is a great way to use up leftover beef and macaroni. This dish is also a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. Simply add some chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, or peas, to the mac and cheese.
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