This week I’m bringing you an indulgent recipe that for me just screams comfort food. It’s cheesy, it’s carb-y and it’s out of this world. This Taco Mac and Cheese combines cheesy noodles with taco-seasoned ground beef. The star of the show however are the taco toppings that finish off the dish for the ultimate flavor combination. You can switch up the toppings but I used sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and shredded lettuce—which happen to be my favorite taco toppings. It’s the kind of recipe you make when you’re having a rough week and need a pick-me-up. This one also reminds me of my pozole mac and cheese from a while back. It’s equally as comforting and equally as delicious.
Set a large (3.8 quart) shallow dutch oven over moderate heat. Once hot, drizzle in the olive oil and add the ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and cook, stirring often, until the beef has cooked through and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
**Tip: You can also swap out the ground beef for ground chicken, turkey or even meatless crumbles.**
Stir in the diced green chilies, all but 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning (reserving those 2 tablespoons for the cheese sauce), 1/3 cup water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture has thickened. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
**Tip: You can also mix in a can of black beans that have been drained and rinsed her at this step if you’d like.**
Add the butter to the same pan and once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for about 30 seconds or so. Then slowly whisk in the milk. Lower the heat and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened. Season with a large pinch of salt, pepper, the reserved 2 tablespoons taco seasoning and a couple dashes of hot sauce.
**Note: If you’d prefer to make your own taco seasoning, which is super easy to do and most likely you have the spices in your pantry as it is, then you can find the recipe in this taco post from a while back.**
Remove from the heat and then add 1 cup Cheddar, 1 cup pepper jack and the American cheese if using. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and silky.
**Note: The American cheese is totally optional but I always add a few slices to any cheese sauce because I find that it makes the sauce super silky and it gives it a taste that I can’t quite explain but honestly it’s perfect, trust me.**
Stir in the cooked macaroni and the seasoned ground beef from earlier until well combined.
**Note: I just cook some elbow pasta according to the package directions. You can also use shells or cavatappi if you’d prefer.**
Top with the remaining cheddar and pepper jack and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. You can also pop it under the broiler for about a minute or so to really crisp up the top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serve with your desired taco toppings. You really want to go all out with the toppings to really give this that taco look and taste.
I used sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce and some crushed up nacho cheese chips. That might sound weird but the combination of hot (from the mac and cheese) and cold from the toppings but also crunchiness from the chips is just perfection.
Make things easier for yourself and just get the toppings (salsa and guacamole) from the store. But if you really want to go all out, of course make them yourself.
This is seriously a comfort food if there ever was one. It checks all of the boxes and honestly I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll want to make it again and again, I promise. Give it a try and let me know what you think! As always, thank you so much for reading and following along.
Taco Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- skillet
- whisk
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef such as 90/10
- 1 small yellow onion minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 7-ounce can diced green chilies drained
- 1 1-ounce packet low-sodium taco seasoning
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- Couple dashes hot sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded medium Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 3 slices American cheese (optional)
- 1 pound dried macaroni cooked according to package directions
Toppings:
- Shredded lettuce
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Crushed nacho cheese chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Set a large (3.8 quart) shallow dutch oven over moderate heat. Once hot, drizzle in the olive oil and add the ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and cook, stirring often, until the beef has cooked through and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the diced green chilies, all but 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning (reserving those 2 tablespoons for the cheese sauce), 1/3 cup water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture has thickened. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
- Add the butter to the same pan and once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for about 30 seconds or so. Then slowly whisk in the milk. Lower the heat and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened. Season with a large pinch of salt, pepper, the reserved 2 tablespoons taco seasoning and a couple dashes of hot sauce.
- Remove from the heat and then add 1 cup Cheddar, 1 cup pepper jack and the American cheese if using. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and silky. Stir in the cooked macaroni and the seasoned ground beef from earlier until well combined.
- Top with the remaining cheddar and pepper jack and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve with your desired taco toppings and enjoy!
what a fun combo of comfort or “splurge calorie” fun, justified after a good workout, thank you!