Taco Macaroni and Cheese
This Taco Macaroni and Cheese combines the comforting richness of classic mac and cheese with the bold, zesty flavors of your favorite taco night meal. A robust meaty sauce made from seasoned ground beef, Ro-Tel, and melty cheese coats every piece of pasta, while tangy sour cream finishes it off with toppings like guacamole and green onions. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleasing mashup that delivers the best of both worlds in one skillet.
Using leaner ground meat like lean ground beef or ground turkey is an excellent way to prevent this hearty Tex-Mex mac and cheese from becoming overly rich or greasy. This allows the bright flavors of the tomatoes, zesty taco seasoning, and creamy toppings to truly shine through.
Making this entire taco mac and cheese dish in a single skillet is a sure way to add convenience to your weeknight family dinners, with significantly less cleanup to follow. Easily adapt the level of heat in this dish and serve with your favorite taco toppings!
If you love the comforting textures and flavors of classic macaroni and cheese, don’t skip past this Smoker Macaroni and Cheese, Bacon Leek Macaroni and Cheese, or Irish Mac and Cheese.
What is taco macaroni and cheese?
This taco macaroni and cheese is a delicious Tex-Mex twist on traditional macaroni and cheese where tender macaroni pasta and lean ground meat meld with the bold flavors of undrained Ro-Tel tomatoes, softened onion, diced canned tomatoes, creamy-tangy sour cream, taco seasoning, and melty shredded cheese. The assembled taco mac and cheese is then topped with a spiced sour cream sauce, green onions, and salsa!
Have this one-pan taco macaroni and cheese ready to serve in just under an hour with easy preparation and minimal cleanup – perfect for casual weeknight dinners or when you need to serve a hungry crowd.
Ingredients needed to make this taco macaroni and cheese
- Macaroni: The go-to kind of pasta for classic mac and cheese. Cook the pasta only until al dente to prevent it from becoming overly soft.
- Ground meat: Ground beef or ground turkey is a great choice for this taco mac and cheese. If you opt for ground beef, use lean ground beef (80% – 90%) as a way to reduce excess grease.
- Onion: Adds a slightly sweet addition to the ground meat mixture when softened.
- Can diced tomatoes: Choose the kind that includes green chilis. I buy mine in bulk at Costco.
- Ro-Tel: This adds extra tangy heat. Don’t drain – the juice is added as flavorful liquid for this taco macaroni and cheese.
- Taco seasoning: This is my go-to seasoning for most Mexican-inspired dishes. It infuses bold, smoky, and spicy flavors. Feel free to use a homemade taco seasoning blend or low-sodium packets to reduce the salt in this dish.
- Sour cream: Brings creamy richness to the ground meat mixture.
- Mexican Cheese: I’ve used shredded Mexican cheese, but you could use your own combination of freshly shredded sharp cheddar, Pepper Jack, Colby, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella.
- Sauce: Combine sour cream, cumin, and chili powder for the sauce.
- Toppings: Top your assembled taco macaroni and cheese with thinly sliced green onions, guacamole, and salsa(homemade or store-bought).
How do you make this taco macaroni and cheese
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- Before draining, carefully reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water in case it’s needed later.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Prepare the ground meat sauce:
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Once fully cooked, drain off any excess grease and transfer the browned beef to a separate plate.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and sauté until it has softened.
- Return the drained ground beef to the skillet with the onions and stir to combine.
Simmer the sauce:
- Add the diced tomatoes, Ro-Tel, and taco seasoning to the skillet. Stir everything together until well incorporated.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Allow it to simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Add pasta:
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir to coat it evenly in the meat sauce.
- Cover the skillet and let it warm through over low heat for 15-20 minutes. If the mixture appears too thick, stir in the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Stir in the grated cheese until it has fully melted.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream until the mixture is creamy and uniform.
Make the topping sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the cumin and chili powder.
Add toppings and serve:
- Top the assembled taco macaroni and cheese with the seasoned sour cream, green onions, salsa, guacamole, and more cheese.
- Serve and enjoy!
Serving
This taco macaroni and cheese is a hearty and complete meal that you can enjoy as a standalone dish. That said, this Tex-Mex mac and cheese is great alongside crusty garlic bread or Buttermilk Cornbread to soak up any excess meat sauce.
A refreshing side salad, Charred Grilled Corn Salad, or Corn Slaw are delicious sides for this taco-inspired pasta meal.
Stay true to the Mexican influence by completing this meal with a scoop of this delicious Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover taco macaroni and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, broth, or sour cream to loosen the mac and cheese.
- Al dente pasta: Only cook the pasta until al dente. Since it will continue to soften when mixed with the other heated ingredients, subtract about 2 minutes from the package’s suggested cook time to avoid mushiness.
- Types of ground meat: This recipe works well with ground beef or ground turkey. Ground chicken could also be used for a leaner version.
- Don’t drain the Ro-Tel: Make sure that you use the entire can of Ro-Tel. The tangy, spiced juices are the secret to building a flavorful sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Reserve pasta water: Save about a ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta. A splash can loosen the sauce slightly without diluting the bold flavors of this dish.
- Add the pasta at the end: Only stir the pasta into the skillet towards the end of the recipe to prevent it from overcooking.
- Gluten-free: Swap regular macaroni pasta for a sturdy GF variety like brown rice or chickpea pasta, which holds up well to the sauce.
- Use a large skillet: Choose a skillet large enough to comfortably stir and simmer all of the ingredients together. Crowding the pan makes even heating difficult.
- Extra smokey twist: Try fire-roasted diced tomatoes in place of Ro-Tel or add a pinch of cayenne if you prefer extra heat.
- Drain excess grease: Be sure to drain any excess grease from your ground meat that you notice in the pan before adding in the other ingredients otherwise you can end up with a greasy mac and cheese.
- Use freshly shredded cheese: Avoid pre-shredded cheese as this is often coated in anti-caking agents for a longer shelf-life. This prevents the cheese from melting as well and also dulls the flavor.
More taco-inspired recipes you may want to try:
Get the Recipe:
Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 16 ounces macaroni elbow pasta, (save 1/2 cup pasta water)
- 1.5 lbs ground beef, or ground turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 14.5-ounce diced tomatoes with green chilis, I buy bulk at Costco
- 1 10 ounce can Ro-Tel, undrained
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 T sour cream
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, plus more for toppings
For the Sour Cream Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
For Toppings
- 3 green onions, sliced thin
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1 cup salsa
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain, rinse and set aside. *Keep 1/2 cup of the pasta water in case you want to add it to the mixture later.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain off any grease. Add the onion and sauté until soft and cooked through, then add the beef back into the skillet and stir.
- Turn the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, Ro-Tel, and taco seasoning and mix together.
- Turn to low and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stir, and then add in the pasta. Reduce heat to low and cover and allow to cook on the stovetop for 15-20 minutes. Add in the pasta water if it’s too thick and you want the consistency thinner.
- Stir in the grated cheese and allow to melt.
- Turn off heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of sour cream.
Sour Cream Sauce:
- Mix the 1/2 cup sour cream with the cumin and chili powder.
Toppings:
- Top the mixture with the seasoned sour cream, green onions, salsa, guacamole, and more cheese.
- Serve!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
