Description
Creamy comfort meets zesty excitement in this taco mac and cheese masterpiece, blending Mexican-inspired spices with classic cheesy goodness. Hearty pasta shells cuddle seasoned ground beef and melted cheese, promising a flavor-packed meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Pasta and Cheese:
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup salsa
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a large baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbly pieces until no pink remains.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to develop robust flavor profiles.
- Cook elbow macaroni in a separate pot of salted boiling water until al dente, typically 8-9 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- In the same pasta pot, combine shredded cheddar, monterey jack, and cream cheese with milk, creating a smooth, velvety cheese sauce over low heat.
- Incorporate minced garlic, sour cream, and a pinch of salt and pepper into the cheese mixture, stirring until completely integrated.
- Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce, ensuring each pasta piece is generously coated.
- Gently mix the seasoned ground beef into the cheesy pasta, distributing evenly throughout the mixture.
- Transfer the combined mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it uniformly.
- Top the casserole with diced tomatoes and salsa, creating a vibrant layer of color and additional flavor.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and slightly bubbling.
- Remove from oven and garnish with freshly chopped green onions before serving hot.
Notes
- Customize taco seasoning intensity by adjusting the amount or using homemade spice blends for personalized heat levels.
- Replace ground beef with ground turkey, plant-based crumbles, or black beans for lighter protein alternatives that suit different dietary needs.
- Experiment with cheese variations like pepper jack, gouda, or Mexican blend to create unique flavor profiles and textures.
- Enhance nutritional value by incorporating diced bell peppers, corn, or spinach into the mac and cheese mixture for added vegetables and color.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg