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a spoonful of Taco Mac and Cheese made with elbow paste and cheddar with Taco seasoned ground beef with taco in creamy cheesy smooth mixture
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5 from 3 votes

Taco Mac and Cheese

Beef up Mexican night with this satisfying two favorites in one dish. Mac and Cheese hits Taco in this ultimate recipe that will have everyone asking for seconds.
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheese, easy mac and cheese, macandcheese, mexicannight, taco, taco mac and cheese
Author: Lama

Ingredients

  • 1 lb elbow pasta
  • 1 ½ lb ground meat
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 8 oz sharp cheddar shredded cheese
  • 3 cups milk
  • ½ stick butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ tablespoon salt

Instructions

  • Drain the elbow noodles after cooking them following package instructions.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet to sauté the ground meat for 6-7 minutes. 
  • Add in the taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water, then set aside.  
  • Whisk the butter and flour on medium heat until thickened in the same pot where you cooked the noodles. Then add 3 cups milk, 1/2 tablespoon salt.  Whisk on high heat until the sauce is thick.
  • Add all the @Tillamook cheese to the sauce and mix until melted and cheesy. 
  • Add in the drained elbow noodles, the taco seasoned meat to the pot.
  • Mix well, then transfer to a serving dish. Optional, to make it cheesier place in a baking dish then top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350°F for about 7 minutes then broil on low heat for 3-5 minutes or until golden.

Notes

  1. The taco mac and cheese is very easy. But, there is milk in the ingredients. So, you have to pay attention since it boils fast and burns easily. Burnt milk may ruin the flavors of the recipe.
  2. For instance, elbow pasta is the most common in the taco mac and cheese recipe. But if you do not have it, you should not worry. A great thing about this recipe is that you can use any type of pasta you like. You might use farfalle, rotini, noodles, whole wheat pasta, chickpea pasta, etc.
  3. If one of your guests is vegetarian, you should not be anxious. You can make the suitable variation. So, you can skip the ground beef. Simply, replace it with a can of soybeans.
  4. If you or one of your guests has a gluten free diet, you can do some adjustments. You can simply choose gluten-free pasta and gluten free flour. You can keep everyone satisfied with this recipe.