Easy 30-Minute Taco Mac and Cheese — 🌮🧀🎉 Super creamy, ultra cheesy, flavored with taco seasoning, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro! EASY comfort food with a Mexican flair that’s a family FAVORITE!
Table of Contents
Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe
My daughter adores mac and cheese. And she adores Mexican food and tacos. Therefore, this Mexican mac and cheese was the most perfect food marriage ever for her.
This taco mac n cheese recipe is easy, ready in 30 minutes, super creamy, ultra cheesy, and is flavored with taco seasoning, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro for a taco and Mexican-inspired twist on classic mac and cheese.
I used extra sharp cheddar in this Mexican mac and cheese because it has the most flavor bang for the buck compared to regular cheddar. Bonus, there’s no processed cheese in a block or powdered cheese in sight here!
Three of the four cups (about 12 of the 16 ounces) of cheese are stirred into the macaroni, and the final cup is sprinkled on top. Then, I pop the skillet under the broiler for 2 minutes. You can skip broiling if you want, and just stir all 4 cups of cheese into the macaroni mixture. But I love the texture and flavor of baked or broiled cheese.
This is comfort food on a platter despite it being vegetarian. It’s the perfect recipe to make on hectic weeknights when you’re craving something warm and hearty!
What’s in Taco Mac and Cheese?
To make this skillet mac and cheese, you’ll need:
- Small pasta shells – Medium shells, small elbow, rotini, bowtie, etc. may be substituted
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cashew milk – Feel free to use a milk of choice, but make sure it’s something thicker like 2% or whole. Do not use skim milk
- Taco seasoning
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese – For the best results, buy a block of cheddar and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded varieties contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting well
- Black beans
- Green onions
- Roma tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Taco Mac and Cheese
This easy taco mac and cheese is quick and easy to make with just one pot and a large skillet! Here’s an overview of the cooking process:
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Heat the butter in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add the flour, whisking constantly until it is light browned and bubbly.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to create a creamy cheese sauce. Season with taco seasoning and pepper, whisking until smooth before stirring in the shredded cheese.
- Add the pasta, black beans, green onions, and stir to combine and coat.
- Sprinkle more cheese evenly on top, and place the dish until the broiler until the top layer of cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
What to Serve with Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe FAQs
You can transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes! I love to make a large batch of taco mac n cheese to freeze for later. Once cool, you can transfer leftovers to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 4 months.
Thaw frozen macaroni in the fridge overnight. Then, gently warm it in a saucepan on the stove to prevent teh cheese from separating. Add an extra splash of milk as needed to freshen the sauce back up it becomes a little dry.
Yes! I love to add leftover taco meat, cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken to make this a filling, complete meal. Then, you can even add your favorite taco toppings like green chiles, diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, or tortilla chips for more flavor.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Easy 30-Minute Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound small-sized pasta shells, cooked according to package directions (medium shells, small elbow, rotini, bowtie, etc. may be substituted)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups unsweetened cashewmilk, or the milk of your choice but something thicker like 2% or whole is recommended, do not use skim
- one 1-ounce packet taco seasoning, I used medium heat, reduced sodium
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (16 ounces or about 4 cups); divided*
- one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions, with 2 tablespoons reserved for garnishing
- 1 medium Roma tomato, diced small
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely minced
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set pasta aside.
- Preheat broiler to high.
- To a very large oven-safe skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt.
- Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown and has bubbled for about 2 minutes. Cook long enough to cook off the raw flour taste, but not so long it gets overly browned; you’re making a roux.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, making sure to smooth out any possible clumps that formed.
- Add the taco seasoning, pepper, and whisk until smooth.
- Add 3 cups cheese (about 12 ounces) and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add the pasta, black beans, green onions, and stir to combine and evenly coat.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over the top and place skillet under the broiler until the top layer of cheese has melted and is bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, allow cheese to brown slightly, or to taste. Keep a very careful eye on your skillet and the cheese because broilers can burn things in a matter of seconds.
- Evenly sprinkle with the tomatoes, reserved 2 tablespoons green onions, cilantro, and serve immediately.
Notes
- *Grate your own cheese because pre-grated cheese in bags doesn’t melt well.
- Recipe is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 4 months. Reheat very gently prior to serving leftovers so cheese doesn’t separate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipes:
Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese — Classic mac and cheese the whole family will love! The creamy, cheesy comfort food you crave! So much better than anything out of a box and just as easy!
Macaroni and Cheese Baked Cheese Balls – A perfect use for leftover macaroni! Bread it, bake it, devour it!
Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese — The pumpkin flavor is subtle compared to the super cheesy and creamy factor! The pumpkin boosts the cheesiness to a whole new level everyone loves!
One-Skillet Tex Mex Beef Mac & Cheese – An EASY recipe that’s made in ONE skillet so you don’t have to cook the pasta separately! Loaded with ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro! A family FAVORITE that feeds a crowd!
20-Minute Stovetop White Cheddar Mac and Cheese – Almost as FAST and EASY as using a box but tastes a million times BETTER! So creamy, ridiculously cheesy, and the extra sharp white cheddar cheese gives this mac and cheese so much FLAVOR!
where are your recipes to share with friends, don’t see it, only to pin it/them!!!!
Just email them the link.
I love the contrast of the rich, cream mac and cheese and the fresh, vibrant toppings. Well done!
hey girl- this looks amazing!
Thanks! Perfect wintertime comfort food!
Can half and half b e used in place of cashew or soy milk instead?
Yes – I wrote this in the recipe: (or the milk of your choice but something thicker like 2% or whole is recommended, do not use skim)
I actually think 4 cups of half and half would be too rich for me and I would opt for something lighter or a mixture of maybe whole milk and half and half.
This looks amazing! I think I will brown some hamburger and add to it so a complete meal
We definitely didn’t miss the meat and it was so filling as is, but go for it. I have a very similar recipe at the end of January that does use beef too. So stand by for that one!
My daughter would love this! We are being buried in snow so I’ve been making lots of comfort food. Mmm-mmm.
Stay safe in all the snow and yes this is perfect winter comfort food!
This looks like some serious winter comfort food and is a nice twist on mac and cheese. I think I’d go with your suggestion to put this under the broiler–a golden cheese crust over the top is irresistible!
The golden cheese from the broiler is where it’s at for sure! And yes, this is serious winter time comfort food. Hope you’re staying warm!