Taco Macaroni and Cheese is the perfect easy weeknight meal you need to add to your meal planning menu! It’s a blend of ground beef, macaroni and cheese, and taco seasoning all rolled into one fantastic dish. It’s fast, easy, and ready in under 30 minutes!
Taco Macaroni and Cheese
If you follow me on TikTok or Facebook, you probably saw my video for this Taco Mac! EVERYONE LOVES this dinner idea, especially if you’re meal planning. The ingredients are easy to find, the meal comes together quickly, and it fills up an entire family. The leftovers are delicious too (if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers).
Taco Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients
-
1 pound of ground beef
-
2 boxes of Macaroni and Cheese (your preferred brand)
-
1 can of Rotel (seasoned diced tomatoes)
-
1 packet of taco seasoning
As you can see, we used Kraft macaroni and cheese in the “three cheese” box, which is why our shells look the way they do. Velveeta macaroni and cheese has a similar shape. Use whatever brand and shell type you like! You can find the Rotel seasoned tomatoes in the same aisle where all canned tomatoes are. I’ve heard that Walmart always has Rotel:) It’s good stuff!
How to Make Taco Mac
Begin by preparing your 2 boxes of macaroni and cheese in one pot. In a separate pan, being browsing the ground beef. Drain the excess fat and then simmer the beef in taco seasoning.
While the taco meat is simmering, add the diced tomatoes. The goal here is to simply warm the tomatoes since they are already cooked. They will heat up easily while the taco seasoning is simmering in the ground beef. So easy!
Once the macaroni and cheese is done, add it to the taco meat and gently stir it all together. If you have kids who are interested in learning how to cook, this is an excellent recipe for them to help you with! Kids are particularly great at stirring together Taco Macaroni and Cheese over low heat. They’ll feel so accomplished and proud at how everyone loves what they cooked!
More Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas by Smart School House to Try Next:
-
Dorito Casserole
-
Taco Pizza
-
Taco Pie
-
Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
-
Taco Casserole
-
Meatball Sub Casserole
-
Chili Dog Casserole
-
Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
-
Taco Lasagna Casserole
-
Tortilla Chip Enchiladas
Taco Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large pan
- Large spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 boxes Macaroni and Cheese – your preferred brand (boiling water, milk, and butter are usual ingredients)
- 1 can Rotel (seasoned diced tomatoes)
- 1 packet taco seasoning (Usually requires water)
Instructions
- In one pot, prepare the macaroni and cheese
- In a separate pan, brown the ground beef and drain the fat
- Add the taco seasoning (which usually requires water) to the ground beef and stir until combined
- Add the can of Rotel tomatoes to the seasoned meat so they can warm while the taco meat simmers
- Once done, add the cooked macaroni and cheese into the meat mixture. Stir until combined and enjoy!