Mac and Cheese Taco Bake
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The cheesy and beefy southwest flavors of this Beefy Mac and Cheese Taco Bake are definitely a family pleaser! It’s easy to make and guaranteed to fill up even the hungriest little belly.
Mac and Cheese Taco Bake
Imagine your two best-loved meals in one! Mac and cheese and ground beef tacos come together in this one-dish meal that’s bound to be a family favorite.
Super creamy mac and cheese gets baked with ground beef, taco seasoning, and sour cream for a Mexican-inspired dish topped with your favorite taco fixings. This is a hearty and nourishing meal—true comfort food at its best.
You can’t get any more kid-friendly than this one-dish meal. Classic mac and cheese and tacos are the ultimate combination of cheesy, gooey, and indulgent—the perfect meal for a busy weeknight. Easily made ahead of time, you can assemble this dish on Sunday and bake it later in the week when you want to serve it. (Save the final cheese topping to add right before baking.)
This taco bake also makes an ideal potluck meal, as we all know how much everyone loves mac and cheese. You can even double the recipe if you know there will be a big crowd.
Why You Should Make This Taco Bake
- Quick and easy—This recipe is fairly simple to put together. The taco bake can be on the table in 30-40 minutes.
- Family-friendly – Everyone will love this cheesy taco bake.
- Versatile – You can easily modify this recipe to suit your tastes.
- Make ahead meal – Perfect to prep on a Sunday afternoon and reheat during the week.
Ingredients And substitutions for the Taco Bake
(Ingredients at a glance, you will find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Deluxe Pasta Shells and Cheese | One 10 to 14-oz package of mac and cheese that comes with a foil cheese pouch. (Both Kraft and Velveeta make a good one.)
- Ground beef | Lean ground beef is a good option, but you can also use ground chicken or turkey.
- Taco seasoning | One package of premade taco seasoning adds tons of flavor. If you prefer, you can use homemade taco seasoning.
- Sour cream | Regular sour cream adds creaminess, but low fat will also work.
- Mexican blend shredded cheese—Mexican cheese adds more flavor and, of course, cheesiness. If you can’t find a Mexican blend, you can make your own using a combination of cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack cheese.
- Salsa | I used a thick and chunky salsa, but any kind will work – if it is exceptionally watery, just spoon the salsa out of the juice. My favorite salsa is the Herdez mild salsa – it has all the flavor and none of the kick.
- Eggs | Beaten. Helps the casserole set.
- Optional for garnish | Sliced green onions, additional sour cream, and/or diced avocado.
How To Make A Beefy Mac and Cheese Taco Bake
1Cook the beef and pasta: Cook the ground beef and add the taco seasoning halfway through. Cook the pasta al dente, drain, and add the cheese packet, sour cream, cheese, and ground beef. Mix in the eggs.
2Transfer the mixture: Press the pasta and ground beef mixture into a greased pie plate and top with more cheese.
3 Bake the Taco Bake: Bake in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the cheese are golden brown and crispy.
4 Cool: Let the mac and cheese taco bake cool, and then top with the optional garnishes.
Recipe Tips
- Spray the pie plate well because this taco bake will definitely stick.
- Double the ground beef for more protein.
- If you can’t find taco seasoning, make your own using a combination of chili powder, oregano, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Enchilada seasoning also works.
- To save time, pre-cook your ground beef.
Variations
- Play around with different kinds of cheese. Use as little or as much cheese as you like.
- Mix in some vegetables while you cook the ground beef; onions or peppers will both work well. Pinto beans also are a good addition.
- Add some spice and stir in a chopped jalapeno or mix in some chipotle in adobo sauce.
- Top the taco bake with crushed taco chips.
Storage Suggestions
Leftovers are great the next day and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We’ve been known to chow down on them for breakfast, but they travel well and make a good lunchbox lunch as well. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Can I use any packaged mac and cheese?
Yes, any mac and cheese will work, but the deluxe mac and cheese with the foil pack is best because of the thick, creamy cheese sauce.
Can I make mac and cheese from scratch?
Sure! If you are up for making mac and cheese from scratch, that’s fine. (I Have a fantastic creamy mac and cheese made in the pressure cooker.) If your mac and cheese recipe is not very creamy, I recommend adding more cheese to the ground beef and mac and cheese mixture.
Can I use ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef?
Yes! You can substitute beef with ground chicken or turkey if you prefer.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the pasta bake beforehand (save the cheese topping for adding right before placing it in the oven) and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. I recommend pulling the dish from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature before placing it in the oven.
More Tex-Mex inspired recipes you might like
- Shredded Mexican Chicken in the Crock Pot
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Taco skillet recipe
- Tex-Mex Breakfast Skillet
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Print
Beefy Mac and Cheese Taco Bake
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: oven
Description
This Mac and Cheese Taco Bake combines creamy mac and cheese with ground beef, taco seasoning, and sour cream for a Mexican-inspired dish topped with your favorite taco fixings.
Ingredients
- 1 package Deluxe Pasta Shells and cheese (the kind that comes with a foil cheese pouch)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup plus 1/2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
- 2 eggs
- Optional for garnish: Sliced green onions, additional sour cream and/or diced avocado.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 f.
- Brown ground beef to large skillet, adding Taco seasoning halfway through.
- Cook pasta according to package time for al dente pasta. Drain and add cheese packet to pasta.
- Mix in salsa, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese and ground beef to pasta.
- Mix in the pasteurized egg product until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Press pasta mixture into a greased 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges of the cheese are golden brown and crispy.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then top with optional garnishes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 461
- Fat: 24
- Carbohydrates: 27
- Protein: 31
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