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Home » Recipes » beef » Taco Mac and Cheese

April 17, 2020

Taco Mac and Cheese

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Taco Mac and Cheese is simple comfort food that combines two meal time favorites into one delicious dish. Includes a recipe for oven baked mac and cheese.

bowl of taco mac and cheese with a beer
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We love tacos and mac and cheese in our household but for some reason I’d never combined the two together for dinner. My kids loved this meal. I’m guessing yours will too. What’s not to love, really? Creamy and comforting mac and cheese. Combined with your favorite taco toppings. You can choose to make your mac and cheese from scratch. I have a simple, oven baked recipe to share with you. Or you can really simplify and use a boxed mac and cheese. Either way, this meal is a winner.

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taco mac and cheese in a bowl

How to Make Taco Mac and Cheese

Choose your favorite mac and cheese recipe. I’m sharing mine with you, so keep scrolling to the bottom for full instructions and list of ingredients. Boxed mac and cheese works just as well and is quicker. Once the mac and cheese is made, simply top it with your favorite taco toppings:

  • beef taco filling
  • chopped tomatoes
  • chopped fresh jalapeño peppers
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream
  • fritos

close up of taco mac and cheese

Kitchen Tips

  • This is my favorite boxed mac and cheese to use in this recipe
  • This is the blender I used in the video
  • Substitute ground turkey or veggie crumbles for the ground beef if you like

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Taco Mac and Cheese | Foodtastic Mom #tacorecipes #macandcheese

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Taco Mac and Cheese | Foodtastic Mom #tacorecipes #macandcheese
close up of taco mac and cheese
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Taco Mac and Cheese

Taco Mac and Cheese is simple comfort food that combines two meal time favorites into one delicious dish.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 718kcal
Author Jill McOwen

Ingredients

  • 8 oz macaroni
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 8 oz smoked Gouda cheese grated
  • 8 oz medium cheddar cheese grated
  • 2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • favorite taco toppings

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease a baking dish (at least 8 cup capacity) with the two tablespoons of butter and set aside.
  • Combine the shredded Gouda and Cheddar cheeses and set aside about 1 cup of cheese. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, half and half, remaining shredded Gouda and Cheddar cheeses (about 3 cups), salt, mustard and hot sauce. Blend until smooth.
  • Stir the half and half and cheese mixture into the uncooked pasta and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 for 45 - 55 minutes (or until the macaroni is cooked through - I tasted it to make sure). Remove the dish from the oven. Remove the foil and stir well. Top the cooked macaroni with the remaining cup of shredded cheese
  • Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Return the macaroni and cheese to the oven and bake an additional 10 - 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbling and starting to lightly brown.
  • While the macaroni and cheese is baking, cook the taco meat and prepare the other taco toppings.
  • Serve the mac and cheese topped with your favorite taco toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 1516mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1593IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 664mg | Iron: 3mg

More Taco Recipes

  • Crockpot Chicken Tacos
  • Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
  • Ground Pork Tacos
  • Short Rib Tacos
  • Mini Tacos
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About Foodtastic Mom

jill
My name is Jill and I share simple and delicious, family-friendly recipes. I want you to feel super in YOUR kitchen!

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