Stovetop Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Looking for a delicious and easy to dinner to make right from the stovetop? Try this stovetop taco macaroni and cheese recipe. It’s creamy, cheesy and loaded with flavor. You only need one pot for the pasta and one pot for everything else, making clean up a breeze. Plus, this entire dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal.
Topping options
What I love about this taco macaroni and cheese recipe is that you can really make it your own. I dressed mine with sliced avocado, crushed Frito lays chips, diced jalapeno and some fresh cilantro.
However, you can also add black beans, grilled corn kernels, diced bell peppers or even sautéed onions would taste great. If you’d like to add protein, try shredded chicken, blackened shrimp, or even ground or sliced sausage would work well. This mac n’ cheese recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when your family wants a hot delicious meal and you don’t have a ton of time. This entire dish comes together in under 30 minutes and is jam packed with flavor.
This macaroni and cheese recipe makes four light servings of taco macaroni and cheese or two hearty servings. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through. Please see below for nutritional information. If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave a review.
More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Looking for more macaroni and cheese recipes? Try my buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese or my baked macaroni and cheese with roasted tomatoes. As kids, my sisters and I would always eat baked macaroni and cheese with roasted tomatoes. It was such a treat. Honestly, all of these recipes are delicious so give them all a try.
Stovetop Taco Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces shellbow pasta
Cheese sauce:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons AP flour, all purpose
- 1.5 cups 2% milk
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into smaller cubes for easy melting
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup pasta water, use if the cheese sauce is too tight
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Toppings:
- ½ small avocado, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup Frito lays chips, crushed
- 2 tablespoons jalapeno, diced – remove the seeds and veins
- 1 tablespoon scallion, chopped
Optional toppings:
- bell peppers
- black beans
- sausage, shredded chicken, blackened shrimp
- grilled sweet corn kernels
Equipment
- 11-inch saucepan
- pasta pot
- colander
Instructions
Prepare the pasta:
- Boil a pot of water and cook your favorite pasta according to the package. Al dente is preferred as the pasta will continue to cook in the pan with the cheese sauce. Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water for the cheese sauce. Drain the rest of the water using a colander and set the cooked pasta aside.
Prepare the cheese sauce:
- Grab a large saucepan and spray it with cooking spray. Over medium heat, add butter and ap flour to form a roux.
- Once the roux (butter / flour mixture) begins to bubble, slowly pour in your 2% milk.
- Once all of the milk is combined, you should have a creamy white bechamel sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Next, add in ½ cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, and 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese. Cut the Velveeta cheese into smaller cubes so it can melt more easily.
- Add one packet of taco seasoning. Stir until well combined.
- Next, add the cooked pasta into the pan with taco cheese sauce and stir until the pasta is well coated in cheese sauce. If the cheese sauce begins to tighten, simply add some of the reserved pasta water. Stir well. You can use as much or as little of the reserved pasta water as you like.
- Top with sliced avocado, crushed Frito chips, scallions and jalapeno.
- Serve and Enjoy!
