Two childhood favorites combined into one – this Taco Mac and Cheese hits all the right notes! A creamy, cheesy mac and cheese is combined with taco seasoned ground beef and tomatoes for a Tex-Mex twist.

I love recipes with a Tex-Mex taco twist! If you want more of our favorite taco-themed recipes, try this Taco Pie, Taco Skillet, or this Taco Casserole.

Plate with Taco Mac and Cheese made with ground beef and cheddar cheese.

While going through my archives, I came across a recipe, first written in 2011, for taco mac and cheese. I knew it was time for a makeover on the recipe. But I had one big problem.

I wanted an actual mac and cheese. That original recipe – along with many of the other online taco mac and cheese recipes – are more of a taco pasta. A pasta dish with some cheese thrown in at the end.

So I went to work to create an actual mac and cheese that reminds you of a taco!

I’ll be honest – it really wasn’t hard, because I started with our family favorite Creamy Mac and Cheese. (One of my boys seriously begs me to make this at least once a week!)

From there, it was pretty easy to add in the Tex-Mex flavors, and what you end up with is a dinner that is quick to make, is super filling, and is so much better than anything you can get out of a box.

(Want more mac and cheese? Try this Baked Mac and Cheese!)

Ingredients

Pasta: Since this is a mac and cheese, I like to stick with elbow macaroni for the pasta. But you can definitely switch it out! Any short cut pasta should work.
Ground Beef: I like to use a lean ground beef so that I don’t have to drain off any excess fat. If you do have a lot of grease, just drain it before adding the taco seasoning.
Taco Seasoning: My favorite taco seasoning is my homemade taco seasoning, but you can use store bought if that is what you have on hand.
Butter: I like to use unsalted butter, but salted butter will work just fine here.
Egg Yolk: This is my secret mac and cheese ingredient. It helps the sauce to thicken up and become silky smooth.
Evaporated Milk: Make sure you are not using sweetened condensed milk. I have not tried this recipe with cream or half and half, but I’m guessing that either of those would also work.
Cheese: For more flavor, choose a sharper cheddar. For a smoother sauce, use mild cheddar. I like to go in the middle and use medium cheddar.
Rotel: You can find Rotel in with the other diced tomatoes at the grocery store. It is a mixture of diced tomatoes and green chiles.
Salt and Pepper: Make sure to taste and season with salt and pepper before serving!

Boiling pasta and cooking beef for Taco Mac and Cheese.

How to Make Taco Mac and Cheese

STEP 1: Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil, then adding the pasta. Cook according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente. You don’t want to cook it too far because it will soften up even more in the sauce.

STEP 2: While the pasta is cooking, cook the ground beef in a skillet. Once it is browned and cooked through, add in half of the taco seasoning and stir to mix it all together.

Steps to make Taco Mac and Cheese, adding liquid, cheese, and taco seasoning.

STEP 3: Once the pasta is al dente, drain it and return it to the pot. Add in the butter and the egg yolk and stir vigorously. You don’t want to scramble the yolk, so make sure to stir well.

STEP 4: Once the butter is melted and the pasta is coated, add in the evaporated milk.

STEP 5: Start adding in the cheese one handful at a time. You want to stir in the cheese until it is melted before you add another handful.

STEP 6: Stir in the remaining taco seasoning, and continue to cook and stir until the sauce is nice and thick.

Collage showing steps to make taco Mac and cheese - adding beef and tomatoes.

STEP 7: Add the cooked ground beef, as well as the Rotel tomatoes, into the macaroni and cheese.

STEP 8: Stir everything together and let it heat through for a few minutes. Make sure to taste it and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Taco Mac and cheese with ground beef and tomatoes.

Tips and Tricks

Change things up and use Colby jack, or even pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar.

This is best served when it is hot. The longer it sits, though, the more of the sauce the pasta will soak up. The leftovers are still good, but not as cheesy as when it is first done.

Feel free to go crazy with your favorite Tex-Mex toppings. I just used tomatoes and cilantro, but you could also add sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or green onions.

Plate filled with taco Mac and cheese topped with tomatoes and cilantro.

More Ground Beef Recipes

One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Ground Beef Enchiladas
Hamburger Soup
Taco Burgers
Penne Pasta Bake
Beef Tostadas

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