Easy 30-Minute Taco Macaroni and Cheese
🌮🧀🎉 Super creamy, ultra cheesy, flavored with taco seasoning, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro! EASY comfort food with a Mexican flair that’s a family FAVORITE!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 514cal
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound small-sized pasta shells cooked according to package directions (medium shells, small elbow, rotini, bowtie, etc. may be substituted)
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups unsweetened cashewmilk or the milk of your choice but something thicker like 2% or whole is recommended, do not use skim
- one 1-ounce packet taco seasoning I used medium heat, reduced sodium
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese grated (16 ounces or about 4 cups); divided*
- one 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions with 2 tablespoons reserved for garnishing
- 1 medium Roma tomato diced small
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely minced
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set pasta aside.
- Preheat broiler to high.
- To a very large oven-safe skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt.
- Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown and has bubbled for about 2 minutes. Cook long enough to cook off the raw flour taste, but not so long it gets overly browned; you’re making a roux.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, making sure to smooth out any possible clumps that formed.
- Add the taco seasoning, pepper, and whisk until smooth.
- Add 3 cups cheese (about 12 ounces) and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add the pasta, black beans, green onions, and stir to combine and evenly coat.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese over the top and place skillet under the broiler until the top layer of cheese has melted and is bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes. If desired, allow cheese to brown slightly, or to taste. Keep a very careful eye on your skillet and the cheese because broilers can burn things in a matter of seconds.
- Evenly sprinkle with the tomatoes, reserved 2 tablespoons green onions, cilantro, and serve immediately.
Notes
- *Grate your own cheese because pre-grated cheese in bags doesn’t melt well.
- Recipe is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 4 months. Reheat very gently prior to serving leftovers so cheese doesn’t separate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 514cal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1063IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 2mg
