3-Ingredient Taco Mac and Cheese

Square overhead shot of a pan of taco mac and cheese

3-Ingredient Taco Mac and Cheese

Weeknight dinners don't get much easier than this 3-ingredient taco mac and cheese, which is ready in less than 30 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword taco mac and cheese, taco mac and cheese with rotel, velveeta shells and cheese recipes with ground beef, velveeta shells and cheese with ground beef and rotel

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 587kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) box mac and cheese (I use Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Shells and Cheese)
1 lb. ground pork sausage or ground beef (use hot sausage for a spicy flavor)
1 (10 ounce) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
Optional garnish: fresh cilantro or parsley, sliced avocado, guacamole, sour cream, sliced olives, sliced green onion, chopped tomatoes, pickled red onion

Instructions

Prepare the boxed mac and cheese according to package directions.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef or sausage in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the tomatoes and green chilies.
Add the prepared mac and cheese to the skillet with the beef and tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Serve and garnish with optional toppings.

Notes

We love pork sausage in this dish, because it adds so much flavor to a simple 3-ingredient recipe. You can pick a spicy pork sausage for even more kick, or use your family's favorite meat instead. Leftover ground beef taco meat from a previous meal also works well!
For the best texture, use a box of mac and cheese that comes with a creamy cheese pouch (rather than the powdered cheese version). Any brand or variety will work, so pick your favorite!
Garnish each serving with your favorite taco toppings, such as fresh cilantro, sour cream, chopped or sliced jalapenos, sliced olives, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole or diced avocado, and sliced green onions.
Use creamy homemade mac and cheese for this recipe instead of the boxed version.
Substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, diced ham, or shredded rotisserie chicken for the ground beef or pork sausage.
Add taco seasoning or other spices to the mac and cheese, such as chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes.

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