Mexican Mac and Cheese

Mexican Mac and Cheese is a delicious one-pot wonder that combines America's favorite cheesy pasta with tasty Mexican flavors for an easy meal.

One Pot Mexi Mac and Cheese

Sometimes I like not having to think of or cook side dishes. Maybe I'm lazy, but I love a good all-in-one-pot supper on a busy day.

Mexican food is likely the most often consumed food in our house and Mexican Mac and Cheese is a great way to feed the family, fast.

We also love mac and cheese. Once I had knee surgery and all I could think about while sitting there with my leg in the air with an ice pack on was homemade mac and cheese.

I'm pretty sure if I had known about Mexican Mac and Cheese, I would have been thinking of it instead.

Rich cheese sauce, flavorful chorizo, onions, seasonings, and sweet corn... Lawd! I need some Mexican Mac and Cheese in my life.

Pro Tips

• Our local Mexican market makes their own chorizo that is quite lean. I find that I sometimes have to add a little olive oil before adding my flour to make a paste to thicken the cheese sauce.
• If you find your chorizo to be a little greasy, definitely drain the fat off before adding the flour to thicken.
• Cook the elbow macaroni noodles according to package, but set a timer for 2 minutes LESS than the directions say. This will help you avoid overcooked noodles in your finished dish.
• Add the sugar to help round out the flavors. If it feels weird to you to add sugar to this dish, put in half of the amount and see how you feel about it.
• If you're in a hurry, skip the final baking step and just serve as soon as the cheese has melted and the ingredients are heated through.

Ingredients

With just a few kitchen staples, you can have an awesome one-pot meal.

• Elbow Macaroni Noodles--Rotini noodles can be substituted for elbow macaroni noodles.
• Chorizo--I'm lucky to have a local Mexican store that makes a delish chorizo. If you buy it at the store, you might find it to be a little fatty. Drain off the extra after cooking.
• Onion--Red, yellow or white diced onions.
• Flour--Used to make a rue with the chorizo fat and milk. All-purpose is needed here.
• Milk--I used cow milk, but any milk will work.
• Processed Cheese--such as Velveeta.
• Cream Cheese--Makes Mexican Mac and Cheese even creamier.
• Taco Seasoning--Use the envelope as a convenience, but if you don't have it use chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin to your taste.
• Tomatoes with chilis--Such as Rotel
• Corn--Frozen or canned corn that you drain the extra liquid off.
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Sugar--Rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes and balances the spices.
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Toppings: Cilantro, Green Onions, Jalapenos, Sour Cream

How to Make Mexican Mac and Cheese

Bring salted water to a boil to cook the elbow noodles according to the package directions.

In the meantime, cook the chorizo in a skillet. Drain the fat off, if needed to reduce the amount of oil in the pan to around 2 tablespoons of fat.

Add the onion and cook until tender.

Sprinkle the flour over the chorizo. Cook until the chorizo has absorbed the fat and the flour has browned slightly.

Over medium heat, add the milk. Cooking until the milk is bubbly.

Add the processed cheese and cream cheese. Stir until melted. Adding more milk, if necessary to achieve the correct consistency.

Drain the elbow noodles.

To the noodles, add the chorizo and cheese mixture.

Stir in taco sauce, corn, salt, sugar, and tomatoes with chilis. Stir until well combined.

Adjust seasonings as needed. Add milk if the mixture is too thick. Just a splash of milk at a time.

Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and bake at 375 until bubbly.

Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and green onions.

Serve with sour cream.

Variations

Add in a can of black beans that have been rinsed, when adding the corn.

Vary your cheeses. I would like to serve Mexican Mac and Cheese with cotija cheese, but don't have much luck finding it here locally.

I used packaged taco seasoning for this recipe, but feel free to use chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder instead.

Equipment

I love my cast iron skillet to brown meat in. It heats evenly and allows the meat to actually brown to develop the delicious flavors.

The Le Creuset Dutch Oven is a workhorse in my kitchen and comes in handy for this kind of dish. If you have one of these you can actually take it right to the oven for the final baking step.

Storage

Allow Mexican Mac and Cheese to cool slightly before putting the leftovers into a shallow bowl with a lid.

Place in the refrigerator and store for 3-5 days.

Mexican Mac and Cheese reheats nicely in the microwave. If you find it is a little dry, add a splash of milk and stir.

Serving Ideas

Mexican Mac and Cheese is a one pot dish with meat, carbs and veggie all wrapped into one dish.

But you might enjoy serving it with our Corn Dip with Cream Cheese or another of our One Pot Wonders, Applesauce Jello.

A fresh, crisp salad would round this dish out nicely.

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?

Lastly, if you made Mexican Mac and Cheese following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag me on Instagram! Seeing your photos is my favorite thing!

FOOD SAFETY

• Wash hands before cooking
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended