Easy Viral TikTok Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe

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I love me some mac and cheese and this Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe is to-die-for! Your whole family will love it. It's easy to see why it went viral on TikTok!

Since weeknight dinners can be hectic, I'm always on the lookout for easy recipes. As soon as I saw this Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe on TikTok I knew it had the potential to become a new family favorite. Plus I could see that it would be super easy to throw together.

And since it's made with boxed macaroni rather than homemade mac and cheese, I knew the total time would be less than a from scratch recipe would be.

Don't get me wrong. I love homemade mac and cheese and make one that has the perfect cheese sauce that's a blend of cream cheese, shredded cheese, butter, and whole milk that is served over elbow macaroni, but it's time consuming to make.

Plus, I already had some browned ground beef that I had frozen. One of my favorite meal prep tips is to cook your meat ahead of time. I regularly buy large quantities of meat which I then cook and freeze in 1 pound increments. I love being able to pull a bag of ground beef out of the fridge or freezer and being able to have dinner on the table quickly.

Taco Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef, browned
2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
2 Boxes Shells & Cheese (12 oz each)
10oz Rotel

How To Make Taco Mac n Cheese

In a large saucepan, boil water and cook the shells according to the package directions.

Once noodles are boiled, drain the water from the pot. If you don't have one of these clip-on strainers, you need to buy one. It's one of my favorite kitchen tools (and something else I discovered on TikTok).

It allows me to drain water without calling in a family member to hold the strainer.

Next add your ground beef and Rotel to the pasta.

Then add your cheese sauce.

Finally add the taco seasoning.

Mix thoroughly.

Enjoy.

FAQs {Frequently Asked Questions}

Do I have to use homemade taco seasoning?

Nope. You can use a packet of taco seasoning instead.

Is 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning the same as 1 packet?

No, a packet of taco seasoning is about 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning.

Can I use leftover taco meat in this recipe?

Sure. I'm all about making the most of leftovers. If you have leftover taco meat, feel free to use that instead of the ground beef and taco seasoning.

I'm serving this for company. Is there a way to make this fancier?

Of course. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and then dump your Mexican mac and cheese mixture into the casserole dish.

Top with grated cheddar and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheddar cheese melts. Then switch your oven to broil and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown. I like to garnish it with green onion and fresh tomato and serve with a variety of taco toppings.

What is Rotel?

Rotel is canned tomatoes with green chilies. You can opt for a milder version that has less green chiles and adds in cilantro.

What do you serve with this mac and cheese recipe?

I like to serve it with our favorite taco toppings. We serve it with cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, green onions, and tortilla chips.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of Rotel?

Sure, you'll just want to also add some chilies and lime juice as well.

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

You sure can! You can use ground turkey, ground chicken or any other ground meat you want. If you want more beef flavor, add a few tablespoons of beef broth to your ground turkey.

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