This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 

Overhead view of taco mac in a cast iron skillet

 

Every family has their go-to busy weeknight dinner, and I’m excited to share ours with you! With over 600 ratings full of quotes like “A total win with everyone at our dining room table!” and “Perfect family dish that my tots loved,” it’s clear that we’re not the only ones gushing over this easy one-pan pasta. I’ve tested and tweaked this to work with easy-to-find pantry staples, but I’ve also included tons of tips for how to add veggies, change the protein, or adjust the recipe according to your needs. It’s going to be a gamechanger for those lazy nights when you want to skip the fuss!

This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 
This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 

Taco Mac Recipe Ingredients

The best part about this recipe is that it is made in one pan! The second best thing is that the ingredients are so basic. This recipe has mostly pantry staples you probably keep handy. 

  • Ground beef or ground turkey
  • Elbow noodles (I use Barilla gluten-free)
  • Beef or chicken broth
  • Canned tomatoes with green chilies
  • Milk
  • Tomato sauce
  • Taco seasoning
  • Cheddar cheese
This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 
This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 

How to Make Taco Mac

Just five simple steps give you an easy one pan pasta dish that has all the flavor of tacos! Top with any of your favorite fixings like avocado, sour cream or hot sauce!

Here are the basic steps to making taco mac and cheese: 

  1. In a large skillet, brown the ground meat over medium heat.
  2. Add the undrained can of tomatoes with green chilies, broth, milk, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. 
  3. Increase heat to medium high until the mixture begins to simmer.
  4. Stir in the noodles and reduce the heat to low. Cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.
  5. When the noodles are tender, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese.
This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 
This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 

Taco Mac Variations

Can I Make This Vegetarian? 

I’m sure you can! I’d recommend omitting the meat and adding a drained can of beans in its place (perhaps two cans, depending on how chunky you want your taco mac ‘n’ cheese). You’d also need to use veggie broth instead of beef broth. 

Can I Omit the Milk? 

Yes, you can replace it with another liquid if desired. Keep in mind that the milk helps make the taco mac ultra creamy, so your pasta won’t turn out as thick without it. 

taco mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet. A portion has already been scooped out.

Tips for Making Taco Mac and Cheese 

  • If you don’t have elbow pasta on hand, you can use another short, sturdy pasta instead. 
  • I prefer making this recipe with cheddar cheese, but another sharp cheese will work. Think: Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend. 
  • This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta. 
  • Pair it with a skinny keto margarita! 

Storing Taco Mac and Cheese

Allow your taco mac to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. For convenient lunches, I recommend storing individual servings separately, then drizzling a little bit of water over it just before reheating to keep it ultra creamy. Microwave at 50% power, stirring between 1-minute increments until warmed throughout.

This easy Taco Mac recipe is a quick, one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 

More Easy Dinners: 

More Recipes To Try

This Easy Taco Mac is a quick one pan, 30 minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese!

Get the Recipe: Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: 6
Author: Annie Holmes
This Taco Mac recipe is a one-pan, 30-minute meal packed with taco meat, noodles and cheese! Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners. 
4.47 from 696 ratings
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound ground turkey or beef
  • 1 10 ounce can Ro-Tel, undrained
  • 1 cup broth, chicken or beef broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 1 ounce package taco seasoning
  • 1 1/2 cup elbow noodles, I use Barilla gluten free elbows
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey or ground beef over medium heat. Drain off any grease.
  • Add the undrained can of Ro-Tel, broth, milk, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
  • Increase heat to medium high until the mixture begins to simmer.
  • Stir in noodles and reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.
  • When noodles are tender, stir in shredded cheddar cheese.

Notes

Cook time: I used Barilla gluten free elbows and my cooking time is exactly 18 minutes.
Ro-Tel: If you’re not famliar with Ro-Tel, it’s canned chopped tomatoes with green chilies.
This recipe yields 6 servings, approximately 1 1/2 cups per serving. 
Serving: 1.5 cup, Calories: 445kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 125mg, Sodium: 503mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g
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