Mexican Mac and Cheese
By 
Serves 12
Good to Know: The pasta can be made up to one day in advance.
You’ll Need
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb ground beef (or turkey or pork)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 lb box of elbow macaroni
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Green onions
Prep and Cook
- Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat and cook the ground meat until no longer pink. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and salt and stir to combine. Set aside.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.
- Using the pot the pasta was cooked in, melt the butter. Add flour and stir to form a paste, about 1 minute.
- Add milk and whisk into the flour mixture, stirring until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Add ground beef, pasta and tomatoes to the cheese sauce in the pot and toss to combine.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and fill with mac and cheese and bake for 10 minutes.
- Serve garnished with sour cream, cilantro, green onions and salsa, if desired.
