No Brainer Taco Macaroni

This Taco Macaroni is beyond easy for nights when you want to eat something tasty for dinner but are extra low on time and energy. It’s picky eater approved!

You know I usually try to make recipes mostly from scratch around here. Occasionally I might sneak in a can of soup or packet of seasoning mix, but I mostly stick to unprocessed ingredients. There are times, though, when we all need a family-friendly meal that is beyond easy. On those nights, there is no shame in grabbing that box of macaroni and cheese and calling it dinner.

Last week, in the span of ten days, my husband fell and broke his jaw and hand, my laptop died, and then my 3-year-old fell and hit HIS mouth on concrete requiring an emergency trip to the dentist. I am not even joking.

When you have a dark cloud hanging over your head, you just want to feed your family (and yourself!) something everyone will happily eat that takes little effort. That’s how this super simple Taco Macaroni was born.

My 7-year-old is not great at trying new things. He’s had more mac and cheese out of a box than I’d care to admit, but it doesn’t usually have meat and taco seasoning mixed in. He does love taco meat, but I knew I might be pressing my luck by combining two dishes he likes into one. Not only did he eat it, he proclaimed that it was the best thing he ever had AND I’m the best cook in the world. While it is a little depressing that this is what he calls culinary genius, it does go to show that even the pickiest eaters will likely enjoy this one.

Why I love this Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe

There are 4 main reasons I love this recipe and keep it in my back pocket for weeks when I just need a win.

1. It only takes one pot or skillet to make, reducing the work involved in making it and cleaning up. This is a double win in my books.
2. It can be on the table in under 30 minutes. I honestly was in a rush the other day and had it done in just under 20 all in!
3. Kids love it, and to be honest, so do most adults. It is nostalgic, comforting, and indulgent. I often steal a bite or two of my kid’s kraft mac and cheese, but this time, I just dug right in!
4. It uses only four ingredients, all of which I usually have on hand.

How to make this Taco Mac and Cheese Even Better

How is that possible? Well here are my recommended modifications and additions for taco mac:

• Add some tomatoes. If you want to sneak in some vegetables and flavor, you can add some diced fresh tomatoes, a can of well-drained diced tomatoes, or my favorite, a can of Rotel fire-roasted tomatoes. You can add whichever you prefer at the end once the pasta is cooked, but before adding the cheese packet.
• Top it! I love adding toppings to dishes, and because of the ground turkey and taco seasoning, you can add some great taco toppings to this dish. My kids love a dollop of sour cream on top. I like to add some diced jalapenos, sour cream, and shredded cheese and mix it all together.
• Sneak in more veggies. If you want your kids to eat even more veggies you can add some diced onion, red pepper, or green pepper after adding the ground beef or turkey and sauteing for 1-2 minutes before adding the water and pasta. If you dice them pretty small, the veggies almost disappear but still add some flavor and extra nutrients.

No Brainer Taco Macaroni

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5 from 1 review

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• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 pound ground beef or turkey 20 ounces is fine too
• 1 oz. packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
• 6 oz. box macaroni and cheese I used gluten free
• 2 c. water
• 2–3 tbsp. milk

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Instructions

1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add ground meat, and sprinkle taco seasoning over the top. Stir and cook until meat is cooked through, crumbling it as much as possible.
2. Stir in uncooked macaroni (not the cheese packet yet!) and 2 c. water. Bring to a simmer, and cook for the recommended time on the macaroni package. Most liquid should be absorbed at this point. If the pasta looks dry before cooking is complete, add about 1/4 c. water at a time as needed.
3. Reduce heat to low, and stir in cheese packet and a little milk to your desired consistency. Turn off heat and serve.

Notes

This would also be great with a can of diced tomatoes (drained) or a cup of frozen peas added with the macaroni and water. I kept it simple so my kids would eat it!

• Author: Andi Gleeson
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Category: Dinner, Pasta and Noodles
• Cuisine: American

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