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Home » Recipes » Budget Meals

March 30, 2021

Taco Mac and Cheese

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this Recipe
An overhead shot of a large white bowl of taco mac next to a small dish of shredded cheddar cheese
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Creamy and full of taco flavor, this Taco Mac and Cheese is a delicious and easy homemade dinner recipe!

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This recipe was originally published on September 15, 2020. This post was updated with new blog post info and recipe refinements on March 30, 2021.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for details.

Taco Mac no longer needs to be a gut bomb! With ground turkey, a simple homemade spice blend, hidden veggies, and reduced-fat milk and cheeses, this Healthier Taco Mac and Cheese Recipe is spicy, creamy, and satisfying while being lower in fat and salt.

Hands holding a large white bowl of taco mac

It's getting to be that time of year!

Even though it's warm here again in Colorado, the cold snap (and snow!) we had last week also snapped my brain into thinking about comfort food and fall.

Maybe it was the foot of snow I hiked through in Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday. Or, it would also be the days getting shorter and the nights getting chillier.

Let's just forget the 90-degree temperatures during the day because, whatever the reason, comfort food has definitely been on my mind!

I can't stop thinking about hearty bowls of chili, steaming hot curries, casseroles, soups, and -- of course-- mac and cheese.

A pinterest pin for healthier taco mac and cheese with a side shot of a bowl of the recipe!

Not that there's really ever a time that I'm not thinking about mac and cheese! #confession

But, of course, when I have an excuse like fall to think about it I am going to milk that reason for all it is worth.

My most recent ponderings have led me to where we are today: taco mac and cheese. Not sure if it's the childlike subject, or just that I'm that in love, but there are not many other words I have for this dish than... Oh. My. God.

Some of the ingredients for taco mac -- a bowl of macaroni, a measuring cup of shredded cheese, a small bowl of salsa, and a half onion

Because, when you have a dish that satisfies both your comfort food cravings and your more health-conscious adult sensibilities, what else do we have to do than to offer a moment of veneration between spoonfuls?

At least that's how I'm choosing to spend and celebrate my comfort food season. Let's dig in!

Table of contents

  • This homemade taco mac recipe is...
  • Ingredients:
  • Substitutions:
  • Special diet adaptations:
  • Is this recipe budget-friendly?
  • How to make Taco Mac and Cheese:
  • Recipe pro-tios:
  • Serving suggestions:
  • Recipe storage:
  • Tools needed to make this recipe:
  • Other healthy comfort food options to check out:
A large spoonful of taco mac and cheese

This homemade taco mac recipe is...

  • Hearty
  • Cheesy
  • Meaty
  • Savory
  • A complete meal
  • Family-friendly
  • Great for weeknight dinners and even Taco Tuesday!

Serve up a healthier comfort food today!

All the ingredients for taco macaroni and cheese -- macaroni, reduced-fat cheese, frozen chopped spinach, salsa, butter, olive or avocado oil, onions, sweet pepper, ground turkey, taco spice blend, light cream cheese, and milk

Ingredients:

  • Macaroni (or other small shape pasta) -- whichever you have on hand or prefer
  • Yellow or white onion
  • Sweet pepper -- red, orange, yellow, or green
  • Ground turkey
  • Easy homemade taco seasoning -- chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt
  • Salsa -- choose your favorite flavor. Even pineapple or peach salsas can be delicious.
  • Frozen chopped spinach
  • Unsalted butter
  • Light cream cheese -- adds extra creaminess to the sauce without all the calories of full-fat cream cheese
  • Reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese -- the classic cheesy flavor of macaroni and cheese without all the heaviness
  • 1% or 2% milk
An up-close shot of a bowl of taco mac and cheese

Substitutions:

The recipe is best as-is, but here are some substitutions you can easily do if in a pinch!

  • Taco seasoning -- if you don't have all the seasonings on hand for the simple taco seasoning, you can substitute in a pre-made seasoning blend. I like the taco seasoning blends at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's (also this seasoning blend if you prefer to shop online) they're natural and don't contain preservatives.
  • Ground meat -- ground beef or ground chicken can work in place of the turkey. I recommend a mixture of white and dark meat if using ground chicken.
  • Cheese -- reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend or full-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese can work in place of the reduced-fat shredded cheddar
An up-close overhead shot of taco mac and cheese

Special diet adaptations:

  • Gluten-free: make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles. I love Banza noodles (found at Thrive Market, Whole Foods, and most major grocery stores in the U.S.) and brown rice noodles. Also, use the homemade taco seasoning blend or check your purchased taco seasoning for wheat ingredients.
  • Vegetarian: make this dish vegetarian by omitting the ground turkey from the recipe.
  • Vegan and dairy-free: unfortunately, this recipe is very hard to make with dairy-free milk and cheese substitutes.

Is this recipe budget-friendly?

Yes, this taco mac is a very budget-friendly dinner, coming in at $1.25 per serving! To make it even more budget-friendly, buy and freeze ingredients ahead of time when you find them on sale. Then you can make this recipe any time for a steal!

A small wooden plate of taco spices for taco mac

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How to make Taco Mac and Cheese:

  1. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions in heavily salted water. Drain and set aside. Reserve the pasta pan for later in the recipe.
  2. While the pasta cooks: saute the onions and peppers in oil.
  3. Add the ground turkey and taco seasonings and saute, crumbling as you cook, or until the turkey is cooked through.
  4. Add the frozen spinach and salsa to the turkey, bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture is reduced and thickened.
  5. Melt the butter in the empty pasta pan over medium-low heat.
  6. Add the cream cheese, cheese, milk, and extra salt to the butter. Cook and stir for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is thickened and creamy.
  7. Gently fold the mac and cheese and the ground turkey mixture into the cheese sauce until combined. Serve hot with any of your favorite toppings (see recommendations below!)
Onions and peppers in a saute pan
Saute the onions and red peppers
A large pot of taco macaroni and cheese
Add the turkey and taco spices
Cooked taco meat with peppers and onions
Saute until cooked through
Ground turkey taco meat, frozen spinach, and salsa
Add the frozen spinach and salsa and cook through
Butter melted in a large pan
Melt the butter until it foams
Cooking the milk, butter, cream cheese, and cheese for the taco mac
Add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, and salt
The cheese sauce for taco mac and cheese
Stir and cook until creamy
Stir the pasta and taco meat into the cheese sauce

Recipe pro-tios:

  • Cook the macaroni in heavily salted water -- you want to cook the pasta in water that tastes like the ocean to give the pasta the best flavor. For every 1 gallon water, stir in 1 tablespoon salt.
  • Measure your ingredients before you start -- especially, your taco seasonings and cheese sauce ingredients. The cooking will go quick; it's easiest to have all your ingredients there and ready to use as you need them.
  • Don't use lean ground turkey -- a mixture of white and dark meat gives the dish flavor. I recommend using 85% lean ground turkey if you can; 90-92% lean if in a pinch.
  • Stir the cheese sauce as it cooks -- keep an eye on and stir the cheese sauce frequently as it cooks. This will keep the sauce from burning or cooking unevenly.
A pinterest pin for healthier taco mac with an up-close shot of the mac

Serving suggestions:

This dish is a complete meal in and of itself, but you can serve it the following ways.

Topped with:

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Green onions
  • Minced onion
  • Sliced black olives
  • Cilantro
  • Extra shredded cheese
  • ... or any of your other favorite taco toppings!

Served along with:

  • Roasted broccoli
  • Air fryer green beans
  • Mexican lager beer -- like Pacifico, Dos Equis, or Corona
  • Tortilla chips
  • Green salad
A side angle shot of a large white bowl of taco macaroni and cheese with a corner of a bowl in the background

Recipe storage:

  • Refrigeration: leftovers will last covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
  • Freezing: taco mac can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
  • Reheating from frozen: defrost the taco mac in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minutes intervals of 50-60% heat, stirring gently between intervals, or until the evenly reheated.
A large white bowl of taco macaroni and cheese with another bowl of the macaroni in the background

Tools needed to make this recipe:

  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Glass measuring cup
  • Dutch oven or stockpot
  • 12" non-stick skillet
  • Heat safe spatula or turner
  • Whisk (optional)
  • Colander

More mac and cheese recipes:

  • Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese
  • Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese
  • Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Macaroni and Cheese
  • Tuna Mac and Cheese

More taco recipes:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
  • Southwest Chicken with Black Bean Sauce
  • Taco Tater Tot Casserole
  • Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!

A large bowl of taco mac with diced cilantro on it. in the background is a small dish of cheese and another bowl of taco mac

Healthier Taco Mac and Cheese

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Chelsea | Mae's Menu 2023

Creamy and full of taco flavor, this Taco Mac and Cheese is an easy and delicious homemade dinner recipe!

4.43 from 21 votes
Print Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Tex Mex
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz. macaroni pasta or other small pasta shape
  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 sweet pepper red, orange, or yellow, diced
  • 1 lb. ground turkey preferably 85% lean
  • 1 teaspoon salt DIVIDED
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 ¼ cup salsa
  • 2 cup frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 oz. light cream cheese
  • 2 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ cup 1% or 2% milk

Additional toppings (optional):

  • chopped cilantro shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sliced olives, etc.

Instructions
 

  • Bring a dutch oven or stockpot of heavily salted water to boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and set the pasta aside. Reserve the pasta pot for later use.
  • While the macaroni cooks: heat the tablespoon of oil in a 12" saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sweet pepper and saute, stirring every 30 seconds or so, for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions start to turn translucent.
  • Add the ground turkey and ¾ teaspoon of the salt, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, garlic, and smoked paprika to the skillet and cook for another 4-5 minutes, crumbling the turkey as you cook, or until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink.
  • Stir the salsa and frozen spinach into the ground meat mixture until combined. Bring the meat and veggie mixture to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until it has reduced down and thickened. Reduce the heat to low while you make the cheese sauce.
  • Make the cheese sauce: return the empty stockpot or dutch oven to medium-low heat. Add the butter to the pan and melt until it starts to foam. Add the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to the butter and stir frequently as you cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
  • Turn the heat off. Add the pasta and ground meat mixture to the cheese sauce and gently stir in until combined. Serve the taco mac hot!

Notes

1. Other great pasta shapes for this recipe are orecchiette, shells, or rotini.
2. Ground beef or chicken can also work in place of the ground turkey. If using ground turkey, I recommend a mixture of dark and white meat, or 85% lean.
3. To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute gluten-free pasta in place of traditional pasta. Use the homemade spice blend or store-bought taco seasoning blend with no flour. To make it vegetarian, omit the turkey from the recipe and only saute the seasonings with the onions for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant, before stirring in the salsa and spinach.
4. To use a store-bought taco seasoning, substitute 2 tablespoons of it for the spices and salt added in step 3.
5. Leftover taco mac lasts covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It can freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 33gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 903mgPotassium: 602mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1515IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 359mgIron: 2mg
Keyword taco mac, taco mac and cheese, taco macaroni and cheese
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bree Morgan says

    November 06, 2023 at 6:00 am

    4 stars
    What is the serving size? It says 1g but that can be right is it?

    Reply
    • Mae's Menu says

      November 06, 2023 at 11:03 am

      Hi, Bree!
      Sorry for the mix-up; I changed recipe card software and it improperly uploaded that number. A serving size is 1/8 of the recipe.
      Best,
      Chelsea

      Reply

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MEET CHELSEA MAE PLUMMER

Hi, I'm Chelsea Mae Plummer. I'm a recipe developer of 20+ years, food photographer, and content creator behind Mae's Menu. Welcome to my little corner of the internet!

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