This Taco Mac is an easy one pot meal made in 30 minutes! With ground beef, macaroni, taco seasoning, and loads of Cheddar cheese, it’s an instant favourite!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  • Half  medium onion, diced
  • 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
  • 1 lb (500 g) Lean Ground Beef
  • 2 tbsp (15 mL) taco seasoning
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
  • 1½  cups (375 mL) milk
  • 1 can (284 mL) tomatoes with green chiles (or half 540-mL can chili-style stewed tomatoes)*
  • 1 cup (250 mL) reduced-sodium beef broth (approx)
  • 2¾ cups (675 mL) dry macaroni
  • 3 cups (750 mL) shredded Cheddar cheese (about 10 oz/300 g), divided

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and onions; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until softened.
  2. Stir in ground beef, taco seasoning and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring and using back of spoon to break up meat into small chunks, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the beef is browned and thoroughly cooked. Drain, if necessary. Stir in milk, tomatoes and beef broth; bring to a simmer.
  3. Stir in macaroni. Cover, reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in 2 cups (500 mL) of the cheese and a splash of broth or milk (see Tip*) to make saucier, if desired. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup (250 mL) of cheese.

*If using canned stewed tomatoes, add more tomatoes to make the pasta mixture saucier instead of additional broth or milk.

Notes

  1. To pack for lunch, cool and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in the morning to pack hot in a thermos.
  2. To freeze, before adding cheese, transfer cooked dish to a freezer-to-oven safe baking dish; let cool and wrap tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Uncover and add a big splash of broth or milk; bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through, adding cheese for the last 10 minutes. Broil to brown, if desired.