Super Bowl is just around the corner and that means a lot of different things, depending on who you’re asking. For my husband, that means a big game and a day spent screaming at players I don’t know the names of. For me? It means a game day party! And honestly, since I don’t know the difference between a tight end and a bookend, I’m only here for the food!
So this week I’m teaming up with Food Should Taste Good again to plan my Super Bowl party and this Taco Mac N Cheese is the star of the show. Super Bowl food should be tasty and comforting and fun. So I’m going to start by setting up a buffet around my favorite dishes. Here’s where my menu is starting at:
- Black Eyed Peas Dip – the perfect appetizer
- Slow Cooker Hot Wings – these are so good
- Beef Taco Mac and Cheese – scroll on down for the recipe
- Beer Limeade – sounds crazy, tastes delicious!
- Jello Pretzel Salad – don’t judge it until you try it
Super Bowl is also such a fun day to get creative with your decor so I’m looking to incorporate things like these football bags and even utilize some tailgate decor. I’ve got all sorts of fun things in the works, be sure and check back next week to see it all come together.
Now, let’s talk about this Taco Mac n’ Cheese!
Let’s start by making a basic ground beef taco filling. Brown ground beef in a large skillet, add the onions and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in a packet of taco seasoning mix and a bit of water. Cook down until thickened.
Remove from the stove and set aside. In the meantime, let’s make the cheese sauce for our mac n cheese. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook for about 30 seconds and then whisk in the milk. Cook on low until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
In the preshredded cheese section of the grocery store, you’ll find a “Nacho Cheese” blend that has different cheese mixed with a taco seasoning. That’s a perfect cheese blend to try!
In a large pot, combine the cooked pasta, taco filling, and cheese sauce until evenly incorporated. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish and then top with crushed up Food Should Taste Good tortilla chips! Try any one of their flavors. The Jalapeño (which is the one we used), Guacamole or Blue Corn will work perfectly!
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven until warmed through and the cheese is bubbly and melted and the chips are crunchy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve the mac n cheese with shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and avocado on top. It’ll taste just like a taco!
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 pound macaroni, cooked until al dente
- 1 Bag of Food Should Taste Good Jalapeño or Guacamole Tortilla Chips, crushed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 avocado, pitted and diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup salsa
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter, set aside.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook (breaking up with a wooden spoon) until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onions and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for about 30 seconds, and whisk in the milk. Cook until thickened and season with salt and pepper. Once thick, remove from heat and stir in the 1 1/2 cups cheese. In a large bowl or pot, toss together the cooked noodles, ground beef mixture and cheese sauce until evenly combined. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and crushed up chips.
- Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa, and sour cream on top.
