Taco Mac
A hearty one-pot meal
In Jamie’s Kitchen, we’re all about delicious meals that are as easy to make as they are satisfying. Today, I’m excited to share with you one of my all-time favorite recipes: Taco Mac!
Taco Mac is a hearty one-pot meal that combines the flavors of tacos with the comfort of macaroni and cheese. Made with protein pasta, ground beef, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and spices, this dish is not only delicious but also high in protein and packed with veggies.
I created this recipe out of a love for one-pot meals that are easy to clean up. The combination of vegetables, protein, and carbs makes Taco Mac a well-balanced meal that the whole family will love.
A Delicious, Balanced Meal
What sets Taco Mac apart is its use of cottage cheese as the base for the cheese sauce, along with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor and added protein. When you combine the cheese sauce with protein pasta, lean ground beef, and brightly colored veggies, you’ll discover a balanced meal that is as delicious as it looks. Taco seasoning, hot sauce, and canned tomatoes with green chilis tie all of the flavors together leaving your family coming back for more.
Perfect for Meal Prep
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers you can store them in the fridge or freezer. I like to use single-serving containers for quick lunches or easy dinners. Another option is to double the recipe when you make it. Eat dinner now and have plenty of Taco Mac ready to go when things get busy. It’s the perfect meal prep solution.
Ingredients for Taco Mac
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 bell peppers, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 16oz protein pasta
- ½ TBSP olive oil
- Salt
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis, drained
- 1 packet (or ¼ cup) taco seasoning
Cheese Sauce
- 16oz cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
- 1 TBSP hot sauce
- 1-2 TBSP milk (if needed)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add veggies. Season with salt.
- Once the vegetables begin to soften, push them to the edges of the pan and add the meat to the center of the pan.
- While meat is cooking, blend cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, nutritional yeast, hot sauce.. If needed, you can thin out the mixture with milk.
- Once the meat is brown use a paper towel and tongs to remove excess grease from the pan.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes w/chilis, taco seasoning, pasta, and cheese sauce
- Stir until well combined and until heated through.
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Flavor Profile:
Taco Mac is cheesy with the zest of tacos and the heartiness of pasta, creating a flavor experience that is sure to please. For those who prefer a milder dish, you can omit the hot sauce and use a mild can of tomatoes with green chilis.
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Taco Mac
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 bell peppers diced
- 1 onion diced
- 16 oz protein pasta
- ½ TBSP olive oil
- Salt
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis drained
- 1 packet taco seasoning or ¼ cup
Cheese Sauce
- 16 oz cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
- 1 TBSP hot sauce
- 1-2 TBSP milk if needed
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add veggies. Season with salt.
- Once the vegetables begin to soften, push them to the edges of the pan and add the meat to the center of the pan.
- While meat is cooking, blend cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, nutritional yeast, hot sauce.. If needed, you can thin out the mixture with milk.
- Once the meat is brown use a paper towel and tongs to remove excess grease from the pan.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes w/chilis, taco seasoning, pasta, and cheese sauce.
- Stir until well combined and until heated through.
Video
@injamieskitchen We love Taco Mac!! Its an easy dinner recipe and I love that its a one pot meal. We had it for dinner but also used it for meal prep. I put leftovers in individual containers and popped them into the freezer. Now we have grab and go high protein meals ready for lunch or dinner. Full recipe and gadgets are on the website www.injamieskitchen.com #tacomacrecipe #easydinnerrecipes #highproteindinner #proteinpastarecipes #healthydinnerideas
♬ original sound – In Jamie’s Kitchen
Hello! I can’t wait to try this! I can’t find the nutrition info. Do you have that?
Can you freeze this after made ?
Yes! I freeze it in individual portions.
can you not use cottage cheese? would sour cream be a good replacement?
I have not tried sour cream. Once you make the cheese sauce you can’t even tell it was ever cottage cheese.