By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 21, 2024
You guys know I love a good easy recipe, and this delicious baked Mexican mac and cheese is one of my favorites. I love Mexican dishes, so bringing all those flavors into an easy mac and cheese bake makes the perfect weeknight meal! No need to fool with a tricky cheese sauce with my foolproof method. Spicy sausage and green chiles make this Mexican macaroni and cheese recipe so tasty!
This easy Mexican mac and cheese is the perfect simple meal. Kids and adults will both be going back for seconds… thirds and fourths! Trust me. Pat and I could pretty much eat this all ourselves. Layered with spicy sausage, green chiles, salsa verde, and cheese, you know I wouldn’t have it any other way!
This recipe is utterly delicious and oh-so-simple. You don’t even have to make a cheese sauce or a roux, so it’s a total win-win. It comes out of the oven so creamy, cheesy, and delicious, you’ll be surprised you didn’t slave away in the kitchen all day!
What’s in This Mexican Mac and Cheese Recipe?
- Pasta : I like rigatoni, but any short pasta shape will work for this recipe.
- Pork Sausage: Adds bulk and flavor to the dish. Ground beef would also work well, or try ground chicken or turkey for a healthier option.
- Onion : Adds an earthy and sweet flavor to the dish.
- Taco Seasoning : My secret weapon for so much delicious Mexican flavor!
- Chopped Green Chiles: Add just the right amount of spice!
- Salsa Verde : Adds a fresh and tangy flavor to the dish. Regular salsa also works well.
- Cheese: Melts into the dish to create a cheesy sauce. I like Mexican blend, but cheddar, Monterey jack, or mozzarella would also work.
Tips for Success
- I recommend generously salting your pasta water; it adds a lot of flavor.
- Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid overcooked noodles. They will continue to cook in the oven.
- Don’t drain the green chiles. Their juices add tons of flavor and help create a cohesive sauce.
- Don’t forget to layer the noodles and cheese. This is the secret to creating a luscious cheese sauce with zero effort!
- You can prepare (but not bake) up to 2 days ahead. Cover the unbaked casserole tightly with aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.
- At the end of baking, I like to broil the casserole for a few minutes for an extra crispy crust.
- I recommend letting the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to give it time to set.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Mexican mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating covered with aluminum foil in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
This Mexican mac and cheese is a meal all by itself, but I also like to serve it with a light salad for some extra nutrition. I recommend my avocado salad , 7 layer salad , or my mind blowing grilled corn salad !
5-Star Review
“Very good. Family favorite now.” -Sandy Quinn
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta (1 box)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 16 ounces pork sausage bulk or casings removed
- ▢ ½ onion chopped
- ▢ 1 ounce Taco Seasoning (1 envelope)
- ▢ 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles undrained (1 can)
- ▢ 16 ounces salsa verde
- ▢ 16 ounces shredded Mexican Blend cheese (2 bags)
- ▢ Diced cherry tomatoes optional, for garnish
- ▢ Fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with foil and set aside.
- In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain. 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sausage: Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 16 ounces pork sausage, ½ onion
- When the sausage is almost cooked, add in the taco seasoning and green chiles. 1 ounce Taco Seasoning, 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove from heat and stir in the salsa verde. Set aside. 16 ounces salsa verde
- Add the cooked pasta, stir, and pour half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top the pasta with 8 ounces of cheese. Cover with the remaining pasta/sausage mixture and then finally top with the second 8 ounces of cheese. No need to stir. 16 ounces shredded Mexican Blend cheese
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fully melted and bubbly. Top with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro, if desired. Diced cherry tomatoes, Fresh cilantro
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Mexican Mac and Cheese Step by Step
Boil the Pasta: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with foil and set aside. In a large pot of salted water, boil 1 pound (1 box) of rigatoni to al dente according to package instructions. Drain.
Cook the Pork: While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add 16 ounces of pork sausage and ½ of a diced onion, crumbling the sausage as it cooks.
Season the Pork: When the sausage is almost cooked, add in 1 ounce (1 envelope) of taco seasoning and green 4.5 ounces (1 can) of chopped green chiles. chiles.
Stir in the Salsa: Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove from the heat and stir in 16 ounces of salsa verde. Set aside.
Add the Pasta: Add the cooked pasta, stir, and pour half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Layer the Casserole: Top the pasta with 8 ounces of shredded Mexican blend cheese. Cover with the remaining pasta/sausage mixture and then finally top with the second 8 ounces of cheese. No need to stir.
Bake and Serve: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fully melted and bubbly. Top with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro, if desired.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes to Try!
Mac and Cheese Casserole
Chili Mac (One Pot Recipe)
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Loaded Mac and Cheese
Mexican Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta (1 box)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 ounces pork sausage bulk or casings removed
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 ounce Taco Seasoning (1 envelope)
- 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles undrained (1 can)
- 16 ounces salsa verde
- 16 ounces shredded Mexican Blend cheese (2 bags)
- Diced cherry tomatoes optional, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with foil and set aside.
- In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain. 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sausage: Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 16 ounces pork sausage, ½ onion
- When the sausage is almost cooked, add in the taco seasoning and green chiles. 1 ounce Taco Seasoning, 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove from heat and stir in the salsa verde. Set aside. 16 ounces salsa verde
- Add the cooked pasta, stir, and pour half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top the pasta with 8 ounces of cheese. Cover with the remaining pasta/sausage mixture and then finally top with the second 8 ounces of cheese. No need to stir. 16 ounces shredded Mexican Blend cheese
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fully melted and bubbly. Top with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro, if desired. Diced cherry tomatoes, Fresh cilantro
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
