Description
Taco shells & cheese blend Mexican zest with classic comfort in this irresistible fusion dish. Melted cheese, seasoned ground beef, and crispy taco shells create a quick, satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- ½ pound (8 ounces/226 grams) ground beef
Pasta:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) mini shell or elbow pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (11 grams) sodium citrate
- 8 ounces (226 grams) shredded white cheese (mix of white cheddar and gruyere)
Garnish:
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Quartered cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Fill a spacious pot with water, season with salt, and bring to a rolling boil.
- Thoroughly blend spices in a compact container, ensuring uniform distribution.
- Heat a skillet over medium flame and crumble ground beef, cooking until it loses most of its raw appearance, approximately 5 minutes.
- Integrate spice blend into meat, adding a modest splash of liquid if the mixture appears parched.
- Extract beef using a perforated utensil, transferring to a separate vessel while maintaining skillet temperature.
- Craft a smooth flour and milk emulsion, then incorporate remaining dairy and sodium citrate into the skillet, whisking continuously until uniform.
- Allow mixture to gently simmer, developing a consistent texture.
- Immerse pasta in boiling water, cooking until achieving a tender yet firm consistency.
- Drain pasta thoroughly, reserving it momentarily.
- Reduce skillet heat, progressively introduce cheese while whisking, ensuring complete melting.
- Merge cooked pasta, velvety cheese sauce, and seasoned beef mixture.
- Plate atop crisp lettuce leaves, garnishing with vibrant cherry tomatoes for a fresh presentation.
Notes
- Perfectly seasoned taco-inspired mac and cheese combines bold flavors with creamy, melted cheese for a delightful dinner twist.
- Whisking spices beforehand ensures even distribution and maximum flavor throughout the ground beef and cheese sauce.
- Use a slotted spoon when transferring beef to prevent excess grease from diluting the rich cheese mixture.
- Creating a flour and milk paste helps prevent lumps and guarantees a smooth, silky cheese sauce every time.
- Letting the cheese melt gradually while whisking prevents separation and maintains a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Serving over crisp lettuce adds a fresh, crunchy contrast to the warm, hearty pasta dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 90mg