Who doesn’t love an easy Mac n Cheese recipe that is perfectly spiced and deliciously different? Cheesy Nacho Bake is the ultimate mac and cheese for Mexican food lovers. Loaded with taco seasoned ground beef, cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, and pasta shells!

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Nacho Mac and Cheese

This Nacho Bake is hearty with salsa, sour cream and ground beef—all covered with a topping of cheesy crushed tortilla chips. It is especially a favorite with my kids because after all, what kid doesn’t love a cheesy pasta dish, right?

Perfect for those busy weeknights, this shortcut dinner option can be ready to serve in under 30 minutes! Plus, you can add all your favorite toppings and truly make this your own. From adapting spice levels, toppings, and even seasonings, this is a must try recipe!

Ingredients Needed for this Cheesy Nacho Bake:

Full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with ingredient amounts and directions

Velveeta Shells and Cheese Dinner
Ground Beef- or turkey
Homemade Taco Seasoning– 1 package taco seasoning
Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese- shredded
Salsa
Tortilla Chips- crushed
Jalapenos- diced

How to make Nacho Mac N’ Cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions.
While macaroni is cooking, cook beef/turkey in a skillet until no longer pink.
Add taco seasoning to the meat and mix well.
Stir sour cream into the cooked/prepared macaroni.
Spoon half the macaroni mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.
Top with meat mixture, half the cheddar cheese, and remaining macaroni mixture.
Cover baking dish with tin foil and place in preheated oven, 400, to bake for 15 minutes.
Remove cover from dish and sprinkle remaining cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, and jalapenos (if using).
Place dish back into oven for an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove and serve!

Topping Suggestions

This tasty dish can be made with or without your favorite toppings, it will be delicious either way. Here are some fun ideas to try:

Diced Green Chiles
Black Olives
Diced Avocado
Tomatoes
Chopped Bell Peppers
Onions
Hot Sauce
Additional Salsa
Shredded Pepperjack Cheese
Chopped Green Onions

What to serve with Cheesy Nacho Bake

This shortcut meal includes pasta and meat, so feel free to serve on its own. If you want to add a few sides, here are a few tasty options:

BEST EVER Refried Beans
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Easy Instant Pot Refried Beans
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
Side Salad (I grab a salad kit from the store to keep things simple, try the Avocado Ranch Salad with this meal, its yummy)

Storage

This Nacho Bake is best enjoyed the day of! If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to serve. Unfortunately, this does not freeze well as the pasta becomes mushy and the texture doesn’t maintain.

FAQ’s

Can I prep this ahead of time? Yes! I typically make this in the morning and simply pop into the oven come dinnertime. I don’t recommend making it the day beforehand however due to the creaminess and cheese absorbing into the pasta.

Do I have to use Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese? I personally enjoy the Velveeta in this dish; however, you can also use Kraft Macaroni and Cheese or HOMEMADE Macaroni!

How do I make this in a 9×13 baking pan? Use the 24 oz Velveeta Mac and Cheese in place of the 12 oz. You can double the rest of the ingredients as well and make as directed below.

Do I have to use beef in this recipe? You can use cooked, seasoned chicken in place of the ground beef if desired, it just changes the texture a bit! Same great flavor!

More Cheesy Recipes to try

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole– made with rice, chicken breasts, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, water, and seasonings. You will love this easy and delicious comfort food meal.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti– makes a rich and creamy easy weeknight dinner. It comes together quickly and is total comfort food loved by everyone!

The BEST Mac and Cheese Recipe– outrageously cheesy, ultra-creamy, and topped with a crunchy Panko-Parmesan topping, this mac and cheese recipe is most definitely a keeper.

Baked Cheesy Tortellini– a quick and easy minimal ingredient dinner that you’ll love keeping in your back pocket for a busy night!

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macaroni and cheese combined with taco seasoned ground beef, cheese, tortilla chips, and salsa

Print Recipe

4.80 from 5 votes

Nacho Mac N' Cheese Recipe

With just 20 minutes of prep time and seven ingredients, this cheesy, taco-inspired mac and cheese is sure to become a new family favorite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time14

Total Time24

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy nacho bake, nacho bake, nacho mac n' cheese, nacho macaroni and cheese

Servings:

Calories: 535kcal

Author: The Cookin' Chicks

Equipment

Ingredients

12 oz Velveeta Shells and Cheese Dinner
1 lb ground beef *or turkey
3 tablespoon taco seasoning
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup cheddar cheese *shredded
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup tortilla chips *crushed
toppings of choice (jalapenos, peppers, onions, etc)

Instructions

Cook macaroni according to package directions.
While macaroni is cooking, cook beef/turkey in a skillet until no longer pink.
Add taco seasoning to the meat and mix well.
Stir sour cream into the cooked/prepared macaroni.
Spoon half the macaroni mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.
Top with meat mixture, half the cheddar cheese, and remaining macaroni mixture.
Cover baking dish with tin foil and place in preheated oven, 400, to bake for 15 minutes.
Remove cover from dish and sprinkle remaining cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, and jalapenos (if using).
Place dish back into oven for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve!

Nutrition

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