Try This Easy, Cheesy Southwest Mac and Cheese Recipe
What a good day to make an easy, delicious, and healthy dinner!
This flavorful and healthy Southwest Mac and Cheese recipe has been a family favorite at my house for years. It is easy to prepare and you only need a big pan and a big pot to prepare it right on your stovetop. This dish is very forgiving, in that, you can change it to suit your personal taste and it will still be delicious. If you want an easy recipe and you like southwest flavors this one is for you!
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Southwest Mac and Cheese
A version of a Southwest Mac and Cheese recipe came my way years ago through a weight loss meeting. Unfortunately, that one was much too strong on spices and too hot for my taste. Over time, I have changed it to make it more to mine and my family’s liking. As you will see, you can also make changes to suit your own tastes. My preference is to make the healthier version with ground turkey and low fat cheese and to make it less spicy by using mild Rotel. It turns out good every single time and the leftovers are just as good the next day!
Ingredients:
You will need: macaroni noodles, ground turkey (& bullion cubes) or beef, onion, green pepper, salt, chili powder, ground cumin, petite diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes & chilis, cheddar or Mexican blend shredded cheese, and torilla chips.
Let's get started making Southwest Mac and Cheese!
First of all, you will need a big pot and a big pan. Though not required, I love using my big cast iron skillet for making Southwest Mac and Cheese! I use this skillet all the time. It heats up quickly and distributes the heat evenly. This pan is great for browning, searing, or cooking meat. However, the drawback is that it has to be washed by hand and then seasoned with oil (so it doesn’t rust) before putting away. I find that it is worth it to me because it cooks so well.
Choose your meat:
Now, this is where you can begin to accommodate your own tastes. Isn’t it great to find ways to make healthier food choices that do not make us feel that we are being deprived or like we are having “diet” food? In this recipe, using 93% fat free ground turkey works very well. Ground turkey doesn’t have much flavor, so to give it a more beefy flavor, I put in 3 beef bullion cubes or bullion granules when browning it. Of course, you could also just use ground beef instead if you prefer that. I really like to use the turkey simply to make it a healthier dish. Fortunately, my family can’t tell the difference!
Veggies or not:
Next, go ahead and spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray or coat your pan with a little cooking oil. Then, put your burner on a medium setting. Now, brown your turkey (along with the bullion cubes) or beef (breaking apart) just until it is no longer pink. Immediately, add the onion and bell pepper and heat for about 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softened. You can lower the heat if needed or add just a little water (about a tablespoon) if it starts to dry out. It is fine to leave out the onion and substitute onion powder if you have family members who don’t like the texture of onions. In addition, leaving out the bell peppers will not change it too much if you are not a fan.
Spice it up:
Now sprinkle the meat and veggie mixture with the chili powder and ground cumin. Stir well to mix the spices in. To the pan, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Rotel. We like ours very mild, so I use mild Rotel Tomatoes and Chilies. If you prefer it spicier, you can use the original or hot version of Rotel. As I said before, suit your personal taste. Stir all of this together well. Bring to a boil and turn down to low. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. You can add a little water if it looks too thick. Simmering will get the flavors blended throughout the sauce.
Put it all together:
While the sauce simmers, start a large pot with 3 quarts of water heating to a boil. Add salt to taste. Cook the macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain well and add to to the meat mixture. Stir everything together, then add 1 cup of shredded reduced fat cheddar or Mexican Blend cheese. Stir until it is all combined. Put a little cheese on top to garnish.
Serve it:
You can serve your Southwest Mac and Cheese with extra shredded cheese, for those who want it, and tortilla chips, baked or regular. I like to use bite sized Tostito chips. You get a lot of chips for your calories! That’s always a good thing!
If you would like to serve a side with your Southwest Mac and Cheese, corn on the cob goes well, or a side salad.
Enjoy!
Southwest Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- Large pot, large skillet or pan
Ingredients
- 8 oz. elbow macaroni
- 1 lb. turkey (or lean ground beef) (beef will affect total calories)
- 3 cubes beef bullion (only if using turkey)
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilis (your choice of spiciness)
- 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese (or Mexican Blend cheese) shredded
- 1 bag Tostito chips and extra grated cheese for serving
Instructions
- Spray a large pan or skillet with nonstick cooking spray or use a little oil if your pan requires it. Over medium heat, brown turkey (or ground beef) for a few minutes just until not pink, breaking apart. If using turkey, add the bullion cubes also and break up to distribute throughout the turkey. Add in onion and green pepper and cook for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Sprinkle on chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir well to mix into meat.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Rotel and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Bring 3 quarts of water (salted, if desired) to boil in a large pot and cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
- Add the macaroni to the meat sauce mixture and stir together. Add 1 cup of cheese and stir to combine. Heat until bubbly. Serve
- Optional: Garnish with a sprinkle of more cheese before serving.
- Serve with tortilla chips and extra cheese for those who desire it.
Enjoy!
Karen
Note: Recipe from Karen @whatagoodday.com. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. I’m happy for you to share my recipe, but please link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you!
I made this last night. It was delicious! Definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad! It is a favorite at my house! We love southwest flavors!