If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know that I’m a crock pot mom. My Crock-Pot is a kitchen essential and without it I’d probably be feeding my kid Kraft mac and cheese every day. Not that he would object because who doesn’t love Kraft mac and cheese! When I’m not feeling extra lazy, I shelf the Kraft and whip up some of this homemade mac and cheese with a bit of a twist. One of my new favorite go-to dinner recipes is this Taco Mac & Cheese Crock-Pot Meal. I substitute the beef with ground turkey whenever possible due to a hereditary kidney disease that keeps me from consuming large amounts of red meat.
I love this recipe so much that I recently made it for some friends who had a baby. It’s an easy meal that tastes great. My husband loves it and even my picky two-year-old loves it. It’s a win all around!
Enjoy!
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Taco Mac & Cheese Crock-Pot Meal Ingredients:
-1 ½ cup of uncooked elbows pasta
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-4 oz. cream cheese
-1 lb. ground turkey or beef
-1 can Rotel tomato and green chili
-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-2 cloves minced garlic
-3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
-Sour cream
Related Post: Easy Sesame Pork Stir Fry
Taco Mac & Cheese Crock-Pot Meal Directions:
- Brown the meat and season with 1 tbsp. of the taco seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Chop onion and mince garlic. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to box instructions.
- Line Crock-Pot with a Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner. Add meat, tomato and onion mixture, garlic, and remaining taco seasoning.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Stir in cheeses and cooked pasta until melted. Top with sour cream and serve.
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Tip: If you don’t have a lot of time in the morning to brown the meat and chop the onions, try doing the first two steps the night before. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight until you’re ready to combine all the ingredients in the crock-pot.
Are you a crock-pot lover? I’d love to know some of your favorite slow cooked meals. Share in the comments below.
Ingredients
- -1 ½ cup of uncooked elbows pasta
- -4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 lb. ground turkey or beef
- 1 can Rotel tomato and green chili
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Brown the meat and season with 1 tbsp. of the taco seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Chop onion and mince garlic. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to box instructions.
- Line Crock Pot with a Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner. Add meat, tomato and onion mixture, garlic, and remaining taco seasoning.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Stir in cheeses and cooked pasta until melted. Top with sour cream and serve.
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Meagan is in her mid-thirties and has been married for almost 10 years. She is a proud boy mom, happily navigating her way through the toddler years. She met her husband 20 years ago in high school; they got married 10 years later after graduating from the University of South Florida. Meagan currently helps run a family business with her parents and sister, while blogging about her life and taking care of her three-year-old son full time (at work)!
When she isn’t chasing her son around and constantly picking up Matchbox cars, she enjoys spending time with her family on a beach anywhere. She also loves decorating and organizing her home, delving into fun DIY projects, bargain shopping, and eating at unique restaurants. She also loves Barbecue anything and a good show or movie on Netflix.
My hands haven’t found their way to trying a crock pot to cook, but I do love Mexican cuisine. I used to eat mac and cheese when I was a teenager but I grew tired of it because I craved spices and aromatic herbs. It seems that the marriage between mac and cheese and taco would be my saving grace.
this looks super yummy! reminds me of cheeseburger hamburger helper!
Yum! This is something my kids would definitely go for 🙂