Taco Macaroni Skillet

Name: Taco Macaroni Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 450 g Lean ground beef; 480 g Water; 150 g Yellow onion; 12 g Garlic cloves; 300 g Tomatoes with green chilies, diced; 225 g Elbow macaroni; 350 g Evaporated milk; 170 g Cheddar cheese; 28 g Taco seasoning

Taco Macaroni Skillet · ready in 45 min · 4 servings · 520 kcal per serving · easy · 9 ingredients

A hearty one pan dinner with tender pasta, savory seasoned beef, and a rich, cheesy sauce that delivers classic taco flavors in comforting macaroni form.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 520
Difficulty: easy

American Mexican Main dishes High-protein (25 g+)

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

450 gLean ground beef
480 gWater
150 gYellow onion
12 gGarlic cloves
300 gTomatoes with green chilies, diced
225 gElbow macaroni
350 gEvaporated milk
170 gCheddar cheese
28 gTaco seasoning

Equipment

stovetop, chef knife, colander, cutting board, lid, measuring cup, serving spoon, skillet, wooden spoon

Instructions

Prep ingredients
Chop the yellow onion, mince the garlic cloves, measure all ingredients, and set a large skillet on the stovetop. · 5 min
What to look for: beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent
Brown beef
Cook the yellow onion and garlic in the skillet over medium heat until soft, add the lean ground beef, brown fully, then drain excess fat. · 8 min
When it is done: Ground beef reaches 71°C / 160°F with no pink remaining.
Boil sauce
Stir in the water, diced tomatoes with green chilies and their juices, and taco seasoning, then bring the mixture to a rolling boil. · 5 min
What to look for: bubbling steadily
Cook pasta
Add the elbow macaroni, return to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook while stirring occasionally until pasta is tender. · 15 min
What to look for: pasta plump and sauce thickened
Finish and serve
Remove from heat, stir in the evaporated milk and most of the cheddar cheese, sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover briefly, then serve. · 8 min
What to look for: cheese melted and glossy

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	520
Protein	32 g
Carbohydrates	42 g
of which sugars	8 g
Fat	26 g
of which saturated	12 g
Fibre	3 g
Sodium	980 mg

Nutri-ScoreD

Allergens

Contains: gluten, milk

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 3 days
Freezer: yes, up to 2 months

Ingredient substitutions

Lean ground beef

ground turkey: Choose dark meat turkey for juicier results
plant based ground meat: Brown well to enhance savory flavor

Yellow onion

white onion: Same cooking behavior

Garlic cloves

garlic powder: Add with tomatoes to prevent burning

Tomatoes with green chilies

canned diced tomatoes: Add chopped green chili separately

Elbow macaroni

small shell pasta: Adjust cook time as needed

Evaporated milk

half and half: Sauce will be thinner