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    Home > Pasta Recipes > Mexican Mac and Cheese with Tomato Sauce

    Mexican Mac and Cheese with Tomato Sauce

    Published: Sep 16, 2019 · Modified: Dec 14, 2021 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

    Mexican Mac and Cheese made with tomato sauce. There’s nothing like homemade macaroni and cheese. Throw in a Mexican twist for this feisty version of our favorite comfort food. The whole family will love this recipe. Easy and delicious and a perfect side dish for any Southwestern main course.

    A casserole dish filled with Mexican Macaroni and Cheese topped with sliced tomatoes

    I’ve had this crazy macaroni and cheese craving all Summer. Finally I’ve gotten around to indulge. If there’s anything that reminds me of my childhood, mac and cheese is right at the top of the list.

    Not to mention I lived on that crazy-good blue box version in college. Served along side a tuna salad sandwich. Those were the days. 🙂

    The bright orange color of that blue box mac and cheese was gorgeous, but we all know food coloring was involved. This recipe for Mexican Mac and Cheese has that same beautiful color but it comes by it honestly.

    Tomato sauce and tomato bouillon join forces to bring a saucy flavorful colorful base for this gourmet version of our favorite comfort food. But before we get to the recipe:

    Save Your Pasta Water

    If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times. If you let that water from cooked pasta go down the drain, you’re throwing away liquid gold.

    That cloudy starchy liquid is cooked pasta’s best friend. It can turn your spaghetti or elbow macaroni into that silky, saucy pasta of your dreams. It’s filled with salt and starch and when combined with fat (cheese and butter in this case), results in a luxurious sauce.

    Instead of letting that water drain through your colander, right before draining, just take a 1 cup measuring cup and dish out a cup full of the hot water. It helps to emulsify any sauce you’re adding to any pasta.

    Before adding the pasta back to the sauce pan, add your fat (butter in this case) Once the butter starts melting start adding in your pasta water. Add the pasta and with tongs, (my favorite pasta tool), start combining the pasta with the buttery starchy water. Then you’re ready to finish the dish.

    I learned this trick, not from Culinary School, but from my home-cook mom, who adored pasta and potato dishes. And by the way, potato water works in the same way. Starchy potato water was the secret to her creamy white gravy that she made from Pan Fried Chicken.

    How To Make Mexican Mac and Cheese with Tomato Sauce

    • In a separate saucepan, cook chopped onion and garlic. Set aside.
    • After cooking the pasta, save 1 cup of the pasta water and drain pasta. Dissolve the tomato bouillon in the hot pasta water.
    • Add the butter to the hot sauce pan. Once it’s almost melted add the pasta water and mix.
    • Add the pasta back into the pan and with tongs give it a few stirs to coat the macaroni with the butter sauce.
    • Add the onion, garlic, tomato sauce, spices and cheeses.
    • Mix well.
    • Optional: For a little bling. Move the macaroni to an oven safe pan, (I used my rectangular tart pan) and top with sliced tomatoes and a little more cheese over the tomatoes. Broil until cheese is melted and just starting to brown.
    • Voila! Easy peasy and full of cheesy tomato-y flavor

    Riffs on Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

    • Add cooked ground beef, chorizo, or even cooked ground chicken breast.
    • Elbow Macaroni is my mac and cheese pasta of choice, but you can mix it up if you want. Rigatoni and penne would be fun or how about those large shells.
    • Add a large green, yellow or red bell pepper. Just chop and saute with the onion.
    • Add frozen, thawed sweet corn. Or canned black beans, drained and rinsed. Add these items right before you add the pasta. The heat from the pasta will heat them right up.
    • Add a couple of seeded, deveined canned Chipotle Chile peppers and a bit of the sauce. This will add a wonderful smoky flavor.
    • I used a good quality pepper jack cheese and American cheese purchased from the deli. American cheese is a great melting cheese. Switch things up and use cheddar, Muenster, or shredded Mexican blend cheese. You can also top the macaroni with Cotija (Mexican crumbling cheese) before serving.
    • Mix 1/4 panko bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese and broil until it starts to brown.
    Mexican macaroni and cheese with sliced tomatoes on top. Served in a tart pan on a sheet pan grate.

    Recipe for Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

    I hope you give this Mexican Mac and Cheese recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

    And if you have a favorite stovetop mac and cheese recipe, or spicy macaroni and cheese recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

    More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

    • Swiss Cheese Mac and Cheese with Mushrooms
    • Ina Garten’s Gruyere Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes
    • Flemings Steakhouse Mac and Cheese
    • Instant Pot Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Chicken

    And if you’re a pasta freak like us, you won’t want to miss my Pasta category. You’ll find plenty of al dente goodness. Including the most popular pasta recipe on my site, Spicy Creamy Shrimp Pasta.

    This recipe is adapted from my friend Yvette’s Recipe at Muy Bueno Cookbook.

    A casserole dish filled with Mexican Macaroni and Cheese topped with sliced tomatoes

    Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

    A Mexican themed Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 736kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 1 Sweet onion chopped
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 8 Cups Water
    • 2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 pound Elbow macaroni
    • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
    • 15 1/2 ounce can Tomato sauce
    • 2 teaspoons Tomato bouillon
    • 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
    • 1 teaspoon New Mexico Chile Powder or ancho chile pepper, or 2 – 3 shakes of hot sauce
    • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
    • 3/4 cup Pepper Jack Cheese grated
    • 3/4 cup American cheese grated or cut into chunks
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
    • Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining. Place the tomato bouillon in the cup of hot pasta water to dissolve.
    • Return drained pasta to the pan. Stir in reserved pasta water/bouillon, butter, tomato sauce, cheese and spices. Add onion and garlic mixture. Once the cheese is melted and pasta is well mixed, add the cider vinegar and stir.
    • If you'd like to take the additional time, remove the stovetop mac and cheese to an oven safe pan. Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle the tomatoes with a little more cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and just starting to brown.

    Video

    Notes

    Add more chile powder for more heat. Chile powder with an “e” is a single pepper blend and not to be confused with Chili, with an “i” powder which is a blend of several spices and used to season chili soup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 736kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 2338mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1210IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 509mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Mexican Macaroni and Cheese …It’s What’s for a Side Dish.

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Quicker Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese
    • Creme Fraiche Pasta Sauce With Gremolata
    • Salmon and Pasta with Paprika Wine Sauce
    • Fettuccine Mio Amore Recipe (Lincoln Highway Pasta)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. mjskitchen says

      September 25, 2019 at 8:21 pm

      Yep – we both were craving the old mac & cheese this month. Love you Mexican twist. Looks quite delicious!

      Reply
    2. dan says

      September 19, 2019 at 8:46 am

      Way yummy-looking!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        September 22, 2019 at 1:59 pm

        Thanks Dan.

        Reply
    3. Traci says

      August 30, 2018 at 3:40 pm

      Going to give this a try. My daughter’s abuela makes this. Hoping it comes out the same. Going to use the cheese her family sends her from Mexico though.

      Reply
    4. JoseD says

      December 25, 2017 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      This! So happy to have found a recipe just like abuelita used to make! Can’t wait to use it!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        December 31, 2017 at 2:06 pm

        Thanks JoseD. Enjoy.

        Reply
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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

    More about me →

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