A Unique Mexican Mac and Cheese Recipe
Homemade cheddar cheese sauce mixed with pasta that is cooked in broth, rotel, and pantry essential spices. This Mexican Mac and Cheese dinner recipe is a family favorite that can be paired with a side or act as a side. No judgement! It is family friendly and delicious on many levels.
Mexican Mac and Cheese
Make this today or for a family gathering. It is a flavor packed recipe that is sure to please your loved ones and yourself, especially if Mexican Cuisine is favored. Be sure to read the instructions on how to make the recipe to assure it is made in the unique way I list.
How this recipe came about
I think this vegetarian recipe is long overdue, but definitely worth the wait. To say the least, it is a branch off of my favorite cheeseburger macaroni recipe (minus the burger). It holds true to the flavors and obviously a complete meal because Mac and Cheese can replace anything. Am I right or am I right? On top of that…. cheat days are allowed to happen with recipes like this.
What type of pasta to use
Traditionally macaroni and cheese uses elbow pasta which works well for this dish. There is no particular pasta I recommend, but here a few suggestions…
- bowtie/farfalle
- cavatappi
- macaroni
- casarecce
Fusion Italian Mexican Recipes
I love mixing Italian and Mexican flavors together. The best part about living in a melting pot is to enjoy the flavors for what they are and still being able to mix them together to get unique dishes. If you love fusion recipes, then check out my other favorites.
- Italian Mushroom Quesadillas
- Fusion Burritos
- Turkey Kheema
What Ingredients are needed?
- garlic
- pasta
- rotel
- broth
- cheddar cheese
- black pepper
- red chili powder
- taco seasoning
- all purpose flour
- butter
Mexican Mac and Cheese Recipe
📖 Recipe
Mexican Mac n Cheese
Ingredients1x2x3x
CHEESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- ▢ 2 tablespoon butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ▢ ¾ cup milk
- ▢ 1 cup cheese (mexican blend and/or cheddar)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon cream cheese (optional)
- ▢ black pepper (optional)
PASTA INGREDIENTS
- ▢ 4 cups diced, bell peppers and onions
- ▢ 10oz can rotel
- ▢ 1 package McCormick taco seasoning
- ▢ 1 cup uncooked pasta of choice
- ▢ 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- ▢ 3 cloves grated fresh garlic
- ▢ salt
- ▢ red chili powder
Instructions
CHEESE SAUCE METHOD
- Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter to it. After it melts, add the all-purpose flour and whisk until golden brown.
- Once the flour cooks through, add the black pepper + milk and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese is completely melted. Set it aside once melted.
PASTA METHOD
- Heat a pan on medium high and add some oil. Once hot, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent.
- Add taco seasoning, garlic, rotel, and red chili powder. Then mix it well.
- Add the pasta and vegetable broth to the pot. Let it simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can make the cheese sauce.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked and the water has evaporated, stir in the cheese sauce.
- Mix and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes on low heat.
- EAT :).
Make it healthier
A few ways to change up this recipe and make it healthier
- Use your favorite whole grain, brown rice, lentil, etc pasta.
- Incorporate other vegetables such as zucchini.
- Limit the amount of sodium by using water instead of broth.
Mexican Mac n Cheese
Ingredients
CHEESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup cheese (mexican blend and/or cheddar)
- 2 tablespoon cream cheese (optional)
- black pepper (optional)
PASTA INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups diced, bell peppers and onions
- 10oz can rotel
- 1 package McCormick taco seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked pasta of choice
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 3 cloves grated fresh garlic
- salt
- red chili powder
Instructions
CHEESE SAUCE METHOD
- Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter to it. After it melts, add the all-purpose flour and whisk until golden brown.
- Once the flour cooks through, add the black pepper + milk and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese is completely melted. Set it aside once melted.
PASTA METHOD
- Heat a pan on medium high and add some oil. Once hot, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent.
- Add taco seasoning, garlic, rotel, and red chili powder. Then mix it well.
- Add the pasta and vegetable broth to the pot. Let it simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can make the cheese sauce.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked and the water has evaporated, stir in the cheese sauce.
- Mix and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes on low heat.
- EAT :).
Recipe Courtesy of The Curry Mommy
A healthy Indian Salmon Recipe
Tender cooked Indian salmon fish that can be made within minutes using garam masala, turmeric powder, and spicy red chilies. This masala salmon recipe is baked to perfection while you pour a glass of white wine, making it the perfect weeknight recipe! Love salmon? Try this easy chili garlic salmon recipe!
Indian Salmon Masala Recipe
Growing up, we ate a lot of this hariyali green masala fish with different varieties of seafood. My favorite was always fresh caught catfish. Then salmon became an alternative after knowing its health benefits later in life. This spice packed Indian salmon recipe is easy to make and tastes great! I recommend it for gatherings, weeknight meals, or for a date night menu!
Winner winner fish dinner right here folks! THERE’S A SUCH THING, right?
Where to buy salmon?
Sustainable salmon can be found at Whole Foods or your local health food market. In addition to that, Costco sells sustainable salmon in the freezer section where the filets are already individually wrapped.
Wild Caught vs Farm Raised Salmon
Sustainability is a big factor when it comes to comparing the two, but flavor and taste is also very different! I personally love Norwegian Farmed Atlantic Salmon. It has a meaty yet buttery texture that is super soft and flakey almost like a white fish. However, wild caught is the healthier alternative with its more firm and meat like texture. I’ve started to buy the latter for health reasons.
Salmon Substitute
Exchange it for catfish! Seriously, just do it. Indian flavored catfish is my weakness. In fact, catfish is my weakness. Can you tell I’m a southern girl? I love the texture and flavor of catfish. This masala pairs oh so well with it too. There are no other substitutions needed. Just a fair swap of the fish kind.
Ingredients
- Salmon Filets
- cilantro
- fresh garlic
- fresh ginger
- coriander powder
- turmeric powder
- green chili powder
- Shan Lahore Fish Masala
- black pepper
- salt
- oil
- lemon wedge
- tandoori masala
Serve it with
- Jasmine rice
- Masala rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Vegetables ( brussel sprouts , broccoli, bell peppers, or onions)
- Seeds of Change brown rice and quinoa
Tips
- BBQ cut salmon works really well when baking or grilling.
- Covering this salmon while cooking will help keep the masala moist
- Lemon versus lime tastes much better as a condiment
Step-by-Step Pictures
Blend the Ingredients
Recipe
📖 Recipe
Indian Salmon Masala Recipe
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 cloves fresh garlic
- ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ▢ ½ jalapeno
- ▢ 2 salmon filets with skin
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Rajah Tandoori Masala or Shan Lahore Fish Masala
- ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 6-8 strands cilantro stems and leaves
- ▢ ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ salt (I add about a teaspoon of regular Morton’s iodized salt)
- ▢ oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine ginger, garlic, tandoori or lahore fish masala, red chili powder, cilantro, jalapeño, black pepper, salt, and some oil in a blender and blend into a fine paste.
- Coat the bottom of an oven safe pan with oil where you are going to place the salmon only (feel free to line the pan with foil/parchment paper for easy clean up).
- Rub a thin layer of masala onto the salmon skin and place it skin side down on the pan.
- Place the remainder of the masala on top of the salmon filets and drizzle with some oil on top.
- Place veggies on the pan (if desired) and then slightly cover the salmon filets with foil (see picture).
- Bake for about 12 minutes (will depend on thickness)
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Uncover the foil and discard. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Broil the salmon on low heat for a few minutes at the end to brown the masala a little
- If making a sheet pan meal, cut veggies very small and thin to allow them to cook faster and get crispy.
- BBQ Cut salmon works best when baking and grilling.
