Crunchy Tortilla Salsa Mac and Cheese

Baked Salsa Mac and Cheese with a large spoon scooping some up.

5 from 1 vote

Crunchy Tortilla Salsa Mac and Cheese

Elevate your mac and cheese with this creamy & spicy Salsa Mac and Cheese tossed with salsa, and topped with crushed tortilla chips and lots of cheese. This dish is made with milk instead of cream, and it's still creamy, cheesy, and melts in your mouth. Everyone will be singing your praises with this crowd favorite.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican/Fusion

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Author: Nisha Kapur

Equipment

Le Creuset Dutch Oven 2.75

Ingredients

FOR SALSA MAC AND CHEESE

12 ounces medium shells elbows work too
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose white flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning I love Trader Joe's brand
3 1/2 cups medium cheddar cheese, grated & divided 1 1/2 cups for the sauce + 2 cups for the top
16 ounces salsa jar, mild or medium I love organic Whole Foods brand
small handful tortilla chips crushed in a ziploc bag

FOR GARNISH

few scallions, chopped
few cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Step 1 - Prep

TIP: Prep all your ingredients in advance since it's very easy to curdle mac and cheese. Chop your scallions and cilantro. Grate all of your cheese ahead of time.

Start by heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Add the uncooked pasta shells to the boiling water. Season with salt. Follow the package directions.

Step 2 - Preheat Oven & Cook Mac and Cheese

TIP 1 - Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

TIP 2 - Oven-Friendly Pan: Use a pan/pot that is oven-friendly so you can make mac and cheese in one pot.

TIP 3 - Avoid Curdling: Make sure the milk and cheese are at room temperature. When adding the milk and cheese, add them slowly and whisk them in slowly to avoid curdling. Additionally, if your salsa is cold, bring it to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a Dutch castiron or large skillet (preferably any oven-friendly pan) on low-medium heat. Once hot, add butter. Once the butter melts, add flour. Use a whisk and mix for a minute so the mixture is smooth, there should not be any lumps. The flour needs to be cooked.
To avoid curdling, slowly add the milk and whisk at the same time. You don't want to add the milk too fast else it will curdle. Whisk until well blended. Increase the heat to medium and allow the milk to heat up. This process will take about 10 minutes, keep stirring occasionally.
Once the milk is heated through and slightly thickens up, add black pepper, garlic powder, taco seasoning, and 1/4 a teaspoon of salt. Don't go overboard on salt since the taco seasoning and cheese contain enough salt. Mix well.
Now add the salsa - a little bit at a time, especially if the salsa is cold. Whisk the salsa in until the sauce is smooth. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 1/2 cups of cheese - a little bit at a time to avoid curdling. Keep whisking in between.
Check on your pasta. Your pasta should be boiling and perfectly al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse lightly with cold water.
Now slowly add the warm pasta to the salsa cheese sauce. Again, add a little bit at a time to avoid curdling. Stir in all the pasta well. Turn off the stove. Top pasta with crushed tortilla chips. Use a Ziploc bag to smash the chips.
Now top with the remaining 2 cups of cheddar cheese. Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. You can bake for an extra 5 minutes if you need to. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro. Serve after 5 minutes and enjoy hot!

Notes

This recipe was first published on April 15, 2013, and has since been updated and republished.

Prep & Measure Ingredients before Cooking - When making mac and cheese, prep all your ingredients ahead of time - grate the cheese, have the flour and butter ready to go, and have the milk measured out. You need to work quickly so measure out all the ingredients before cooking.
Room Temperature Ingredients - Make sure the milk and cheese are at room temperature. This will help prevent the mac and cheese from curdling.
Tempering / Avoid Curdling - To avoid curdling, you must slowly add the milk to the roux (combination of butter & flour). Additionally, add the cheese a little bit at a time, and then whisk the sauce. Any drastic difference in temperatures will cause your mac and cheese to curdle, so add these ingredients slowly.
Pasta - Again, for the pasta, add the pasta a little bit at a time so there is no drastic temperature difference between the hot sauce and the pasta.
Cheese - Make sure you use block cheddar cheese and grate it. Do NOT use any pre-packaged cheese because they have a ton of additives that may cause your mac and cheese to curdle. Additionally, freshly grated cheese tastes a thousand times better.
Spicier Mac and Cheese - For spicier mac and cheese, you may add red chili powder or cayenne pepper along with the taco seasoning. Note: Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning is already spicy, and salsa may be mild-medium spice.

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