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Queso Mac and Cheese is a delicious combination of classic mac and cheese and your favorite queso dip combined into one dish and then baked in the oven until golden brown and cheesy. Tender spiral shaped pasta, creamy cheesy sauce, and a hint of spice make this a favorite!
For other variations of mac and cheese be sure and try Copycat Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese or Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
Queso Mac and Cheese Recipe
Cheese lovers will LOVE this childhood staple comfort food reimagined with queso blanco Velveeta cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, diced green chilies, and spiral shaped pasta smothered in the creamy spicy cheese sauce.
This baked macaroni cheese with queso has just the right amount of spice but it can be made to fit your preference; such as very mild heat or no heat at all, and all the way to super spicy if that’s what you love.
Ingredients Needed
- Cellentani Pasta : This is a spiral shaped pasta and it’s so fun for this Mac and cheese recipe. Any similar pasta shape about the same size can be used; rotini, farfalle, shell pasta, elbow macaroni, rigatoni, ziti, etc.
- Whole Milk
- Velveeta Queso Blanco
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Pepper Jack Cheese : Buy an 8 ounce block of Pepper Jack cheese and shred it yourself using a box cheese grater; it melts much smoother and creamier than pre shredded cheese. It makes a big difference!
- Diced Green Chilies : Use mild, medium, or spicy version of canned diced green chiles.
- Queso Quesadilla Cheese
- Chopped Fresh Cilantro : This is an optional garnish for serving.
How To Make Queso Mac & Cheese With Velveeta Queso Blanco (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, making sure to salt the pasta water! Drain the pasta in a colander when it’s done cooking but do not rinse it!
In a large pot, over medium heat, add the milk, Velveeta queso blanco, cumin garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook, while stirring frequently, until the velveeta cheese has melted.
Stir in the shredded Pepper Jack cheese and the diced green chilies. Continue to cook until all of the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Stir the cooked and drained pasta into the cheese sauce until it’s mixed well and all the pasta is covered in the cheese sauce. Transfer the Mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the queso quesadilla cheese over top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the sides are bubbly.
Sprinkle the top with chopped fresh cilantro (if using), serve & enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, add a little splash of milk or chicken broth, stir, and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. You can also microwave a single serving for 30-45 seconds at a time.
What Are Some Substitutions I Can Make?
- Cellentani Pasta : Any similar shored pasta can be used such as penne, farfalle, shells, ziti, etc. I recommend using the fun spiral shaped cellentani pasta because it’s a fun shape and holds up perfectly with the rich and creamy cheese sauce.
- Velveeta Queso Blanco : Regular classic velveeta cheese can be used or reduced-fat. It will change the flavor profile of the queso Mac and cheese if using classic Velveeta.
- Pepper Jack Cheese : For a more mild heat use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, or even Mozzarella cheese. You can also mix & match and use some Pepper Jack plus some of another variety of cheese.
- Diced Green Chilies : Rotel is another great option (make sure it’s really well drained) or even a can of chopped jalapeños for more heat in the dish.
- Queso Quesadilla Cheese : This is a shredded cheese that you can find by the other bagged shredded cheese at the store. Another option is to use additional shredded pepper jack cheese or another cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Queso macaroni and cheese is a great side dish to many Mexican flavors & dishes at the dinner table, or there are several fun and creative ways to serve it as a main dish. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Fajitas : Make some Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas or Marinated Steak Fajitas and serve the queso macaroni and cheese as a hearty side dish.
- Nachos : It might sound crazy, but the Mac and cheese is actually a really good topping for nachos!
- Meatless Dinner : Serve the macaroni and cheese as the main dish and then serve some Mexican themed sides dishes along with it such as a taco salad or Fiesta Avocado Salad.
- Tacos : Prepare simple ground beef tacos with crunchy corn taco shells and serve the mac and cheese on the side.
- Loaded Mac and Cheese Bowls : Make mac and cheese bowls with the queso mac and cheese as the base, and then loaded up with different taco toppings; such as sour cream, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, chopped tomatoes, guacamole or avocado slices, sliced jalapeños, black beans, taco seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken, cilantro, etc.
Recipe FAQ’s
Do I Have To Bake It, Or Can I Keep It On The Stovetop?
You can keep it on the stovetop, with a few changes to keep in mind. Add the queso quesadilla cheese into the macaroni and cheese at the same time as the shredded Pepper Jack cheese. Then add the cooked and drained pasta into the large pot and stir well to combine everything together. You will need to continue to cook it until the cheese sauce thickens up. Cooking it on the stovetop will give you a slightly thinner cheese sauce since when you bake it, the cheese sauce thickens up quite a bit in the oven.
How Can I Keep The Cheese From Separating?
The best thing to do is to add everything as directed in the recipe, and to heat it low & slow and not turn up the heat to try and rush the melting process. If it’s melting too fast then you will want to reduce the heat, stir constantly, and let it melt slowly. With everything moving and being mixed + a low and slow heat, you should not have any problems with the cheese separating.
Can I Make It Spicier? More Mild?
If you want to add more heat to the queso mac and cheese, you can use a can of chopped jalapeños instead of the diced green chilies, add some cayenne pepper, chili powder, and/or hot sauce. If you want a more mild version use classic Velveeta cheese, mild diced green chilies, and/or use a different variety of cheese such as Monterey Jack or Colby Jack.
More Queso Recipes You’ll Love
- Ultimate Cowboy Queso
- Slow Cooker Queso Chicken Tacos
- One Pot Queso Chicken and Rice
- Ground Beef Queso Chili
- Queso Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Queso Blanco Dip
- White Queso Dip
Queso Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 box (16 oz) cellentani pasta
- 16 oz Velveeta Queso Blanco
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 block (8 oz) Pepper Jack cheese shredded
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies (mild, medium, or spicy heat)
- 8 oz queso quesadilla cheese (or 2 cups shredded)
- chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, making sure to salt the pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander when it's done cooking but do not rinse it!1 box (16 oz) cellentani pasta
- In a large pot, over medium heat, add the Velveeta queso blanco, milk, cumin garlic powder, and salt. Let it cook, while stirring frequently, until the velveeta cheese has fully melted.16 oz Velveeta Queso Blanco, 2 cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the shredded Pepper Jack cheese and the diced green chilies. Continue to cook until all of the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.1 block (8 oz) Pepper Jack cheese, 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
- Stir the cooked and drained pasta into the cheese sauce until it's mixed well and all the pasta is covered in the cheese sauce. Transfer the mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the queso quesadilla cheese over top.8 oz queso quesadilla cheese
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the sides are bubbly.
- Sprinkle the top with chopped fresh cilantro (if using), serve & enjoy!chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
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