Tex-Mex Macaroni and Ground Beef Casserole

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Taco seasoning and nacho cheese soup help to flavor this easy, tasty casserole. Serve with cornbread or biscuits. This is a great casserole to make for a family meal or potluck dinner.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning

• 10 1/2 ounces cheese soup

• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Steps to Make It

1. Cook macaroni or mini ziti in boiling salted water as directed on the package. Drain and rinse with hot water; set aside.

2. Heat oven to 350 F.

3. Grease a 2 1/2- to a 3-quart baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

4. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, stirring and breaking up, with the onion until onion is softened.

5. Add the bell pepper and continue cooking, stirring, until beef is no longer pink.

6. Add the garlic and taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute longer.

7. Add soup, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Cook, stirring, until blended and bubbly.

8. Add the drained macaroni and spoon into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and cheese topping has melted.

    

Tip

• If you cover and refrigerate earlier in the day, allow more time for warming the casserole.

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are in a glass baking dish and have been refrigerated, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, place any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or, allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

Recipe Variations

• Feel free to use ground turkey instead of ground beef. Gluten-free pasta may be used if you'd like.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	368
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	23%
Saturated Fat 9g	45%
Cholesterol 85mg	28%
Sodium 640mg	28%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	9%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 24mg	118%
Calcium 277mg	21%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 763mg	16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.