Queso Mac and Cheese

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This Queso Mac and Cheese is the ultimate mash up recipe of queso cheese dip and macaroni and cheese. It’s a side dish that’s perfect to pair with so many mains and will be a hit with your family and friends!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese, holiday, holidays

Servings: servings

Calories: 376kcal

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounce can evaporated milk
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 ounces Queso Blanco Cheese Dip
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese divided
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium pot, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in cream, evaporated milk, milk, and seasonings.
Once bubbles appear at the edge of the pan, add the queso blanco cheese dip, 1 ½ cups of white cheddar cheese, and 1 ½ cups of the pepper jack cheese. Fold and mix until smooth.
Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake 20 minutes, remove foil and top with the remaining shredded cheeses. Return to oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until it’s starting to brown and is bubbling at the edges. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage:

Store any leftover Queso Mac and Cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of milk, if needed, until warmed through.

You can also freeze leftovers if desired, just place them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat according to the instructions above.

Tips:

Don’t overcook the noodles. You want to boil them until they are just al dente. Anything more and they will be mushy.
Grate the cheeses from a block. Avoid using pre-shredded or your sauce could be grainy due to the anti-caking powder on shredded cheese.
Try other cheeses. You can easily swap the cheddar and pepper jack for your favorites!
Swap the heavy cream for half and half as a lighter option. If you want a little less fat, this is an easy swap!
Adjust the sauce texture. Prepared queso cheese dips can have different viscosities based on the amount of fat, cheeses they use, and liquid amount. Once the pasta is added, if the mixture appears too thick, add additional milk or half-and-half as needed.
Try another noodle. I personally love the classic elbow macaroni shape, but if you want to use type of noodle you can!
Add a protein to make it a full meal. Try adding shredded rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, or pulled beef and it suddenly becomes a main.

Nutrition

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