Recipe: Queso Mac and Cheese

Queso Mac and Cheese?! Yes. I know – one of those foods you pretend not to eat, yet secretly love. Well, we’re having a potluck tomorrow and I’m brining this not so healthy dish. Time to cheese it up and dig in! Oh, and it’s gluten free!

Ingredients

• 340g of macaroni pasta (I used gluten free)
• 650ml jar of hot salsa
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 100g of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of cilantro

First, cook you pasta about one minute less than it says on the box. Then, set your oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat up the oil and add in the chopped onion and jalapeno with the chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes. Then add in your jar of salsa. Stir for 1 minute. Add in the pack of cream cheese and stir until melted. I let the sauce sit on simmer for about 4 minutes then stir – I keep doing this until it’s creamy.

Add in the cooked pasta and mix well. Put the mac and cheese into a oven safe bowl and top with the shredded cheese – bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly (I skipped this step below – don’t skip!). Top with cilantro and you’re done. Time to eat!

If you’re in the mood, use little personalized bowls. I love these red ones.

This queso mac and cheese is a little spin on one of my favourite dips – plain old salsa and cream cheese. Such a classic!

Doesn’t it look so good?

I’m getting hungry. The potluck tomorrow is going to rock.

Well, there you have it – a total cheesy cheat meal. I won’t tell, I promise.

Recipe

Print Recipe

Queso Mac and Cheese

Author: Ali

Servings: 6

Queso Mac and Cheese?! Yes. I know – one of those foods you pretend not to eat, yet secretly love. Well, we’re having a potluck tomorrow and I’m brining this not so healthy dish. Time to cheese it up and dig in! Oh, and it’s gluten free!

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time10 minutes minutes

Total Time25 minutes minutes

CourseDinner

CuisineAmerican

Ingredients

• 340 g of macaroni pasta I used gluten free
• 650 ml jar of hot salsa
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 jalapeño
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 100 g of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of cilantro

Instructions

• First, cook you pasta about one minute less than it says on the box.
• Then, set your oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat up the oil and add in the chopped onion and jalapeño with the chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes.
• Next, add in your jar of salsa. Stir for 1 minute.
• Add in the pack of cream cheese and stir until melted. I let the sauce sit on simmer for about 4 minutes then stir - I keep doing this until it's creamy.
• Add in the cooked pasta and mix well.
• Put the mac and cheese into a oven safe bowl and top with the shredded cheese - bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly (I skipped this step - don't skip!).
• Top with cilantro and you're done. Time to eat!